After recovering from an ankle injury, wrestler Kota Ibushi made a triumphant return to the ring on a recent Sunday.
Earlier this year, during the main event of Pro Wrestling NOAH’s 2024 New Year show, Ibushi sustained a significant injury. At the time, doctors projected a recovery timeline of six to twelve months following his urgent transport to the hospital and subsequent surgery. The well-known Japanese wrestler was poised to step out of the spotlight for an indeterminate amount of time.
Before forging a partnership with AEW, owned by Tony Khan, Ibushi made a name for himself at NJPW. Nevertheless, Ibushi’s last appearance within an AEW ring was during the AEW WrestleDream extravaganza in October of 2023.
After a seven-year hiatus from DDT Pro Wrestling, Kota Ibushi ended his sabbatical with a riveting match against Sanshiro Takagi.
In a surprising twist, Ibushi assumed the role of a “special weapon” in behalf of Donshoku Dina to challenge DDT Pro’s President in an unpredictable Weapon Rumble match for the Ironman Heavymetalweight Title. Thanks to a Kamigoye, a move executed by Ibushi, Dino was able to claim victory over Takagi.
Prior to his full-length match, Ibushi participated in a limited 5-minute demonstration match against Daisuke Sekimoto earlier this month, which culminated in neither participant claiming victory.
Visual highlights from his much-anticipated return can be seen below:
Kota Ibushi has once again graced the DDT ring after a considerable break of seven years. The Golden Star is shining brightly once more.
Witness the emotional responses of longtime DDT wrestlers, Takagi and Dino, on seeing their comrade, Kota Ibushi, resume his place in the ring.