April Fools’ Day came early for one rumor.
Shohei Ohtani revealed during the week that he is now married, which has sparked speculation about the identity of his wife. All Ohtani revealed to the media is that his wife is a “normal Japanese woman.”
That wasn’t enough information for some people, who decided to spread a rumor.
An X account for wrestling show “The Superkick” made up a rumor Friday that AEW wrestler Hikaru Shida was Ohtani’s wife. The account in question even falsely cited ESPN MLB reporter Jeff Passan and TMZ Sports as sources to enhance the credibility of the fake news post.
Jeff Passan and Tokyo Sport confirm that the “regular woman” Los Angeles Dodgers two-way Superstar Shohei Ohtani is married to is 3X AEW Women’s World Champion, Hikaru Shida.… pic.twitter.com/5t1zLQJ9W1
— The Superkick (@SuperKickShow) March 1, 2024
No, neither Passan nor TMZ Sports reported that information — because it’s not true.
Ohtani’s wife is not a famous woman or celebrity in Japan. She definitely is not the famous 35-year-old AEW wrestler Hikaru Shida.
The account that posted this rumor was trolling for clicks and got exactly what it wanted.
Ohtani has revealed a few more details about his relationship. Though he desires to keep his relationship and the identity of his wife private, he did say they got engaged last year and she came to join him for spring training this year.
Ohtani said he got engaged last year. His wife lived in Japan, came to join him during this spring training camp.
— Dylan Hernández (@dylanohernandez) February 29, 2024
The 29-year-old Ohtani is preparing for his first season with the Los Angeles Dodgers after signing with the team during the offseason.
