If you have followed New Japan and, in particular, Yuji Nagata on social media the last couple years, you may be familiar with the oldest 58-year-old’s side hustle as an amateur coach for a New Japan-sponsored team. Besides Nagata’s own son (not part of this as he is still in high school) that has included highly-viewed wrestler Shion Obata, who had great success at the amateur level including 4 straight runner-up All-Japan Amateur Wrestling Championship finished (not affiliated with All-Japan Pro Wrestling). Now he’s taking the next step-he will debut for New Japan at Tanahashi Jam 2, the second Hiroshi Tamahashi Produced event, on 11/19 at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, against Boltin Oleg. Ohata, 25, is a super heavyweight at 185 cm (about 6’2”) and 130 kg/286 pounds, which is sumo-level and would easily make him perhaps the second-biggest man in the promotion behind only Hartley Jackson. He joined the promotion in July and certainly will be one to watch over the next 20-plus years.
Reminder: Tanahashi Jam will only be broadcast live in Japan on TV Asahi. No New Japan World live broadcast but maybe on demand at a later date.