Hiroshi Tanahashi added to Team Okada at NJPW Wrestling Dontaku

  • Ian Carey
  • By 

Hiroshi Tanahashi will return to the ring at NJPW Wrestling Dontaku. 

Tanahashi suffered a broken rib at Capital Collision earlier this month but announced on Sunday that he’s been cleared to return. 

Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii, and a mystery “X” partner were announced  to challenge Minoru Suzuki, Ren Narita, & El Desperado for the NEVER Openweight Six Man titles on the big event from Fukuoka. On today’s show from Kumamoto, Okada confirmed that Tanahashi will be their mystery partner. However, this did not sit well with Ishii, who said if Tanahashi is on the team then he’s out. 

From NJPW1972.com:

On April 30, Tanahashi announced on social media that he was cleared and would be in Fukuoka to take the open spot; hours later, Okada confirmed the decision in Kumamoto. That prompted Ishii to storm out in anger; will Ishii accept the Ace, and will this team of three be on point enough to beat a well oiled machine in the championship side?

NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 5/3 lineup:

  • IWGP World Heavyweight Champion SANADA defends against Hiromu Takahashi
  • NEVER Openweight Champion Tama Tonga defends against David Finlay
  • NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Champions Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado & Ren Narita defend against Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii, and Hiroshi Tanahashi
  • NJPW World TV Champion Zack Sabre Jr. defends against Jeff Cobb
  • Strong Openweight Champion KENTA defends against Hikuleo
  • Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi & BUSHI vs. Taichi, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & DOUKI
  • Shota Umino, KUSHIDA & Kevin Knight vs. Aaron Henare, TJP & Francesco Akira
  • Mikey Nicholls, Shane Haste & Kosei Fujita vs. Mark Davis, Kyle Fletcher & Great-O-Khan
  • Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI, Toru Yano & YOH vs. EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi, SHO & Dick Togo
  • Kickoff match: Young Lion gauntlet