Aaron Wolf has made his pitch. The current NEVER Openweight Champion hosted a talk show event at his own judo tournament on October 25 and used the occasion to encourage fellow Olympic champion Christa Deguchi to transition into pro wrestling — then invited her to NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 21 on January 4, 2027, at the Tokyo Dome.
Aaron Wolf (Credits: Fightful)
The moment came at the Aaron Wolf Cup, a judo tournament held in Wolf’s hometown of Katsushika, Japan. Deguchi, a former classmate of Wolf’s and a fellow Olympic champion, was one of the guests at the talk show event attached to the tournament.
Aaron Wolf’s Pitch to Christa Deguchi at the Aaron Wolf Cup
Deguchi retired from judo in March 2026 after a 27-year career in the sport. According to Tokyo Sports, which attended the event, she acknowledged that pro wrestling is not easy and said she is unsure about making the switch. Wolf, meanwhile, noted that Deguchi was supposed to come and watch one of his NJPW matches but never did.
Her answer was simple: she wants to see him in a special moment. Wolf’s response was to invite her to the biggest stage New Japan has to offer — Wrestle Kingdom 21 at the Tokyo Dome.
It is a recruitment pitch with real history behind it. Deguchi won gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics and claimed Judo World Championship gold in 2019 and 2023. She competed for Japan before switching to represent Canada in 2017, building a career that few athletes in any sport can match.
Could Christa Deguchi Follow Other Judokas Into Pro Wrestling?
The jump from judo to pro wrestling is a well-worn path, and Deguchi’s credentials would make her an instant prospect if she ever chose to try it. Her grappling background, big-match experience and Olympic pedigree are exactly the qualities wrestling companies covet when they look outside the sport for new stars.
For now, though, this is an invitation rather than a signing. Deguchi has not committed to anything, and her own words suggest she is weighing the challenge carefully. But Wolf has planted the idea in public, at his own event, with the Tokyo Dome as the backdrop — and in wrestling, that kind of public pitch is often how these stories begin.
Whether Deguchi takes her seat at Wrestle Kingdom 21 on January 4, 2027, and what she makes of the spectacle if she does, is now one of the more intriguing subplots heading into New Japan’s biggest show of the year.
Also Read: Zack Sabre Jr Addresses Greatest Technical Wrestler Debate: Ask Me in 20 Years
Source: Fightful — read the full story there.
