NJPW’s Windy City Riot Cements Chicago as Wrestling Hub with Tanahashi’s Emotional Farewell and Title Showdowns By [Your Name], Wrestling Correspondent
CHICAGO — The roar of 6,000-plus fans at Wintrust Arena on Friday night underscored Chicago’s ascendance as a cornerstone for New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s U.S. expansion, as the promotion delivered a historic Windy City Riot event headlined by Hiroshi Tanahashi’s final North American match and a championship double main event.
The Ace’s Last Stand In a semi-main event dripping with symbolism, 48-year-old legend Hiroshi Tanahashi — the “John Cena of Japan” — battled rising star Konosuke Takeshita in a grueling NEVER Openweight Title match. Though Tanahashi ultimately fell short against the 29-year-old AEW standout, the eight-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion absorbed thunderous “Thank you, Tana!” chants, cementing his legacy as the bridge between Japanese strong-style wrestling and its global fanbase.
“The fans of Chicago have been extremely loyal to NJPW, and that’s why it was chosen as the perfect place to host Hiroshi Tanahashi’s final match in the USA,” said NJPW spokesperson Farbod Esnaashari ahead of the event.
Championship Fireworks The card’s dual main events delivered high-stakes drama:
- IWGP World Heavyweight Title: Hirooki Goto weathered a furious assault from Shota Umino, retaining his championship via pinfall after a GTR finisher.
- Strong Openweight Title: Gabe Kidd and Tomohiro Ishii brutalized each other in a 30-minute Iron Man match, with Kidd narrowly retaining his title 3-2 in falls.
Other title bouts saw Kevin Knight and KUSHIDA successfully defend their Strong Openweight Tag Team Championships against Jorel Nelson and Royce Isaacs, while Mina Shirakawa outlasted AZM to become #1 contender for Mercedes Mone’s Strong Women’s Championship.
Chicago’s Wrestling Metamorphosis The third annual Windy City Riot solidified Chicago’s status as NJPW’s Midwestern fortress, drawing comparisons to the company’s coastal strongholds. Last year’s event at the same venue attracted 6,028 fans for Jon Moxley’s IWGP title victory over Tetsuya Naito, while this year’s card leaned into the city’s appetite for technical mastery — exemplified by Zack Sabre Jr.’s submission-heavy victory over David Finlay.
What’s Next With Tanahashi’s retirement tour now stateside-complete, attention shifts to his final career match at January 2026’s Wrestle Kingdom in Tokyo. Meanwhile, NJPW’s Chicago fanbase — which successfully lobbied to bring the promotion inland in 2022 — awaits word on whether the Windy City Riot will become an annual tradition.
Tickets for the event ranged from $24 to $299, with suites available for groups. The show aired live on NJPW World.
Key Details
- Venue: Wintrust Arena (Near South Side)
- Attendance: Comparable to 2024’s 6,028
- Style: NJPW’s signature “strong style” — stiff strikes, technical grappling, and high-flying hybrids
- Legacy: Tanahashi’s U.S. finale follows 20+ years of global influence, including matches against Kenny Omega and Kazuchika Okada
The event’s success cements Chicago’s reputation as a wrestling town that embraces both WWE spectacle and NJPW’s sport-centric approach — a duality on full display as fans exited chanting both Tanahashi’s name and local hero CM Punk’s signature “Cult of Personality” melody.