Kota Ibushi Could Face Boxing Legend In MMA Fight

Kota Ibushi has been approached with a unique offer to wrestle an iconic boxer.

Now that Kota Ibushi is a free agent following the end of his NJPW contract, he has been taking bookings and offers from different companies. He has already confirmed his appearance for GCW in March.

And with a much lighter schedule, Ibushi is free to work special events and one-off appearances for other companies as well.

It’s with that in mind that, according to Tokyo Sports, Kota Ibushi has entered discussion with a very special prospect.

Rizin Fighting Federation, an MMA company in Japan, has approached Kota Ibushi with the possibility of an MMA fight between him and Manny Pacquiao.

“Kota Ibushi has been approached with an offer to be Pacquiao’s first opponent in the Rizin ring. “It seems talks over a fight between Ibushi and Pacquiao are at a very preliminary stage. The ruleset is yet to be determined.”

Ibushi has some experience in kickboxing, which has been reflected in his wrestling style, which gradually shifted away from dives and more towards striking. At the same time, PAcquiao is widely considered to be one of the most successful boxers in modern times, having won boxing championships across eight different weight classes.

Beyond GCW and Rizin, Kota Ibushi has also been fielding offers from other companies as well. He has allegedly received a big offer from AEW and also spoke about the possibility of both having his own promotion and “doing a lot of volunteering”.

h/t WrestleTalk for the transcription