By Andrew RavensShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberIn a year defined by high-profile farewells, a legendary figure has defied the trend by stepping back into the squared circle. Jushin Thunder Liger, the WWE Hall of Famer and New Japan Pro Wrestling icon, made a shocking return to competition at WrestleCade in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
The surprise moment occurred when "The Bad Boy" Joey Janela issued an open challenge to anyone in the locker room. The challenge was answered by the 61-year-old Liger, who had not wrestled a match since his retirement in January 2020. The crowd at the Benton Convention Center erupted as the junior heavyweight legend made his way to the ring.
The impromptu match lasted approximately four minutes and saw Liger emerge victorious over Janela. This appearance marked a sharp deviation from Liger's previous stance on his career; he had reportedly declined other offers to return, including an invitation for Chris Jericho's cruise, citing his age.
More news: Nikki Bella Reunites With Ex-Boyfriend At WWE Raw
Reaction to the bout was immediate, with Janela expressing his disbelief on social media.
"I thought I saw a ghost! In highschool when I was 16, I would bring a portable dvd player on the bus and watch the George Mayfied 7 hour Jushin Liger compilation, 20 years later some how @wrestlecade made this wizardry happen! Spectacular feels," Janela said.
...Game Changer Wrestling owner Brett Lauderdale also confirmed the moment on X (formerly Twitter).
"Jushin Liger just came out of retirement to wrestle Joey Janela at Wrestlecade," Lauderdale said.
Loading twitter content...
Liger's return comes amidst a wave of major retirement tours in professional wrestling. John Cena is currently on his farewell tour, which will conclude with his final match at "Saturday Night’s Main Event" on December 13. Cena recently lost his Intercontinental Championship to Dominik Mysterio at "Survivor Series" following interference from a returning Liv Morgan.
Meanwhile, in Japan, NJPW President Hiroshi Tanahashi is preparing for his own retirement match at "Wrestle Kingdom 20" on January 4, 2026. Tanahashi is set to face current AEW star Kazuchika Okada in a bout that has driven massive ticket demand, with reports indicating the event initially sold out the Tokyo Dome.
Liger previously wrestled what was believed to be his final match on January 5, 2020, at "Wrestle Kingdom 14," where he teamed with Naoki Sano in a losing effort against Hiromu Takahashi and Ryu Lee (now known as Dragon Lee in WWE).
More WWE News:
- Former WWE Champion is Preparing for In-Ring Return
- Ringside Tickets for WWE PLE Reach Shocking Price
- AJ Lee Calls Out WWE Fan for Bizarre AI Video
Add Newsweek as a preferred source on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search.Recommended For You
WrestlingWWE’s Paul Heyman Goes Viral for Shoving Fan After Survivor Series3 min read
WrestlingBecky Lynch Calls Out WWE Issue After Survivor Series WarGames Results3 min read
WrestlingWWE Reportedly Planning Major WrestleMania 42 Matches: Report3 min read
WrestlingLiv Morgan Breaks Silence on WWE Return for Survivor Series WarGames3 min read
WrestlingMasked WWE Star Ruins WarGames at Survivor Series 20253 min read
WrestlingStephanie McMahon Has New Role With WWE3 min readRelated Podcasts
Top Stories
NewsThe Motive Behind the National Guard Shooting: What We Know6 min read
NewsUncommon Knowledge: Trump Closes Venezuelan Airspace, but Not NATO Airspace5 min read
WorldRepublicans Demand Probe into Pete Hegseth’s Boat Strikes5 min read
PoliticsDonald Trump Suffers Blow in Alina Habba Case4 min read
U.S.What the US Supreme Court Has Said About Denaturalization7 min read
WorldNetanyahu Pardon: Israel’s President Responds to Trump-Endorsed Request3 min readTrending
FloridaAmazon Driver Sees Food Left for Stray Cats—Ring Cam Captures What He Does3 min read
NWSWinter Storm Warning as 8 Inches of Snow to Hit North and Midwest3 min read
Donald TrumpMap Shows Donald Trump’s Approval Rating in Each State After 10 Months4 min read
Delta AirlineDelta Air Lines Plane Slides Off Runway During Winter Storm1 min read
WeatherWinter Storm Warning As 13 Inches of Snow To Strike: ‘Extreme Caution’3 min readOpinion
OpinionForeign Energy Companies Have No Home in Our Forests | Opinion4 min read
OpinionThe Hemp Ban Shows America Still Works | Opinion4 min read
OpinionConventional Wisdom: The Somali Minnesota Welfare Fraud Edition4 min read
OpinionRedefining Professional Degrees Will Hurt Everyday Americans | Opinion5 min read
OpinionAI Is Coming for Our Most Intimate Communications. Congress Must Act | Opinion5 min read