Latest NJPW Young Lion Set To Make His Debut In September

By: Lewis Carlan

New Japan Pro-Wrestling announced today that a new Young Lion is set to make his debut for the promotion.

On September 9th at NJPW Road to Destruction, fans will get to see Yushin Hatazawa in action for the first time as he begins his journey to make his mark within the promotion.

In his debut bout, Yushin Hatazawa will face a more experienced Young Lion in the form of Tatsuya Matsumoto. While its expected he will be nervous before his debut bout, one can imagine he may be a little extra nervous as his first match will take place inside the world famous Korakuen Hall.

Photo Credit: New Japan Pro-Wrestling

Hatazawa is only 20 years old and hails from Hakodate in Hokkaido. He stands 6 feet tall and weighs 209 pounds. While in high school, he began competing as a Sumo Wrestler and took it to a national level.

Hatazawa passed his NJPW tryout in 2024 and began training in April 2025 after joining the Noge Dojo. He is expected to compete as a heavyweight.