Kota Ibushi Accepts Tetsuya Naito's Challenge To IWGP Intercontinental Championship Match

Kota Ibushi accepted Tetsuya Naito's challenge to an IWGP Intercontinental Championship match earlier today at The New Beginning In Hiroshima.

The challenge was made after Ibushi successfully retained the IWGP Heavyweight & IWGP Intercontinental Double Championship against SANADA in today's main event. Naito headed to the ring following the bout and told The Golden Star he doesn't want the titles to be permanently unified. He then challenged Ibushi to put the IC title on the line at a later date and the champion immediately accepted.

Naito did not reveal why he challenged for the Intercontinental Championship and not the Heavyweight belt, but El Ingobernable's name has become synonymous with the white and gold title through his initial hatred and eventual acceptance of the strap.

Ibushi has been advocating for the Heavyweight and Intercontinental titles to be permanently unified since he captured the Double Championship at Wrestle Kingdom 15 from Naito.

A Double Champion was first crowned at Wrestle Kingdom 14 after Naito defeated Kazuchika Okada to win the Double Gold Dash. There have since been three Double Champions in NJPW in Kota Ibushi, Naito and EVIL.