Tetsuya Naito has been one of the most prolific wrestlers in the history of New Japan Pro Wrestling, winning the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship twice and the IWGP Intercontinental Championship six times. With the upcoming retirement of Hiroshi Tanahashi, fans have been speculating the possibility of the two meeting in the ring one-on-one for a final match.
However, it is not going to be the case as Tanahashi’s Wrestle Kingdom 20 match has been made official. Tetsuya Naito discussed the idea of wrestling one of his biggest rivals one more time, and that if the offer was on the table, he would have accepted it.
Tetsuya Naito Would’ve Accepted Hiroshi Tanahashi’s Retirement Match If Offered
While speaking to Thor of Note, Tetsuya Naito commented about Okada being Tanahashi’s final opponent and how he would have accepted a final showdown with The Ace of New Japan.
“Maybe the real best was another wrestler, but I think Okada was one of the best possible candidates, comparable to that. However, although I wasn’t able to serve as Tanahashi Hiroshi’s opponent in his debut match, there was a possibility that I could have served as his opponent in his retirement match. There hadn’t even been a match billed as his final singles match between Tanahashi Hiroshi and Naito Tetsuya, so I felt happy if I was nominated, as it meant that I had something left undone. I was nominated as the opponent in the retirement match of Muto Keiji, the wrestler who got me started watching pro wrestling, and even after Muto left, I continued to watch New Japan Pro-Wrestling and joined New Japan because of Tanahashi Hiroshi. I think it would have been an incredible honor to have served as the opponent in those two’s retirement matches. So, I’m disappointed that I wasn’t chosen, but I’m sure there were many people who thought it would be Nakamura, Okada, or Naito, and one of them was chosen as the opponent, so I think it was good for the fans as well. However, all three of the candidates are no longer with New Japan. The current New Japan wrestlers must be frustrated that none of their wrestlers were there.
“If I had been offered, I would have accepted it. I left New Japan Pro-Wrestling, but if I were to return to New Japan, it would probably be when I was involved with Hiroshi Tanahashi. A big part of my motivation for returning was wanting to wrestle with Hiroshi Tanahashi. In that sense, not being chosen as my opponent for my retirement match this time meant that my essential reason for returning to New Japan was gone. That, too, is a bit sad. I’ll leave aside the question of whether I’ll explore (the possibility of a match) in the two months left until my retirement, but for me, it was the last thing I wanted to do. If that feeling grows, I might take action, but at this point, I have no intention of taking any action myself. What do you want to say to Tanahashi now? Retirement is a big decision, not just for wrestlers, and I think he’s retiring because he has no doubts about it, so I want him to retire at the Tokyo Dome after giving it his all, without any regrets. But…I just want to say, are there really any things left undone? Do you have any regrets?”
Tetsuya Naito has been active over the last few years and has remained active in the wrestling world since departing New Japan Pro Wrestling in May, following the Wrestling Dontaku series.
Hiroshi Tanahashi and Tetsuya Naito faced off 18 times in singles action in New Japan and Naito has an 8-9-1 career record aganist him. It would have been an exciting throwback match to see Tanahashi ending his career with Tetsuya Naito, but Okada vs. Tanahashi at Wrestle Kingdom 20 is still a must-watch match itself.
