Katsuyori Shibata Making Wrestling Return At NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 16

Katsuyori Shibata has announced what many thought would be impossible. He is returning to the ring at Wrestle Kingdom 16.

He made the shocking announcement at NJPW Best of the Super Juniors and World Tag League Final, and while no opponent has been announced, the news has been met with a lot of excitement.

Shibata, or “The Wrestler” as he became known, hasn’t wrestled a match since April 2017, when he took on Kazuchika Okada. He was forced into an early retirement after suffering a subdural haematoma in the match.

Since then he has shot an angle with KENTA in 2019, but a match never came to fruition. He has been training Young Lions at the NJPW Dojo to remain active.

Here’s the announcement. I hope you speak Japanese!

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WORLD TAG LEAGUE 2021 ＆
BEST OF THE SUPER Jr.28 優勝決定戦
＼

その涙の理由とは…⁉️予告通り柴田が登場‼️
両国国技館の大観衆の前で一体何を語るのか⁉️

#njpwworld で配信中

登録＆視聴⏩https://t.co/Tj7UBINMhP#njpw #njwtl #njbosj pic.twitter.com/kMko0SWPG6

— njpwworld (@njpwworld) December 15, 2021

General translation: “I’m having a match at Wrestle Kingdom 17. No opponent has been announced yet. I last wrestled in 2017.”

Fantastic news, and we can’t wait to see him back in the ring.

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• Shibata
• Wrestle Kingdom 17
• NJPW
• KATSUYORI SHIBATA

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