Hiroshi Tanahashi To Face Konosuke Takeshita In Final Ever US Match

Hiroshi Tanahashi will go one-on-one with Konosuke Takeshita in what is being advertised as the NJPW President's final-ever match in the United States.

New Japan Pro-Wrestling have announced the match will be held at NJPW Windy City Riot at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago on April 11.

Hiroshi Tanahashi and Konosuke Takeshita have only faced each other once before, with Tanahashi defeating a teenage Takeshita in a DDT ring in 2014. Takeshita recently issued the challenge for a rematch.

Takeshita, while still a part of All Elite Wrestling and DDT Pro, signed with New Japan earlier this year. 'The Alpha' is also the reigning NEVER Openweight Champion, having defeated Shingo Takagi at Wrestle Kingdom 19.

Also announced for Windy City Riot is an Iron Man Match between Gabe Kidd and Tomohiro Ishii for the NJPW STRONG Openweight Championship. Kidd and Ishii went to a time-limit draw at Battle in the Valley, a match which Ishii looked set to win following a Sheer Drop Brainbuster.

As a result of their draw, Ishii and Kidd will face each other in a 30-minute Iron Man Match on April 11. If the score remains level after 30 minutes, the match will go to sudden death.

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