Kota Ibushi Free Agent Update – Ibushi’s Current Post-NJPW Plans & AEW’s Interest in Ibushi

As noted before, Kota Ibushi departed from New Japan Pro Wrestling this past Tuesday following the expiration of his contract with the company.

In regards to NJPW’s issues with Ibushi following his non-approved appearance at a Just Tap Out event this past March, JTO co-owner TAKA Michinoku stated in a recent posting that Ibushi was not planned to actually be at the event but he showed up backstage for a friendly chat. Michinoku also stated that he had told Ibushi to not actually appear during the show itself but Ibushi decided to do so despite his warnings.

“And last March JUST TAP OUT Korakuen Tournament. An unexpected event happened here.

Unusually, I got a message from Ibushi, “What are you doing?” I gave him the usual invite, “Are you coming to Korakuen today?” His reply was “I wonder if I’ll see professional wrestling after a long time!” I thought that as usual, he wouldn’t come.

But Ibushi really came! It was the first time I saw Ibushi in a long time and he was very healthy and talked a lot.

I wonder if he wanted to vent his pent up issues

We talked so much.

But I had a match in the first match of the show. The show was the JTO Tournament, a 1-day tournament In order to win the tournament, you have to win three matches in a day. Ibushi kept talking until my match was about to begin.

“Well, my match is next, so see you later!” I said

Ibushi stood up with a grin. “bushi! I think you know, but you definitely can’t come out!”

Even so, Ibushi followed me to the entrance.

I told him again, “You! Don’t you follow me!!” Ibushi kept grinning.

Well, I thought he wouldn’t follow me. Then my song started playing and I made my entrance. Ibushi came out following behind me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?

What was he doing!? But I couldn’t stop or turn back, so I entered and wrestled my match as usual. For the fans, it was nothing? It might sound like an excuse but because I wrestled like this, I lost in the first round…

I went back to the locker room and whispered, “Why did you come out!!?” But Ibushi said, “It’s okay! See you later!” Then he left.

In this day and age, information circulates quickly. I was contacted by concerned parties within an hour. I thought “Oh, I’m fucked.” I’m not signed with New Japan Pro-Wrestling but I was in a position where I’d be screwed if I caused a problem.

I’d been brought back for the first time in two years, but I thought I was back out the door in just a few months. From that day, I was contacted by various people for a while and explained the facts.

“Are you coming to Korakuen?” said

But I couldn’t even expect him to follow me out. I should have predicted that this could happen with Ibushi. I don’t know for sure, but there may have been some things going on with him during that long absence.

In any case, I gave him the opportunity to do what he did. I’m really sorry about that. It just didn’t end with this. Ibushi started raging on LINE as if this was the beginning of his meltdown. The stuff he said on there was so shocking that it can’t be shared in public. And in the end, he set his sights on me. “You’ll be finished too.” After that I sent him several messages on LINE but they were never marked read so I guess he blocked me. At the same time, he also stopped following me on Twitter. After that, I didn’t have any interaction with him. This is all the interaction with Ibushi that I was involved in.”

In a recent interview with Dark Puroresu Flowsion, Ibushi gave his thoughts about his current free agency status and his current plans to potentially open a new wrestling school in Japan. Ibushi also stated that he is interested in working for AEW in the future.

“About money, I think it’s very much unnecessary, but for me the things I care about and what’s necessary [for me] are more important. So I don’t want to be in a match without meaning. There aren’t a lot of matches without meaning, but I think I’ll show up in places in the future that truly and fully understand me.

A lot of my best friends are in AEW. My younger peers in Japan are also growing up [there?]. Nonetheless, I don’t think of going to AEW immediately. I want to have a ‘school’ in Japan. Once that’s been worked out, I think I’lI talk with AEW.”

Dark Puroresu Flowsion stated on Twitter that Ibushi likely prefers to work as a freelancer and for as many notable promotions as possible than as a fully contracted wrestler for one single company based on their recent interview together. It was also speculated that Ibushi’s style of wrestling likely will also change to be more “brutal & grounded style” going forward.

Dark Purorseu Flowsion also had a recent interview with the Young Bucks featuring their thoughts about the potential of a reunion in AEW in the future.

“Love him. Miss him. He kept us in the loop the night of Tokyo Dome about Kenny. Kept sending us little updates. Goes without question we’d love to have him around, or work with him. I think he has the ability to do whatever he wants.”

In a recent interview with the Busted Open Radio podcast, AEW CEO Tony Khan gave his thoughts about Ibushi’s interest in working for AEW in the future.

“There are a lot of great free agents in the world of pro wrestling. Certainly, Kota Ibushi is a great talent. When you have a name like that, everyone in the world of pro wrestling would be very fortunate to have in their promotion. We’ve wanted to work with him in the past, so it’s certainly something we would have to consider.”

Transcript h/t: Super J-Cast, Fightful.com