{{short description|Japanese gridiron football player and former sumo wrestler (born 2001)}} {{Infobox sportsperson | name = Hidetora Hanada | image = | alt = | caption = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|2001|10|30|mf=yes}} | birth_place = Wakayama, Japan | death_date = | death_place = | nationality = Japanese | module = {{Infobox college football player | embed = yes |name=Hidetora Hanada |image= |caption= |school= Colorado State Rams |currentnumber=93 |currentposition=Defensive tackle |class={{redshirt}} Senior |major= |birth_date= |birth_place= |heightft=6 |heightin=1 |weight_lb=280 |highlights= |highschool=Wakayama Commercial High School (Wakayama) |pastschools= *Colorado State (2023–present) |bowlgames= |espn=5161860 }} | medaltemplates = {{MedalCountry|{{JPN}}}} {{MedalSport | Men's sumo}} {{Medal|Competition| World Games }} {{Medal|G|2022 Birmingham | Heavyweight }} | show-medals = yes }} {{nihongo|'''Hidetora Hanada'''|花田 秀虎|Hanada Hidetora|lead=yes}}, born October 30, 2001) is a Japanese gridiron football defensive tackle for the Colorado State Rams and former amateur sumo wrestler.
==Early life== Hanada was born in Wakayama Prefecture. Influenced by his father, who participated in amateur sumo tournaments at national level, and his mother, a judo instructor. He experienced a variety of martial arts since his childhood, however, choosing sumo because it is impossible to have a draw and because of its simplicity.<ref name=why3>{{cite web|author=Hibiki Beppu|title=36年ぶり「大学1年生がアマ横綱」の衝撃…大の里も撃破した“天才力士”は、なぜ相撲界から姿を消した？「整備された“道”が見えてしまった」|url=https://number.bunshun.jp/articles/-/866455|work=Number|date=14 July 2025|access-date=21 August 2025|archive-date=19 July 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250719095039/https://number.bunshun.jp/articles/-/866455|url-status=live|language=ja}}</ref> Hanada won the local {{translit|ja|wanpaku}} sumo when he was in the second grade of elementary school.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|author=Hiroshi Ichino|title=「えっ？ なぜ相撲をやめるの？」大学1年でアマ横綱…相撲界で“無敵の21歳”（体重130kg）が驚きの決断「大谷翔平や大坂なおみを目指したい」|url=https://number.bunshun.jp/articles/-/856381|work=Number|date=7 February 2023|access-date=21 August 2025|archive-date=9 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209160953/https://number.bunshun.jp/articles/-/856381|url-status=live|language=ja}}</ref>
Before entering junior high school, he was advised to specialize in order to comply with {{Interlanguage link|Wakayama City Nishiwa Junior High School|ja|3=和歌山市立西和中学校|lt=Nishiwa Junior High School}} sports club registration requirements, and Hanada chose to pursue sumo activities.<ref name=why3/> Hanada and other former members from their elementary school club revived the club, which had been closed due to a lack of members, also finishing second in the individual competition at the Japan Junior High School Championships in his third year.<ref name=why3/>
==Amateur sumo career== Hanada decided to enroll in the {{Interlanguage link|Wakayama Prefectoral Commercial High School|ja|3=和歌山県立和歌山商業高等学校|lt=Wakayama Commercial High School}}, a school with a renowned sumo club, as his middle school was nearby and he had already had the opportunity to train there with coaches who also divided their time between the two schools.<ref name=why3/> There, Hanada achieved consecutive championships in the openweight division at the World Junior Sumo Championships in 2018 and 2019.<ref name=":0" /> In total, Hanada won seven national high school titles.<ref name=seven>{{Cite web|title=NFL目指す元アマ横綱の花田秀虎「もしダメなら…」来年1月のセレクションへ覚悟 角界入りも視野？|url=https://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2025/08/20/kiji/20250820s00040000003000c.html?page=1|date=20 August 2025|publisher=Sports Nippon|access-date=22 August 2025|language=ja}}</ref> At that time, he had already attracted the interest of several professional stables but decided to continue his studies at university level.<ref name=why>{{cite web|title=横綱・大の里を撃破し世界一に…異例の「大学1年生アマ横綱」にも輝いた“天才力士”はなぜ突如、相撲界から姿を消した？「角界復帰の可能性は…」|url=https://number.bunshun.jp/articles/-/866573|work=Number|date=19 July 2025|access-date=21 August 2025|archive-date=19 July 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250719080921/https://number.bunshun.jp/articles/-/866573|url-status=live|language=ja}}</ref>
During his high school years, he also fought against future Kitanowaka and Yoshinofuji, the latter defeating him in the final of the All-Japan Junior High School Championships and in the semifinals of the Inter-High School Championships.<ref name=seven/><ref name=sportiva>{{Cite web|title=「大の里関のポテンシャルは当時から最強」 日体大の後輩・花田秀虎が感じた「言語化できない強さ」|url=https://sportiva.shueisha.co.jp/clm/otherballgame/other/2025/08/02/post_3/|date=2 August 2025|work=Sportiva WEB |publisher=Shueisha |access-date=21 August 2025|language=ja}}</ref> During the Inter-High Championship in his freshman year, he was defeated in the quarterfinals by Sugarragchaagiin Byambasuren, and in his sophomore year, he was also eliminated from the competition at the same level by {{Interlanguage link|Fujinoyama Yūto|ja|3=富士の山優斗|lt=Yūto Suzuki}}.<ref name=brother>{{Cite web|title=【相撲インターハイ】100キロ級は花田龍信が優勝！元アマ横綱の兄・秀虎が帰国して現地で応援|url=https://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2025/08/11/kiji/20250811s00005000103000c.html?page=1|date=11 August 2025|publisher=Sports Nippon|access-date=22 August 2025|language=ja}}</ref>
After graduating from high school, he went to Nippon Sport Science University (NSSU), where he also won seven national championships.<ref name=seven/> In 2020, Hanada won the All Japan Sumo Championship,<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=日体大・花田 36年ぶり大学1年生でアマ横綱 「勝つために来て勝ちました」|url=https://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2020/12/07/kiji/20201207s00005000029000c.html|date=7 December 2020|publisher=Sports Nippon|access-date=21 August 2025|language=ja}}</ref> qualifying for {{Translit|ja|makushita tsukedashi}} status, prevailing in a competition that included amateur stars such as his NSSU classmate Pürevsürengiin Delgerbayar.<ref name="NSSUfreshman">{{cite web|last=Gunning|first=John|author-link=John Gunning (journalist)|title=NSSU freshman Hidetora Hanada emerges to claim amateur yokozuna title|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2020/12/09/sumo/hidetora-hanada-amateur-yokozuna/|work=The Japan Times|url-access=subscription|date=9 December 2020|access-date=21 August 2025|archive-date=20 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120113359/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2020/12/09/sumo/hidetora-hanada-amateur-yokozuna/|url-status=live}}</ref> With this win, Hanada became the first wrestler from his university to win the amateur {{Translit|ja|yokozuna}} title in eight years and became the second amateur {{translit|ja|yokozuna}} as a freshman in 36 years since Hisashi Keita in 1984.<ref name=":1"/><ref name="NSSUfreshman"/> His success at the time was attributed both to his talent and to the fact that his classmate, Daiki Nakamura, an almost undefeated star on the amateur scene, was beginning to attract the attention of many rival clubs, placing a heavy mental burden on him and leaving Hanada free to surprise other wrestlers who were ill-prepared to face him.<ref name=why2>{{cite web|author=Hibiki Beppu|title=横綱・大の里「実は後輩に敗れていた」世界大会…怪物を撃破も“相撲界から消えた”同じ大学の天才力士とは何者だった？「弱冠19歳でアマ横綱に…」|url=https://number.bunshun.jp/articles/-/866454|work=Number|date=14 July 2025|access-date=21 August 2025|archive-date=14 July 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250714040810/https://number.bunshun.jp/articles/-/866454|url-status=live|language=ja}}</ref> In 2021, Hanada qualified for the final of the same championship, but was defeated by Keita Kawazoe.<ref>{{cite web|last=Gunning|first=John|title=Terunofuji's challengers likely to emerge from amateur ranks|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2021/11/24/sumo/amateur-sumo-all-japan/|work=The Japan Times|url-access=subscription|date=24 November 2021|access-date=18 July 2023|archive-date=8 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211208070708/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2021/11/24/sumo/amateur-sumo-all-japan/|url-status=live}}</ref> At the 2022 World Games, he won the heavyweight final as a first-year senior at university, defeating his classmate Daiki Nakamura, who later became professional sumo's 75th {{translit|ja|yokozuna}}.<ref name=why2/><ref>{{Cite web|title=花田秀虎、石井さくら、奥富夕夏が世界一 ワールドゲームズ相撲競技第1日|url=https://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2022/07/11/kiji/20220711s00005000281000c.html?page=1|date=11 July 2022|publisher=Sports Nippon|access-date=21 August 2025|language=ja}}</ref>
For all his achievements during his amateur career, Hanada earned the nickname {{Nihongo|Sumo genius|天才力士|Tensai rikishi}}.<ref name=why/> Hanada, although slightly smaller than most other wrestlers, compensated for his physical shortcomings with great speed and technical skill.<ref name=why2/>
During his university years, Hanada told the press that he could see his future clearly mapped out: becoming a professional, entering the top division and achieving success there before retiring and becoming a master. However, this vision bothered him, creating in him a desire to experiment more with what the sport has to offer, raising questions about a possible occupational burnout.<ref name=why3/>
==College career== ===Departure from sumo=== Supported by his team of coaches, Hanada decided to distance himself from sumo.<ref name=why3/> He has been interested in American football and the NFL since his junior high school days, commenting that he was already incorporating elements of football into his training as early as elementary school.<ref name="dream">{{cite web|last=Gunning|first=John|author-link=John Gunning (journalist)|title=Former amateur yokozuna Hidetora Hanada shifts gears toward NFL dream|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2022/03/09/sumo/hanada-xleague-combine/|work=The Japan Times|url-access=subscription|date=9 March 2022|access-date=21 August 2025|archive-date=17 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220317053531/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2022/03/09/sumo/hanada-xleague-combine/|url-status=live}}</ref> After careful consideration, he gained the support of {{Interlanguage link|Shuichi Yasuda (businessman)|ja|3=安田秀一|lt=Shuichi Yasuda}} (former CEO of {{Interlanguage link|Dome Corporation|ja|3=ドーム (企業)|lt=Dome Corporation}}), who accompanied him to participate in tryouts.<ref name=why3/>
In March 2022, he participated in a joint X-League tryout at Fujitsu Stadium, despite having no experience in American football, where he received numerous positive reviews for his performance, delivering a 40-yard dash time of 5.23 seconds.<ref name="dream"/><ref>{{Cite web|title=アマ横綱の日体大２年・花田秀虎、アメフト初心者も１対１で吹っ飛ばした Ｘリーグトライアウト|url=https://hochi.news/articles/20220306-OHT1T51223.html|date=7 March 2022|publisher=Sports Hochi|access-date=21 August 2025|language=ja}}</ref>
Initially, Hanada was hoping to become a {{translit|ja|yokozuna}} in sumo and then try to join the NFL, but in September 2022, he announced that he would focus on American football first, stating that he wanted to challenge himself to see how much he could do when he was young and in his prime.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=20年アマ横綱の花田秀虎がアメフト専念「人生懸けてやりたい」日本人初NFL選手へ本格的挑戦 - スポーツ : 日刊スポーツ|url=https://www.nikkansports.com/sports/news/202209070000785.html|date=7 September 2022|publisher=Nikkan Sports|access-date=21 August 2025|language=ja}}</ref> The announcement came as a shock to the sumo world, as Hanada had earned a respected status after challenging Daiki Nakamura's supremacy on the amateur scene.<ref name=why3/>
Hanada remained in the sumo club of NSSU, but was effectively left off, and sumo practice was completed for the time being. In the future, he still hopes to become a {{Nihongo|dual-wielding athlete|二刀流|nitōryū}}, becoming both an NFL player and a professional sumo {{translit|ja|yokozuna}}, foreshadowing a career path that set him apart from other former professionals who had tried their luck in football, such as Wakanohana and Wakanohō.<ref name=":0"/><ref name="dream"/>
===Various sports trials=== Hanada showed immediate interest in gridiron football. In January 2023, Hanada was selected for the All-Japan Selection for the Dream Bowl, a friendly game against the Ivy League, but he did not participate.<ref>{{Cite web|title=元アマ横綱の花田出番なし「パフォーマンスも考えていたが」 アメフト全日本は逆転負け|url=https://www.daily.co.jp/general/2023/01/23/0015986942.shtml|date=23 January 2023|publisher=Daily Sports|access-date=21 August 2025|language=ja}}</ref> In February of the same year, he participated in the CFL combine held in Japan.<ref>{{Cite web|title=CFL国内コンバインに元アマ横綱の花田秀虎ら20名が参加 視察したCFL運営トップが日本人選手を高評価「強くて速い」 {{!}} Xリーグ 公式サイト |url=https://xleague.jp/news/37268 |website=Xleague |access-date=4 April 2023 |language=ja}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=【CFLコンバイン】2023年CFLコンバイン始まる CFLとのインタビューでは花田秀虎選手が爆笑を誘う {{!}} Xリーグ 公式サイト |url=https://xleague.jp/news/37583 |website=Xleague |access-date=4 April 2024 |language=ja}}</ref> In March, Hanada was selected along with three other Japanese players to participate in the Canadian CFL Combine in Edmonton, being selected before becoming eligible due to student status.<ref name="CFL">{{cite web|last=Gunning|first=John|author-link=John Gunning (journalist)|title=In sumo, size doesn't matter (much)|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2023/03/08/sumo/sumo-physique-not-everything/|work=The Japan Times|url-access=subscription|date=8 March 2023|access-date=21 August 2025|archive-date=9 December 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241209104155/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2023/03/08/sumo/sumo-physique-not-everything/|url-status=live}}</ref>
In July 2023, it was decided that he took a leave of absence from NSSU and transferred to Colorado State University, playing as a defensive lineman for the Rams football team and becoming the program's only Japanese player.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=3 February 2025 |title=Hidetora Hanada, sumo wrestler turned CSU Rams lineman, receives NIL offer from WWE |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2025/02/03/hidetora-hanada-sumo-wrestler-csu-football-wwe/ |access-date=6 July 2025 |website=The Denver Post |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=【アメフト】米挑戦の元アマ横綱・花田秀虎「かなりわくわくしている」渡米前に心境を明かす|url=https://www.nikkansports.com/sports/news/202307300000546.html |date=30 July 2023|publisher=Nikkan Sports|access-date=21 August 2025|language=ja|archive-date=1 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230801032240/https://www.nikkansports.com/sports/news/202307300000546.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mendoza |first=Jordan |date=July 19, 2023 |title=Sumo wrestler Hidetora Hanada from Japan to play college football for Colorado State |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2023/07/19/sumo-wrestler-hidetora-hanada-colorado-state-football/70433810007/ |access-date=6 August 2023 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="NCAA">{{cite web|last=Gunning|first=John|author-link=John Gunning (journalist)|title=Amateur sumo star embarks on journey made for Hollywood with NCAA football move|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2023/07/19/sumo/hidetora-hanada-ncaa-football/|work=The Japan Times|url-access=subscription|date=19 July 2023|access-date=21 August 2025|archive-date=24 July 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250724125752/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2023/07/19/sumo/hidetora-hanada-ncaa-football/|url-status=live}}</ref> Hanada capitalized on the growing interest he generated at the CFL Combine, turning down offers from American college powerhouses such as Texas and Ohio State.<ref name="NCAA"/>
Just before the start of the 2024 season, Hanada suffered an injury to his right shoulder and had to sit out the season's matches, forcing him to focus on the 2026 IPP drafts held in Florida to join the NFL.<ref name=seven/><ref name=why4>{{cite web|author=Hibiki Beppu|title=角界復帰の可能性は「全然、ありますね」…大の里を破って相撲世界一→アメフト転向でNFL挑戦 23歳元“天才力士”の未来図「いろんなオプションがある」|url=https://number.bunshun.jp/articles/-/866456|work=Number|date=14 July 2025|access-date=21 August 2025|archive-date=14 July 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250714043419/https://number.bunshun.jp/articles/-/866456|url-status=live|language=ja}}</ref> While waiting for the eight-week trial period, Hanada devoted himself to physical training and activities as a trainee coach, declaring that "If I don't succeed, this challenge is over".<ref name=seven/> In February 2026, he gave an interview to ''Sports Hochi'' in which he announced that he had not been selected.<ref name=hochifebruary>{{cite web |url=https://hochi.news/articles/20260204-OHT1T51302.html?page=1 |title=元アマ横綱でアメフト挑戦の花田秀虎が大相撲入り検討「相撲に恩返ししたい」 ＷＷＥ、ビジネス、ＮＦＬ再挑戦も選択肢 |language=ja |date=4 February 2026|work=Sports Hochi |access-date=4 February 2026}}</ref>
In February 2025, Hanada received an offer from the WWE NIL program.<ref name=":3" /> That month, he announced on Instagram that he had signed a NIL contract with WWE.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/DFmtdxxpmWy/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link|title=torajiro.hanada|website=Instagram}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=ＷＷＥとＮＩＬ契約って？ 元アマ横綱「プロレスラーになるという意味ではない」と断言 ＮＦＬ入りを目指して米大学アメフト挑戦中/デイリースポーツ online |url=https://origin.daily.co.jp/general/2025/02/10/0018635809.shtml |website=Daily Sports |date=28 April 2025 |access-date=8 April 2025 |language=ja}}</ref>
A year later, at the age of 25, the question of his professional future arose again. Having always held out hope that he would become a professional sumo wrestler, Hanada raised questions in the press because professional sumo recruits have until the age of 25 to enlist, which marked a deadline for the 2026 September tournament. At the same time, Hanada announced that he wanted to try his luck one last time in the NFL and was seriously exploring the idea of becoming a professional wrestler within WWE, without ruling out the option of going into the business world.<ref name=hochifebruary/>
==Personal life== Hanada has a younger brother, Ryūshin Hanada, who is also successful as an amateur wrestler on the high school scene, having won the National High School Championships and the title of champion at the National High School Athletic Meet (under-100 kg category) in 2025.<ref name=brother/>
Hanada's favourite NFL player is Aaron Donald.<ref name="dream"/>
Just like foreign wrestlers who enter professional sumo, Hanada had to get used to a different culture while living in the United States, citing the difficulty of getting used to the rhythm of classes, the language, and the food.<ref name=why4/> Hanada has been friends with Hakuōhō since junior high school. When he returned to Japan in May 2024, he went to cheer him on at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan.<ref>{{Cite web|title=元アマ横綱でＮＦＬ入り目指す花田秀虎が相撲観戦 親友の伯桜鵬の応援タオルを購入し「頑張ってほしい」|url=https://hochi.news/articles/20240515-OHT1T51247.html?page=1|date=16 May 2024|publisher=Sports Hochi|access-date=21 August 2025|language=ja}}</ref>
Although Hanada has a similar name and background to Masaru Hanada, a professional sumo wrestler who competed as Wakanohana Masaru and has experience in American football, he is not related to him.<ref name=":0" /> However, Hanada revealed that he met Wakanohana in 2022 and received advice.<ref>{{Cite web|title=【アメフト】元アマ横綱の花田秀虎がNFL入りの夢へ渡米、同姓の花田虎上さんとの写真もアップ|url=https://www.nikkansports.com/sports/news/202307300000624.html|date=30 July 2023|publisher=Nikkan Sports|access-date=21 August 2025|language=ja}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hanada, Hidetora}} Category:2001 births Category:Living people Category:American football defensive tackles Category:Japanese players of American football Category:Japanese sumo wrestlers Category:Sumo wrestlers from Wakayama Prefecture Category:World Games gold medalists for Japan Category:World Games medalists in sumo Category:Medalists at the 2022 World Games Category:Nippon Sport Science University alumni Category:Colorado State Rams football players