ZERO1 hosting a benefit show for Shinjiro Otani.
Several weeks ago, Shinjiro Otani underwent surgery for a cervical spinal cord injury that he suffered in the main event of Pro Wrestling ZERO1’s April 10th event. Otani took a German suplex into a turnbuckle pad and was not able to move his extremities afterwards.
ZERO1 held a press conference on 4/28 and it was made official that they will be hosting a benefit show for Otani on June 4th at the Ota City General Gymnasium. The name of the event is called ‘ONE TEAM’ and thus far, New Japan Pro-Wrestling, NOAH and other organizations have agreed to participate. NJPW’s Yuji Nagata, Togi Makabe and Tomoaki Honma are scheduled for the show.
Proceeds from this event will be donated to Shinjiro.
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「押忍PREMIUM ONE TEAM ZERO1！ 大谷晋二郎エイド!!何度でも立ち上がれ！」
📅6月4日（土）16時00分試合開始
🏢大田区総合体育館 pic.twitter.com/PdP263idMe— プロレスリングZERO1 (@ZERO1_Wrestling) April 27, 2022
【6/4大谷エイド チケット発売情報】 #押忍PREMIUM #pwzero1 #何度でも立ち上がれ
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イープラス→https://t.co/8SjcFEQ491 pic.twitter.com/M7TxP3u5gH— 押忍ＰＲＥＭＩＵＭ (@osu_premium) April 28, 2022
ZERO1 President Takahito Kami said the following:
We have received countless calls for support in this case. Since we are a professional wrestling organization, we decided to hold this event in the hope that we can be of help by holding this kind of event. We want to bring smiles to Otani’s face through professional wrestling and to be a beacon of hope.
Shinjiro Otani’s older brother, Yuichiro, attended the press conference and sent his support to ZERO1 World Heavyweight Champion Takashi Sugiura who was in the match with Shinjiro on 4/10. He said he and his family hopes that Sugiura will continue moving forward.
I understand that you are worried and heartbroken about Shinjiro Otani. However, Shinjiro, on the contrary, must be feeling sorry for Sugiura. I am sure he feels sorry. I believe that professional wrestling is something that moves people by the way they trust each other and give it their all. So, Sugiura trusted Shinjiro and gave it his all… it was only natural. Hey Otani! I’ll wait for you for years, even decades, so get up! For the sake of Shinjiro’s honor, the entire family sincerely hopes that Sugiura will continue to play an active role in the future.
There was no further update provided on Otani’s condition at the press conference. The latest was that he was conscious and had been transferred to another hospital to begin treatment. Click here for Otani’s fundraiser page.
