Meet Koto Hiro | Professional Wrestler

We had the good fortune of connecting with Koto Hiro and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Koto, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I was born and raised in the peaceful town of Shizuoka, Japan.

I suddenly moved to Los Angeles when I was about 12, as my mother wanted to distance us from my father, who was a Yakuza boss.

I came to the U.S without a word of English. I had to quickly adapt to a new foreign culture, make foreign friends – which made it difficult for me to find my place.

My upbringing molded a huge part of who I am, how I treat others, and how I handle things. As someone who’s used to being thrown in the pool and told to figure it out by myself, I was able to navigate my way around the very cut-throat business of wrestling.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Most pro wrestlers in America perform as themselves, but I take pride in wearing a mask, honoring Lucha Libre tradition. I was always so drawn to masked wrestlers like Jushin Liger, Ultimo Dragon, Hayabusa, and Rey Mysterio.

I’ve always considered myself to be a very creative person even at an early age – I always liked to draw cool monsters that I’d make up in my head… so naturally it led me to design my own mask as a way to express my art. A lot of creativity also goes into coming up with a pro wrestling moveset – besides your average suplexes and bodyslams, I always try to find a way to make my moves look flashy so they can stand out.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m going to answer this terribly since I personally prefer to stay home if I’m not at the gym, or training, or booked at wrestling shows.

It all depends on what you like – the great thing about LA is that there’s something for everyone. But I’ll be biased a little and say: come to a local wrestling show, and even if you’re not an avid fan, I promise the athleticism will amaze you!

As a Japanese man, I’d probably also take you to Little Tokyo for some good ramen.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I started my pro wrestling journey in February of 2015 – trained under Santino Bros. Wrestling Academy in Bell Gardens, California. I have been an active pro since August of 2016.
There are so many that I have to credit: first and foremost, Joey Kaos & his wife Sylvia who are like parents to all of us. I’ve had the privilege to learn both pro wrestling and Lucha Libre with Robby Phoenix, Zokre & Phoenix Star, Famous B, Tyler Bateman, Ray Rosas, Eli Everfly, Laberinto, Durango, and Brian Kendrick. They all supported my journey and helped me become the performer I am today.

I still learn from various mentors, exploring different styles, constantly on a mission to improve my craft.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kotohirofight

Twitter: https://x.com/RealKotoHiro

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/Kotohirofighting

Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCiHL4fGJ01tP2a-gBlAY0Sg

Image Credits
Jill Carol, Rayco, Justin Cotterell,
Sami Drasin.