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The Living Legend has endured a rollercoaster year in 2019. After cementing an age defying comeback at the start of the year, Tanahashi has suffered setback after setback.

Ousting Kenny Omega from New Japan entirely, Tanahashi’s Tokyo Dome main event victory felt like a return to a more traditional era in New Japan. At least it did until Jay White crushed all of our dreams when he ended Tanahashi’s 8th IWGP Heavyweight title reign in its first defence.

Back to square one, Tanahashi was eliminated by SANADA at the New Japan Cup, defeated by Zack Sabre Jr. in his first Madison Square Garden match up, injured yet again and toppled by Jay White once more. His G1 opened with a loss to the mighty Kazuchika Okada, a man who he’d held to a time limit draw in every prior G1 encounter. Tanahashi finished his tournament with 8 points, 4 wins and 5 losses. A far cry from the 15 point tournament victory he enjoyed in 2018.

If Tanahashi’s 2018 comeback was the night before, than his 2019 is the morning after. While the fans still cheer him with more passion than anyone and while his charisma and heart burn bright still, his body is beginning to call it a day. Tanahashi’s story is that of time and it gets all of us eventually.