Back in Feburary at the The New Beginning Show, Kota Ibushi made a surprise return from injury and announced that he would be staying with New Japan Pro Wrestling for the foreseeable future. With that anouncement, it put to rest any rumors that the former NEVER Openweight champion would be leaving the company and joining All Elite Wrestling with his Golden Lovers member, Kenny Omega.
Ibsuhi signed his new contract months ago, but speaking at the company’s media conference for the Road to Dontaku tour, the New Japan star confirms that he’s exclusive to the promotion and doesn’t intend to leave anytime soon:
“I would like to formally announce that I have signed with New Japan Pro Wrestling and will now represent NJPW as Intercontinental Champion. I appreciate your support going forward.”
Ibushi was interviewed at the media junket, transcribed on NJPW’s website, and was asked whether he’s truly exclusive to New Japan. The IWGP Intercontinental champion responded with a simple
“Yes. That’s correct”. After freelancing around the independent circuit for three years, Ibushi explained that New Japan was always his destination of choice ever since he was in middle school:
“Well, I had this dual contract and after I left both companies, I went to a lot of different places and had a lot of different experiences. At the end of the day though, ever since I was a kid in middle school, I always wanted to join NJPW. I thought that I couldn’t, and that’s why I worked for a lot of different independents, but my feelings never changed.”
Ibushi was also questioned about the length of his contract, which is reportedly for two years. However, the IWGP Intercontinental champion makes it clear that he won’t be going anywhere for a long time:
“Contract… To me, this is the last place I’ll be. Until the day I die. Until the end. That’s my contract period. (To Sugabayashi) Is that OK? Until the very end? OK then (laughs).”
Check out the full interview
here.