8 NJPW Best of Super Junior Participants Who Made The Successful Move to Heavyweight
4. Kota Ibushi
Credit: NJPW1972
From the minute Kota Ibusi stepped into NJPW as a guest in the Jr division, he quickly became a force to be reckoned with. During his time, Ibushi gained a lot of success in the Jr division. He won the 2011 BoSJ tournament, had a reign as IWGP Jr Tag Champion with Omega, and held the Jr Championship three times as well. His athleticism and disregard for safety were intriguing to fans, and he quickly became a fan favourite.
In 2014, it was announced that not only had Ibushi extended his NJPW contract but was becoming heavyweight. From there, he managed to showcase the same dominance as before. Whether it was his success in tournaments or the missed title opportunities, fans were in awe of his talent. The fact his move set and sense of danger hadn’t changed from his Jr days was even more attractive.
After some time away, Ibushi’s return to NJPW and decision to sign a long contract bought even more success. From reuniting with Kenny Omega and finally winning the G1 and IWGP Heavyweight Champion, Ibushi made sure that he made his mark. For many, Kota Ibushi is the perfect definition of openweight. He can adapt to any opponent, no matter their weight class.
mailing list