Kenta Kobashi, widely considered as one of the best wrestlers to come out of Japan, announced his plans to retire on today’s Pro Wrestling NOAH show at the Sumo Hall in Tokyo, Japan.

Kobashi came out to the ring during the show and addressed the reports surrounding his future earlier in the week and said that the Tokyo Sports coverage on him was a negative one, but at the same time, the injuries to his neck and left arm are a major setback and with his own judgement, any recovery he makes is impossible, despite any surgery he may undergo in the near future and has decided to call it a day.

Kobashi said that wrestling is his life and thanked the fans and said that if he can do so, he plans to stand inside the ring once again and wrestle his final match on February 26th, 2013, which also marks the 25th Anniversary of his wrestling debut.