Kota Ibushi to celebrate 20th anniversary with five-minute exhibition

Though he’s still recovering from injury, Kota Ibushi plans on celebrating the 20th anniversary of his pro wrestling debut.

Ibushi will compete in a five-minute exhibition on July 1, which is 20 years to the day since his first match. The exhibition is taking place in conjunction with Japanese promotion GLEAT’s third anniversary show at Tokyo Dome City Hall.

GLEAT tweeted that, while Ibushi is still injured, he wants to express his gratitude to the fans with this exhibition. Ibushi thanked the president of GLEAT and said he’s going to give it his all, no matter who he faces.

Injuries have plagued Ibushi’s career over the past few years. A shoulder injury kept him out of action from October 2021 to March 2023, and he never looked 100 percent after returning. He underwent surgery this January after hurting both of his ankles.

Ibushi has not wrestled since facing Naomichi Marufuji for Pro Wrestling NOAH in January. He was hurt going into the match and then injured both of his ankles further. Ibushi apologized for his performance and how his injuries ruined the match.

Ibushi signed an AEW contract last year that allows him to be based in Japan and wrestle for other promotions in the country.

In an update posted on social media this week, Ibushi indicated that he’s now feeling 85 percent healthy.

“Of course, if my current doctor in Japan tells me that I can compete, I will report to AEW and return immediately,” he wrote. “I’m now 85% alive. Please wait a little more.”