Report: Still No Timetable On Kota Ibushi's Return
We’ll have to wait a little while longer for a Kota Ibushi return
Kota Ibushi has been out of action since October 2021, with a serious shoulder injury derailing the former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion in the G1 Climax Final.
Whilst Ibushi posted several recent Tweets hinting that he’d like to wrestle in AEW - specifically reforming The Golden Lovers with Kenny Omega, and facing Hangman Page - the Wrestling Observer Newsletter’s Dave Meltzer has reported that there is still no timetable for an Ibushi in-ring return with Ibushi’s shoulder reportedly having not healed well.
Ibushi is believed to have gone too hard too quickly in 2021, wrestling 11 matches in a little over a month after returning from serious illness, including multiple matches over 15 minutes against the likes of Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii, and Kazuchika Okada amongst others.
Whilst out of action, Ibushi sent shockwaves through NJPW and the wider wrestling world with a very public spat with New Japan, requesting his release on multiple times, but all issues between the two camps have since been resolved.
