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The story
Hidetora Hanada (24), a former amateur sumo grand champion who also tried his hand at American football at Colorado State University, has signed with WWE’s developmental brand NXT, according to a report by the U.S. pro-wrestling site PWInsider on October 27, 2026 (October 28 in Japan). WWE has not yet made an official announcement. On 5ch, a flurry of posts initially mistook him for a relative of former yokozuna Toragami Hanada (also known as Wakahanada) due to the shared surname, and the thread lit up with surprised reactions once it became clear the two aren’t related, plus takes on wrestlers with a football background and anticipation for a possible WWE debut.
Hidetora Hanada (24), a former amateur sumo grand champion who also played American football at Colorado State University in the U.S., has signed with the American pro-wrestling promotion WWE, according to a report by the U.S. pro-wrestling site “PWInsider” on October 27 U.S. time (October 28 Japan time). Outlets including “Fightful” and “Ringside News” have also picked up the report. As of the 28th, WWE has not issued an official announcement.
“Ringside News” reports that the deal is with WWE’s developmental brand, NXT. A timeline for his NXT debut hasn’t been set. He’s listed at 6 feet 1 inch (roughly 185 cm) and 280 pounds (roughly 127 kg).
He reportedly tried out at WWE headquarters and also took part in the NIL program.
Source: sportingnews.com / Read the original article here
What people said
It's confusing, and honestly kind of annoying.
But The Rock came up through football too.
And above all, there's Vader.
You don't know Stan Hansen?
The U.S. runs on seasons — football in fall, amateur wrestling in winter. Guys like Dick the Bruiser and The Destroyer were football stars too.
Last night I spotted one bright star shining in the cedar branches. (a parody of the stock flowery opener from old Japanese letter-writing textbooks)
You, for posting that, and me, for getting the reference — welcome to the Late-40s Club. (implying only older posters would recognize it)
Didn't he even beat Onosato, who was already on the verge of turning pro sumo wrestler at the time?
I don't think there's ever been a wrestler who debuted in America without going through Japanese pro wrestling first.
Pro wrestling's a tough business.
Japan's sumo world shortens your lifespan and barely pays anymore anyway.
Football's a narrow door for Japanese athletes too, and with the salary cap, there's not much an individual can earn there either.
Didn't 'big bro' play football too?
He should just change it to 'Strong Hidetora.' (riffing on classic wrestler ring names like Strong Kobayashi)
Turn the mix-up into an asset and just call him 'Hanada Jr.'
Market him as 'the Yokozuna's son' and he'll be a hit.
If he's 24 (born 2002), that's only two years after Wakanohana retired.
I assumed he was Toragami Hanada's son.
Same surname (for some reason?), but different sperm, different egg.
Yeah, everyone gets confused…
On top of that, both did sumo and both tried football — that overlap doesn't help.
Funaki, the self-proclaimed 'Number One Announcer,' was a babyface, you know. (Shoichi Funaki, a Japanese wrestler known in WWE for that catchphrase)
Ever heard of Nakamura? (Shinsuke Nakamura)
For a big guy like him, just getting into a WWE ring is already a massive life win, right?
it'd suit him way too well lol
Background and Key Points of This Story
WWE’s “NXT” is a developmental brand below the main roster, so signing with it doesn’t automatically mean a path to becoming a top main-event star, and no debut date has been set. The NIL program Hanada reportedly took part in is the “Name, Image, and Likeness” system that U.S. college sports opened up to athletes in 2021, letting even amateur athletes earn sponsorship income — exactly the kind of groundwork that can lead an All-Japan Championship winner to pursue this path in the United States. The thread’s repeated speculation that he might be “a relative of Toragami Hanada (Wakahanada)” stemmed purely from the shared surname, and no blood relation has been confirmed. Reactions to football-turned-wrestlers split between posters citing The Rock, Vader, and Stan Hansen as positive precedents, and skeptics pointing to Goldberg — opinions diverged depending on how each side read those past cases.
※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Entertainment/Sports Breaking News+) thread “[Pro Wrestling] Former amateur sumo yokozuna Hidetora Hanada signs with WWE, U.S. site reports — also played football at Colorado State.”
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