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Injured AEW Star Announced For Bizarre Match

By Lyle Kilbane • Published 20th June 2024
Kota Ibushi Kenny Omega Adam Page AEW

Despite still being on the shelf due to injury, AEW star Kota Ibushi has been announced for an unusual match.

By 2021, Kota Ibushi had cemented his place as one of the best wrestlers in the world and looked set to dominate New Japan Pro-Wrestling for years to come. However, disaster struck during that year’s G1 Climax Tournament when the star sustained a serious shoulder injury while attempting to hit a Phoenix Splash during his match in the finals against Kazuchika Okada.

Ibushi wouldn’t return to the ring for 18 months, stepping back into competition at Bloodsport 9 before eventually signing a deal with AEW in late 2023.

Ibushi has not been seen in AEW since he was part of a street fight on the 15th of November edition of Dynamite where he teamed with Paul Wight, Kenny Omega, and Chris Jericho to defeat Brian Cage and The Don Callis Family. Kota Ibushi has competed since then, however, defeating Naomichi Marufuji in Pro-Wrestling NOAH in early January 2024 but The Golden Star was hospitalised after that match and has not been seen in the ring since.

Kota Ibushi Scheduled For Match But Not In AEW

Now, to the surprise of many, Kota Ibushi has been announced for a new match despite still being injured. Japanese promotion GLEAT has revealed Ibushi will take part in a five-minute exhibition match on an upcoming show in July to celebrate his 20th anniversary as a wrestler.

Kota Ibushi began his wrestling career in July 2004 as part of DDT and he remained part of that promotion’s roster until 2017 when he made the full-time switch to New Japan Pro Wrestling.