Wrestling Tonight: NJPW WRESTLE KINGDOM 20 FALLOUT | TANAHASHI SAYS GOODBYE | RAW NETFLIX ANNIVERSARY | AEW & WWE SHIFT GEARS episode artwork

EPISODE · Jan 6, 2026 · 2H 37M

Wrestling Tonight: NJPW WRESTLE KINGDOM 20 FALLOUT | TANAHASHI SAYS GOODBYE | RAW NETFLIX ANNIVERSARY | AEW & WWE SHIFT GEARS

from The Turnbuckle Tavern · host The Turnbuckle Tavern

New Japan Pro-Wrestling closed the book on a defining era at the Tokyo Dome with Wrestle Kingdom 20, a show built around transition rather than nostalgia. Hiroshi Tanahashi's retirement match marked the end of a 25-year in-ring career and served as a clear dividing line for the company moving forward, while the rest of the card focused on consolidation and direction through major title matches and contender-setting bouts. Wrestle Kingdom once again functioned as NJPW's annual truth serum — clarifying priorities, tightening the championship picture, and setting expectations for the post-Tanahashi era. Elsewhere, AEW wrapped up 2025 with Worlds End drawing an estimated 140,000 buys, pushing the company's annual PPV total near 1.25 million worldwide. MJF reclaimed the AEW World Championship, restored the "Triple B," and immediately introduced volatility to the title scene with challengers lining up on television and a potential independent title defense looming at Limitless Wrestling. Willow Nightingale made history on New Year's Smash by becoming the first woman to hold two AEW championships simultaneously, while Tony Khan confirmed the return of AEW Grand Slam Mexico in 2026 and reiterated plans to expand dual-contract partnerships with CMLL talent. WWE entered the new year in the midst of its own structural shift. Trick Williams officially joined the SmackDown roster, Giulia regained the Women's United States Championship, and Matt Cardona was confirmed as an active SmackDown competitor. The WWE PPV and PLE archive began its transition to Netflix in the United States as Raw prepares to celebrate its one-year Netflix anniversary with a Stranger Things–themed episode. Injury updates for Dominik Mysterio and Sheamus, combined with The Usos capturing the World Tag Team Championships, further highlighted a roster recalibration heading into 2026. Tonight's episode breaks down the fallout from Wrestle Kingdom 20, what Tanahashi's retirement means for New Japan's future, and how AEW and WWE are repositioning themselves at the start of a new year. No overstatement, no revisionist framing — just a grounded look at a week that quietly reset the industry's direction.

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Wrestling Tonight: NJPW WRESTLE KINGDOM 20 FALLOUT | TANAHASHI SAYS GOODBYE | RAW NETFLIX ANNIVERSARY | AEW & WWE SHIFT GEARS

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