Major NJPW Star’s Contract Expiring Soon

NJPW

A huge update has emerged on Kota Ibushi’s NJPW contract, ahead of a potential return to the ring.

Ibushi hasn’t wrestled since injuring his shoulder during the finals of last year’s G1 Climax tournament in October 2021.

In the year since, Ibushi has voiced issues with the company, going public with numerous serious accusations against NJPW management, and ‘harassing bosses’ earlier this year.

NJPW addressed this ‘severe disagreement‘ in May, and frustrations between the two sides have reportedly calmed down since then.

Per Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Ibushi’s contract with NJPW expires at the end of January 2023.

Noting that Ibushi has recently been training, Meltzer wrote:

“Kota Ibushi has been in light training in the ring of late and thus far the shoulder has held up well so that’s a good sign.

“His New Japan contract expires at the end of January and he made a tweet hinting at that.

“There was a lot of bad feelings over the past year but nothing is definite regarding staying or leaving at that point past he brought it up in a cryptic way about being a free agent in two months.”

Ibushi recently teased an AEW run, noting that he wants to wrestle for the promotion ‘at least once’.

When asked who his dream AEW opponent would be, Ibushi revealed that he has his eye on Hangman Adam Page.

AEW and NJPW have a working relationship, so Ibushi would seemingly be able to wrestle for AEW ‘at least once’ if he does choose to re-sign with NJPW.

Ibushi’s former tag partner Kenny Omega will make his NJPW in-ring return at Wrestle Kingdom 17.

At the January 4 event, the AEW star will challenge for Will Ospreay’s IWGP US Championship.

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• contract
• NJPW
• kota ibushi
• Expire

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