Don’t expect Katsuyori Shibata to be Hiroshi Tanahashi’s final opponent.
The current AEW star talked to Tokyo Sports and expressed his desire to fight the former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion during his retirement tour, but Shibata knows that New Japan officials would never allow it.
“I think Aaron Wolf would be the best. I think it would be interesting if Wolf’s debut match was Tanahashi’s retirement match. If they offered me the job and I could do it, I’d love to. However, I’m kind of banned from the ring too, so it might be difficult (laughs).”
Now Shibata and Tanahashi did have a five minute exhibition match back at Wrestle Dynasty. That bout ended in a draw. It’s unclear why these two couldn’t have a rematch at Forbidden Door to settle that result, but Shibata and Tanahashi had different matches that evening.
To recall, the reason that New Japan officials aren’t happy with the former NEVER Openweight Champion is because of the Wrestle King 16 incident. Originally, Shibata was scheduled to face Ren Narita in a catch wrestling rules match, but Shibata changed the stipulation in the ring, announcing that it would be a full pro wrestling match instead. The key thing is that the catch wrestling rules prohibited strikes; New Japan was being extremely cautious since the infamous moment of Shibata getting a hematoma at Sakura Genesis that left him partially paralyzed for five years.
Shibata was never medically cleared for a full pro wrestling match. Even with a New President, it remains unlikely that Shibata will work a New Japan show without AEW’s involvement. Tanahashi has expressed that he would like to fight Shibata in his final match as well, but he knows that’s unlikely too.
Last year, Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio detailed why just how much heat Shibata has with New Japan officials
“The issue is the Japanese doctors won’t clear Shibata, number one, the New Japan doctors. Number two, they’re still pretty hot on Shibata for double-crossing them in that match with Ren Narita a couple of years ago when they’re supposed to go out there and do a grappling match and then Shibata called an audible in the ring when he was not cleared to do an actual match with striking and went and did an actual match with striking. Because he double-crossed them, they have never put him in the ring since. Eventually, he was no longer the head trainer at the dojo or anything, they cut all ties with him and that’s when Tony Khan picked him up.”
It’s a shame that Shibata and Tanahashi can’t have one more match, but it’s understandable why officials are still pissed about what happened at Wrestle Kingdom 16.