Why Kota Ibushi Has Yet To Return To AEW TV

Kota Ibushi hasn’t competed in a match on AEW programming since all the way back in 2023 when he wrestled in a bizarre multi-man Street Fight, teaming with Kenny Omega, Chris Jericho and Paul Wight to take on The Don Callis Family. 

In the time since, Ibushi competed in an awfully received match with Naomichi Marufuji that was hampered by Ibushi suffering multiple injuries. Ibushi returned from injury six months later and wrestled a fair few times over in Japan, before once again being put on the shelf. Ibushi has been taking to social media to showcase himself getting into much better shape in recent months, but no return to AEW has surfaced as of yet. 

Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter has provided some details as to why Ibushi has yet to make an AEW comeback. Similar to fellow AEW wrestler Hikaru Shida, Ibushi has been waiting for his new visa to be processed. It is unclear how long this process will take for both Shida and Ibushi, but it seems as though a return to AEW will take place once any visa issues have been sorted.

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