Kota Ibushi thinks he’ll ‘talk with AEW’ after opening school in Japan

After spending a year and four months sidelined with a shoulder injury, Kota Ibushi is ready to resume his pro-wrestling career. 

On Tuesday, GCW announced that Ibushi will take part in Bloodsport and Spring Break events over WrestleMania Weekend. NJPW then released a statement that the 40-year-old is leaving the promotion and wished him well in his future endeavors. 

Ibushi spoke with Dark Puroresu Flowsion recently about his wrestling future. He was asked how money factors into his decision regarding where to wrestle. 

Ibushi responded:

About money, I think it’s very much unnecessary, but for me the things I care about and what’s necessary [for me] are more important. So I don’t want to be in a match without meaning. There aren’t a lot of matches without meaning, but I think I’ll show up in places in the future that truly and fully understand me.

Ibushi was also asked about potentially wrestling for AEW. He responded that he hopes to open a wrestling school in Japan before speaking with the promotion. 

Ibushi said: 

[A] lot of my best friends are in AEW. My younger peers in Japan are also growing up [there?]. Nonetheless, I don’t think of going to AEW immediately. I want to have a ‘school’ in Japan. Once that’s been worked out, I think I’ll talk with AEW.

Ibushi also commented on choosing “Speedball” Mike Bailey as his opponent for Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport. 

The match with Speedball Bailey was an important match for my comeback match after 1 year and 4 months. I chose him. I’m really looking forward to it!

During his time in NJPW, Ibushi was a one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, one-time IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, two-time Intercontinental Champion, one-time NEVER Openweight Champion, three-time Junior Heavyweight Champion, 2011 Best of the Super Juniors winner, 2015 New Japan Cup winner, and won the G1 Climax in 2019 and 2020. He also won the Junior Heavyweight tag titles once along with Kenny Omega and the heavyweight tag titles once with Hiroshi Tanahashi.