New Japan Pro-Wrestling star Hiroshi Tanahashi made a surprise appearance on this week’s AEW Dynamite, announcing that he would be challenging the winner of Lance Archer vs. Hikuleo for the IWGP United States Championship in the near future. AEW’s crossovers with New Japan have been going on since Kenta made his surprise arrival in the company, but this is by far the biggest star from the Japanese promotion to make the jamp. Wrestling fans proceeded to lose their minds on social media over the news, and you can see some of the best reactions below.
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Last week’s AEW Dynamite ended with Archer breaking Jon Moxley’s record-breaking reign with the US title, defeating him in a Texas Death Match. It’s entirely possible that Tanahashi will be traveling for New Japan’s NJPW Resurgence event in Los Angeles on Aug. 14
A new challenger has emerged! @njpw1972 ace Hiroshi Tanahashi (@tanahashi1_100) will challenge the winner of tonight’s #IWGP US Title match between @LanceHoyt and @Hiku_Leo.@njpwglobal @njpwworld @njpw1972 pic.twitter.com/VPj1YMgffD
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) July 29, 2021
That is All
Tanahashi is coming. That is all, that’s the tweet. #AEW
— Jason Solomon (@solomonster) July 29, 2021
Holy Bleep
Holy S**t the greatest @njpw1972 wrestler of all time @tanahashi1_100 is going after the IWGP U.S. Champion #aewdynamite pic.twitter.com/ZIufFKUN2t
— David LaGreca (@davidlagreca1) July 29, 2021
That Spray Was Needed
HIROSHI TANAHASHI ON #AEWDYNAMITE
— Alex McCarthy (@AlexM_talkSPORT) July 29, 2021
TWITTER:
(Rightly so) pic.twitter.com/Vf07HMajgH
All Caps
TANAHASHI WHAT???? #AEWDynamite
— TranquiloClubYT (@TranquiloClubYT) July 29, 2021
Even They Don’t Know!
‘The Ace’ Hiroshi Tanahashi (@tanahashi1_100) appeared on @tntdrama to challenge for the IWGP US Heavyweight Championship!!!
— NJPW of America (@NJPWofAmerica) July 29, 2021
Will he face @LanceHoyt or @Hiku_Leo?! Where?! When?!#AEWDynamite #njpw https://t.co/Q1WMiYj0ql
That’s The Good Stuff
TANAHASHI COMING TO AEW DYNAMITE!?!?!!!??!? #AEWDynamite pic.twitter.com/rJ1diJqBNC
— Sean Slate (@seanslate42) July 29, 2021
With the Very Good Hair
Tana with the good hair on AEW programming? Sign me up #AEWDynamite
— Phil Lindsey 🎨👑 (@PhilDL616) July 29, 2021
