Hiroshi Tanahashi Live!

January 4, 2026 marked the end to the career of one of the greatest Japanese professional wrestlers, Hiroshi Tanahashi.  He debuted in October 1999 along with fellow young boys Katsuyori Shibata and Shinsuke Nakamura, dubbed the "New Three Musketeers" by the Japanese wrestling media.  Named after the original Three Musketeers consisting of Keiji Muto, Masahiro Chono, and Shinya Hashimoto.

It's hard to believe Tanahashi was the first of the 3 the retire, Nakamura is in the WWE and Shibata, after a 4 year hiatus to recover from injury, is active in AEW.  He has a fantastic career capturing numerous championships including becoming an 8 time IWGP Heavyweight Champion.

I was lucky enough to see Tanahashi wrestle live 3 time, ironically all in 2019.  The first two times were during WrestleMania weekend in New York City.  The first at the RevPro show pro held at the WrestleCon convention, before the show they did a meet and greet with several New Japan Pro Wrestlers, I met Tanahashi, Shibata, and Ishii.  It was only $30 for a Combo and I got my card signed.

April 5, 2019

Revolution Pro Wrestling Hilton Grand Ballroom Manhattan, NY

British Tag Team Champions: Suzuki-Gun: Minoru Suzuki & British Heavyweight Champion:

Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi & Will Ospreay when Sabre pinned Ospreay

Jay, Mikey, and I had front row for the show, and during Tanahashi's entrance he stopped right in front of us and we all played air guitar together, it was a bad ass moment. I have the video clip somewhere and when I find it I will upload it here.

Talk about and all star tag team match!

April 6, 2019

New Japan Pro Wrestling / ROH Madison Square Garden Manhattan, NY

G1 Supercard

British Heavyweight Champion: Zack Sabre Jr with Taka Michinoku defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi by submission

The three of us attended the first non WWF/WWE promoted wrestling event at Madison Square Garden in 60 years.  We had front row balcony and pictures did come out great.  This is one of the most historic wrestling events I have ever been to.

September 27, 2019

NJPW: New Japan Pro Wrestling Memorial Auditorium Lowell, MA

Fighting Spirit Unleashed

IWGP Heavyweight Champion: Kazuchiki Okada, Hiroshi Tanahashi, & Kota Ibushi defeated Los Ingobernables de Japon: Tetsuya Naito, Evil & Sanada when Tanahashi pinned Naito with cobra twist

Mikey, Jay, and I also attended this event together. This tour of shows was the first time that New Japan ran shows in the US that were not co-promoted with Ring of Honor.  Okada was the IWGP Heavyweight champion, but it was Tanahashi who stayed in the ring after the main event to thank the audience and play his air guitar for us. 

I feel very fortunate to have seen Tanahashi wrestle live these three times and to have had the opportunity to meet him in person.  It's important to take advantage of the opportunities when you can. 

Incidentally, his last match was on January 4th against Okada, checking cagematch they have faced each other 249 times in singles and tag team matches. 

Thank you for reading, please leave a comment, check out my other posts, and if you want like my blogs Facebook page.  You can also head over to Amazon and pick up a copy of my book the 2024 Limitless Wrestling Almanac, or any of my other books.

Until next time!

2025 My Year In Wrestling

Here we go with my live wrestling recap for 2025!

2025 by the Numbers

23 wrestling events

8 different promotions, 1 first time attending

3 States

Maine, Massachusetts, & Maryland

I checked off a new state this year with my first ever wrestling show in Maryland.  I attended my second NXT show, which was also my first NXT PPV or PLE, I also went to my first TNA event since December 4, 2009.  

379 Lifetime events

January saw two show, both Limitless events.  The first on the 12th in Herman that saw Matt Cardona making his Limitless debut challenging Dezmond Cole for the World Title.  Also John Walters made his Limitless debut defeating Anthony Greene.  Six days later on the 18th Limitless was back in Yarmouth and saw Channing Thomas defeat Cole to win the Limitless World Championship.

February I went to 1 show, Limitless Wrestling back in Yarmouth on the 22nd with a heavyweight main event of Donovan Dijak vs. Calvin Tankman in a hard hitting match.

March I attended two shows, on the 14th RINGWARS in Palmyra and on the 21st Limitless making their debut at Brick South in Portland.  Brick South packed in a huge crowd with several debuts on the show from Deadlock Pro Wrestling.  This show we finally got the one one one match up between Becca and Gabby Forza, but it ended in DQ.

April featured another pair of shows, on the 17th we traveled to the MGM Music Hall in Boston for AEW Collision.  This was my first Collision taping but we also got some Ring of Honor Matches.  Big match of the night for me was seeing Nick Wayne defeated Kommander to win the ROH World Television Championship.  On the 26th Limitless Wrestling in Yarmouth that saw Bear Bronson pin Anthony Greene and Channing Thomas defend the Championship against Aaron Rourke.

May was another pair of shows, on the 17th I was back in Westbrook at the Armory for Limitless Wrestling for the first time since May 10, 2019.  What was VERY cool was seeing "Big" Rick Fuller at a show for the first time since April 25, 2009, he was there to visit Scotty 2 Hotty whose son Keagan was making his Limitless debut.  We also got a two team single cage WarZone match!!  The 30th was RINGWARS at the Fairfield Community Center for my 66th show at the venue featuring the 2 ring Joey Gleitz rumble match.

June was a single show, Limitless Wrestling back in Yarmouth on the 28th that had several VLC qualifying matches and Gabby Forza unsuccessfully challenged Channing Thomas for the world championship.

July 20th Limitless was back in Herman for the final VLC Qualifying matches that saw Anthony Greene win the qualifying battle royal even though he eliminated no one from the match.  I attended my first ever show in Maryland on the 27th at MCW Pro Wrestling, you can click the link to read all about my Maryland Wrestling Adventure.

August was two of the biggest events of the year, on the 9th the 2025 Limitless Wrestling Vacationland Cup.  Over 2500 people packed into the Colisee in Lewiston for an amazing night of Pro Wrestling featuring TNA Tag Team Champions The Hardy Boys, Dezmond Cole defeating Channing Thomas for the Limitless World Championship, Joey Eastman's needs to be seen to believe entrance and Aaron Rourke winning the 2025 Vacationland Cup.  The 24th I was back at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium for my first ever NXT PLE: Heatwave!  It was a solid show that saw two titles change hands, Blake Monroe in singles action and Obi Femi retain against Je'Von Evans.

September was one show, Limitless back in Westbrook on the 20th that saw Dijak turn after another loss, the Bakabella Family splinter, Gabby Forza defeated Maggie Lee, and a returning Jody Threat fall to Becca.

October had 3 shows two in Lowell on the 12th with a matinee Beyond Wrestling show that featured a mat wrestling tournament with Drew Gulak, Timothy Thatcher, Ryan Clancy, and others as well as Will Kroos in non-tournament action.  That evening at the Tsongas Center I attended my first TNA show in almost 16 years, and my first TNA PPV in Bound For Glory, their biggest show of the year.  A big show it was with the final match of the Dudley Boyz, the largest North American attendance for a TNA show and more, you can read bout it here: TNA Bound For Glory 2025.  The 17th Limitless was in Biddeford for Fresh Blood featuring the Limitless debuts of Will Kroos, Lena Cross, and more.  It was a very fun intimate crowd standing room only Limitless show, which is not their typical presentation.  That is what is so great about Limitless Wrestling, their ability to put on a variety of different style shows at various venues and succeed.

November featured my final 3 shows of 2025.  The first two on the 14th were a Limitless double shot at the Queen City Expo Con in Bangor.  This was actually the last weekend of shows for Limitless for the year with 1 on Friday, 2 on Saturday and 1 on Sunday, I only went to Saturday.  On show 1 we got The Savage Gnomes vs. Los Toxicos and AG & Dijak vs. Cole & Alec Price.  Show 2 opened with the actors from The Adventures of Pete & Pete doing a bit with Anthony Greene & Sidney Bakabella.  For matches we got Dijak vs. Aaron Rourke and for the Limitless title Cole vs. Price vs. Bear Bronson.

My last live event of the year was AEW Dynamite and Collision in Boston, back at the Agganis Arena, the go home show before the Full Gear PPV.  We got matched from the women's tag title tournament, Hangman Page vs Shibata, Okada vs Dorada, and Mercedes Mone defeat Red Velvet to unify the ROH Women's World Television Championship.

I'm very pleased with my wrestling journey this year.

2026 is starting out big with 2 definite shows and a potential 3rd show in January

January 10th - NSPW Quebec City

January 16th - Limitless Wrestling, The Colisse for the Limitless Rumble

January 23rd - RINGWARS Fairfield Community Center

Thank you for reading, please leave a comment, check out my other posts, and if you want like my blogs Facebook page.  You can also head over to Amazon and pick up a copy of my book the 2024 Limitless Wrestling Almanac, or any of my other books.

Until next time!

Me With Wrestlers in 2025

Here are my photo's that I took with Wrestlers in 2025.  I grab a photo with Gabby and Maggie Lee at almost every show they are on because they are going to HUGE stars someday. I used to do the same with Kris Statlander.  

Gabby Forza January 18 at Limitless Wrestling, Yarmouth, Maine

Aaron Rourke January 18 at Limitless Wrestling, Yarmouth, Maine

Maggie Lee, February 22, Limitless Wrestling, Yarmouth, Maine

LJ Cleary, March 21 at Limitless Wrestling, Portland, Maine

Ella Envy, March 21 at Limitless Wrestling, Portland, Maine

Gabby Forza, March 21 at Limitless Wrestling, Portland, Maine

Brooke Havok, April 26 Limitless Wrestling, Yarmouth, Maine

"Big" Rick Fuller, May 17, Limitless Wrestling, Westbrook, Maine

Gabby Forza, May 17, Limitless Wrestling, Westbrook, Maine

Dezmond Cole, May 17, Limitless Wrestling, Westbrook, Maine

Alec Price, June 28, Limitless Wrestling, Yarmouth, Maine

Zak Patterson, June 28, Limitless Wrestling, Yarmouth, Maine

Gabby Forza, June 28, Limitless Wrestling, Yarmouth, Maine

Bear Bronson, June 28, Limitless Wrestling, Yarmouth, Maine

Tiara James, July 27, MCW Pro Wrestling, Dundalk, Maryland

The Zukkos: Ryan & Ronnie , July 27, MCW Pro Wrestling, Dundalk, Maryland

Maggie Lee, September 20, Limitless Wrestling, Westbrook, Maine

Gabby Forza, September 20, Limitless Wrestling, Westbrook, Maine

Drew Gulak, October 12, Beyond Wrestling, Lowell, Massachusetts 

Will Kroos, October 17, Limitless Wrestling, Biddeford, Maine

Lena Cross, October 17, Limitless Wrestling, Biddeford, Maine

Kurt Angle, November 1, Big Time Wrestling, Augusta, Maine

Kalisto, November 1, Big Time Wrestling, Augusta, Maine

I grabbed a few photos with some non-pro wrestlers as well this year.

Kathleen Edwards, April 6 Portland House of Music, Portland, Maine

Mark Sheppard, April 13, Supernatural Convention, Boston, Massachusetts

Michael Moronna & Danny Tamberelli, November 14, Queen City Expo, Bangor, Maine 

From The Adventures of Pete & Pete

The Heavy Heavy, December 10th at the Brighton Music Hall, Alston, Massachusetts 

Georgie Fuller & Will Turner

Thomas Holder

Frank Fogden

Next year I think I'm going to take even more photos at shows. 

Thank you for reading, please leave a comment, check out my other posts, and if you want like my blogs Facebook page.  You can also head over to Amazon and pick up a copy of my book the 2024 Limitless Wrestling Almanac, or any of my other books.

Until next time!