Hidetora Hanada signs with WWE NXT, PWInsider reports

Hidetora Hanada, a 24-year-old former sumo wrestler and American football player from Wakayama, Japan, has signed a contract with WWE NXT, PWInsider reported on October 28, 2026. The move brings Hanada into WWE’s developmental system after he earlier signed a WWE NIL deal while finishing his college degree.

Hanada was born on October 30, 2001, in Wakayama, Japan, and grew up in a household with strong martial arts influences: his father competed in amateur sumo and his mother worked as a judo instructor. He began competing in sumo at a young age, winning the local wanpaku sumo tournament when he was in the second grade of elementary school, which launched his early involvement in the sport.

As an amateur, Hanada established himself as a prominent competitor in Japanese sumo. During his freshman year of college he won medals at the Junior World Sumo Championships in 2018 and 2019, and he earned a medal at the 2020 All Japan Sumo Championship, achieving the title of Amateur Yokozuna.

Despite his sumo success, Hanada opted to pursue American football instead of turning professional in sumo. He had a brief spell playing semi-pro for IBM Big Blue before moving on to play as a defensive tackle for Colorado State University, where he completed his studies and graduated in December 2025.

Hanada sought a route into the NFL through the NFL International Player Pathway (IPP) program but went undrafted. While finishing his degree he signed a WWE NIL deal in February 2025, and he participated in training sessions that drew the attention of WWE scouts.

Those training sessions, combined with the completion of his college degree, culminated in an NXT contract that will see Hanada join WWE on a full-time basis. The signing follows the Stamford-based promotion’s continued recruitment of athletes from a variety of sporting backgrounds.

Hanada’s NXT deal marks the start of his full-time tenure with WWE’s developmental brand and follows his February 2025 NIL agreement and his December 2025 college graduation.