Retired Japanese pro-wrestler Yu Ishino (fka Kagetsu) has come out as transgender and spoken about his experience transitioning.
Ishino is best known for his time competing for STARDOM, where he is a former World of STARDOM Champion, capturing the title in 2018 from Toni Storm.
In a YouTube video, Ishino came out as a transgender male and spoke about his experiences.
“I underwent the surgery and now I am living as a man … I feel like a 14-year-old boy (because everything is still so very new), but I hope moving forward, I’ll still have your support as I try new things.”
Yu Ishino
Ishino was happy to show off his “tiny little chin beard,” and said that he will be leaving the Kagetsu name behind.
“I know how beloved the name Kagetsu is, but with this video, I would like to put that name to rest.”
Yu Ishino
Outside of his native Japan, Ishino competed for CHIKARA in 2012 and Ring of Honor in 2018.
Ishino retired in 2020 and faced NXT UK Women’s Champion Meiko Satomura in his last match, but returned to the ring for last year’s Hana Kimura Memorial Show.
Thanks to POST Wrestling’s Karen Peterson for the translated quotes
