Kota Ibushi is a free agent + Taka's Story
Kota Ibushi and NJPW part ways; Kota Ibushi is booked for his first US matches; Taka gives his story version of the Ibushi incident at his promotion.
As of January 31, 2023, Kota Ibushi is no longer under contract with New Japan Pro Wrestling. In a statement regarding this, NJPW said the following:
Read more here: NJPW Wishes Ibushi well in his future endeavours
With the conclusion of his contract period on January 31 2023, Kota Ibushi has departed New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Ibushi had been recovering from injury since October 2021.
We apologize to Ibushi’s fans for the abrupt announcement and join them in wishing Ibushi the very best in all his future endeavours.
It’s well document of Ibushi’s plight with New Japan Pro Wrestling with slanderous behind-the-scenes accusations, Taka Michinoku’s Just Tap Out Promotion incident, and his mother becoming ill, all while rehabbing a huge injury. He did not wish to have surgery for his separated shoulder and hurt arm. He opted to just do psychical therapy his way. According to Ibushi, his shoulder his getting better than before when we last checked in at around December 2022.
Ibushi’s current plans is to wrestle more in the United States. He’s not doing a tour for the money or exclusivity but for the matches. Ibushi wants to fight the best. As soon as the world closed the chapter on January, the new chapter of February began, and Game Changer Wrestler decided to drop some huge news.
Kota Ibushi will be making his GCW debut on March 30 and 31st. GCW is running shows during WrestleMaina week. Kota Ibushi will be fighting at Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport 9 show and then at Spring Break.
Aside from Kota Ibushi making his GCW debut, he has some interesting words when asked about if he’ll show up in AEW — with his friends of course. As of now, Kota Ibushi wishes to hopefully show up in AEW one day, but he’s focused on having the best matches with the best companies before making that choice to join AEW.
Ibushi also informed his fans that he wants to start a YouTube Channel. So stay tuned for that.
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Taka Michinoku’s Story
Last March, Taka Michinoku had an incident with Kota Ibushi. Taka has a promotion called Just Tap Out.
At that time, last March, Kota Ibushi had decided to show up unannounced to the Just Tap Out Show. Taka didn’t like this and was upset with Ibushi and feared that all parties involved would get in trouble. In Japan, specifically for pro wrestling, if you are contracted to a company, you must approve certain appearances if thinking of participating or being at ringside at another promotion. If the contracted wrestler just wanted to be viewed the event as a paying customer, then that’s allowed.
A fan translated Taka’s notes about the incident back in March.
Taka Michinoku ran Just Tap Out and always asked and gave Ibushi an invite to come to the show.
Ibushi never showed up until that day in March to which Taka was surprised.
As they were catching up, Taka was the first match of the card, and Ibushi kept talking to him and followed him out through the curtain to second him at ringside. Taka lost his first round match.
When confronting Ibushi about following him to the ring, Ibushi reassured him, “It’s ok! See you later!” and then left.
Within the hour, known parties contacted Taka and Taka was scared because he reveals that he wasn’t on a NJPW contract and after coming back to the company from a 2-year hiatus, he thought that would be the end of his working relationship with NJPW.
Taka told the known parties all the facts about what happened that day.
Taka tried to follow up with Ibushi but discovered that Ibushi decided to unfollow him from social media and leave him with a “You’ll be finished too.” Taka doesn’t know what this means exactly, however, in Japan it is known that Taka committed adultery and he was shunned for that.
Taka moved on and will always remember the days of drinking and causing chaos with Ibushi.
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