After two decades of competitive wrestling, Rinya Nakamura of Japan is leaving his career on the mats behind. In a recent short statement delivered on Instagram, the 25-year-old announced that he was retiring from competitive wrestling and had started training in an MMA gym. And that while he was disappointed to not have reached the Olympic stage, he was looking forward to starting his upcoming mixed martial arts career.
His decision came soon after International Olympic Committee senior member Dick Pound announced that the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo would be significantly postponed.
Competing at the Olympic weight class of 65 kg, the odds were already against Nakamura.