Details on Kota Ibushi becoming a free agent have been revealed.
At midnight Tokyo time, former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Kota Ibushi became a free agent and is now free to work anywhere he wants.
Fightful Select (subscription required) reports that there’s major interest from a number of promotions in Ibushi, with that ranging from wanting him to sign full-time deals or even getting one-off appearances.
The belief in each major company is that Ibushi would want to remain a freelancer. Sources close to him said that Kota was very happy doing that before signing with NJPW, and New Japan was a “live and learn situation despite he has not confirmed this himself.
In regards to his falling out with NJPW and subsequent departure, the report notes that the situation devolved not just because of being asked to wrestle with an injured shoulder.
There was a “significant private matter” that Ibushi was dealing with, but NJPW also wanted him to work through that as well and it didn’t seem to help their relationship.
As previously reported, Kota Ibushi is set to make his first post-New Japan appearance for GCW: The Collective during WrestleMania 39 weekend in Los Angeles.
The report notes that these appearances with Game Changer Wrestling have been in the works since earlier this month.
The plan is for Ibushi to work a big main event match at Spring Break with Joey Janela.
We will have further updates and breaking news in regards to Kota Ibushi when they become available.
*BREAKING*
KOTA IBUSHI returns to the ring and makes his GCW Debut at @collective2023 in Los Angeles!
March 30 – 4PM
Josh Barnett's Bloodsporthttps://t.co/JwxCrIM4jDMarch 31 – 8PM
Joey Janela's Spring Breakhttps://t.co/Bqbu1ZSr3zBoth events will stream LIVE on @FiteTV+! pic.twitter.com/SXV6MwUBD4
— GameChangerWrestling (@GCWrestling_) January 31, 2023
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