Two new NJPW Young Lions set to debut

NJPW’s next tour will see the arrival of two new Young Lions.

This Wednesday, the New Japan Soul 2025 tour kicks off with an event in Aomori. NJPW has announced that two new Young Lions — Zane Jay and Tatsuya Matsumoto — will debut on that show. They will face off in the opening match that night and continue to work against each other throughout the tour, wrestling seven times in matches with 10-minute time limits.

Jay has already competed at NJPW events in the United States but will now be wrestling in Japan for the first time. He started out as a beginner at NJPW’s U.S. dojo and has worked his way up to earning a Young Lion spot.

“A true graduate of the Academy system, Zane started in the beginners class before moving up to advanced, learning under KUSHIDA and Fred Rosser,” NJPW wrote.

“Last summer, the 183cm, 95kg Zane headed to Japan for the first time to train in the Noge Dojo. Using the experience he gained there, Zane would defeat Matt Vandagriff in Long Beach on December 15 to win the STRONG Survivor status, earning a spot in the kickoff matches on US events until Windy City Riot in April, where the Washington native announced that he was refocusing his efforts on making a Japanese debut.”

Jay has also wrestled indie matches in the states of California and Washington.

As for Matsumoto, he has a background in bodybuilding and amateur wrestling, along with working as a personal trainer for several years.

“Matsumoto stands at 180cm and weighs in at 85kg and wrestled and grappled in high school before working as a personal trainer for five years,” NJPW noted. “Matsumoto competed in top flight bodybuilding competitions before passing the Dojo tryout in 2023, and officially entering the Dojo in April of 2024.”