Report: Katsuyori Shibata Still Has Heat With NJPW

Over two years on from Wrestle Kingdom 16, Katsuyori Shibata still has heat with New Japan Pro-Wrestling, according to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio.

Wrestle Kingdom 16 on January 4, 2022 hosted Shibata's second match since returning from injury. Shibata was scheduled to face Ren Narita in a 'catch wrestling rules' match with no strikes allowed but the former NEVER Openweight Champion called an audible while in the ring, announcing the match would instead be a fully-fledged pro wrestling match with strikes.

The audible reportedly left NJPW officials "freaking out" as Shibata hadn't been cleared by New Japan's doctors. Shibata wouldn't wrestle for the company again and they granted him permission to sign with All Elite Wrestling in December 2023.

NJPW President Hiroshi Tanahashi stated in a press conference on Wednesday that he would like to wrestle Shibata as part of his retirement tour but Tanahashi doubts the match will happen.

That doubt is ultimately due to Shibata still having heat with New Japan, with Dave Meltzer saying:

"The issue is the Japanese doctors won't clear Shibata, number one, the New Japan doctors. Number two, they're still pretty hot on Shibata for double-crossing them in that match with Ren Narita a couple of years ago when they're supposed to go out there and do a grappling match and then Shibata called an audible in the ring when he was not cleared to do an actual match with striking and went and did an actual match with striking. Because he double-crossed them, they have never put him in the ring since. Eventually, he was no longer the head trainer at the dojo or anything, they cut all ties with him and that's when Tony Khan picked him up."

Shibata was not cleared by NJPW doctors due to suffering a life-threatening subdural hematoma in April 2017. The issue stopped him from being an active pro wrestler until 2021.

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