Kota Ibushi To Face Hiroshi Tanahashi At NJPW Wrestle Grand Slam In MetLife Dome

Kota Ibushi is set to return to the squared circle on September 4.  

The Golden Star has been out of action since early July after he was diagnosed with aspiration pneumonia, but New Japan Pro-Wrestling announced today that Ibushi will challenge Hiroshi Tanahashi for the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship on night one of Wrestle Grand Slam in MetLife Dome. 

The match was set up today after Tanahashi called out Ibushi in a video message. The former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion then accepted the challenge and the match was set for September 4. 

The Wrestle Grand Slam match will be Hiroshi Tanahashi's first defence of the IWGP United States Title. The Ace defeated Lance Archer for the championship on Saturday, August 14 at NJPW Resurgence in Los Angeles. 

Several other matches have already been set for Wrestle Grand Slam in MetLife Dome. Check out the card below:

September 4:

• Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Kota Ibushi - IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship
• Kazuchika Okada vs. Jeff Cobb
• Chase Owens (c) vs. Toru Yano - KOPW 2021 Trophy

September 5:

• Shingo Takagi vs. EVIL - IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
• Dangerous Tekkers vs. Tetsuya Naito & SANADA vs. YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto - IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship
• Robbie Eagles (c) vs. Hiromu Takahashi - IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship