In the finals of the thrilling G1 Climax, Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Kota Ibushi to win the annual tournament for the third time in his career. At the moment, Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Kenny Omega is likely for the IWGP Heavyweight Title, which will headline NJPW’s Wrestle Kingdom show on January 4th, 2019.
As for Kota Ibushi, Dave Meltzer noted on a recent edition of Wrestling Observer Radio that following the G1 tournament, Ibushi has not signed a long-term deal with NJPW, which has possibly made officials hesitant to give him a run with the top title in the company.
Meltzer added that it’s unlikely Ibushi will sign a long-term deal, as in the past he has stated that he does not wish to sign long-term contracts with any promotion.