After retiring from in-ring competition in 2010, Milano began working as a color commentator for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), a position he maintains to this day.

In 2002, he won the T2P Strongest Merit Assessment League defeating Masato Yoshino and received the NWA International Light Heavyweight Championship for the win.

He received his first title opportunity in New Japan on November 6, 2006, unsuccessfully challenging Tiger Mask IV for the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship.

In November, he teamed with Hirooki Goto as R.I.S.E in the G1 Tag League, making it to the semi-finals where they were eliminated by Hiroshi Tanahashi and Koji Kanemoto.

[11] On January 18, 2010, Sawafuji announced his retirement from professional wrestling because of inferior oblique muscle palsy, brought on by an excessively strong thrust kick to the eye by Gedo.