Kota Ibushi to make GCW debut at Bloodsport, Spring Break

Kota Ibushi’s return to the ring has been confirmed, albeit for an unexpected promotion.

GCW announced on Tuesday that the former IWGP Heavyweight Champion will compete at both Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport on March 30th and Joey Janela’s Spring Break on March 31st as part of their Collective weekend in Los Angeles.

Dave Meltzer previously reported that the 40-year-old is set to become a free agent at the end of January.

If he doesn’t compete elsewhere before then, it will be Ibushi’s first matches anywhere since the 2021 G1 Climax final for NJPW when he lost to Kazuchika Okada. 

In that match, he dislocated his right shoulder that required the match to be stopped which has kept him on the sidelines ever since. He was initially thought to be out for just two months.

In December of 2022, Meltzer reported that Ibushi’s shoulder had been holding up well in doing some “light training” That followed Ibushi saying in July 2022 that his injury was getting worse.

In May of 2022, Ibushi went public with his frustrations with NJPW management. He claimed an official was pushing him to return in December 2021 when he wasn’t ready and that his contract was threatened to be terminated as this official thought he was trying to get out of his deal.

It was reported Ibushi was set to win the 2021 New Japan Cup as part of his return, but he was pulled by the front office due to medical concerns. The company held a press conference shortly after to give their side of the story, issuing apologies for themselves and on behalf of Ibushi, and that Ibushi would remain under contract.

There was some talk at the press conference about Ibushi being under mental duress due to his mother’s attempted suicide which Ibushi took umbrage with, resulting in NJPW needing to further clarify.

In June, NJPW announced they would reduce Ibushi’s pay by 10% for three months, in addition that of two NJPW officials, over the incident.