Kota Ibushi may still be active in Japan, but dont expect to see him lighting up AEW television anytime soonif ever again.
According to Sean Ross Sapp, the former NJPW standout isnt the same explosive athlete fans once knew, and that reality could spell the end of his AEW run.
Speaking on the post-AEW Dynamite show, Sapp didnt hold back about where things currently stand with Ibushi. Ibushis just been around. But listen man, if you saw Kota Ibushiand I tried to warn people when he got signedI was like, This is not the same Kota Ibushi. Hes not the same guy anymore, Sapp said bluntly.
Despite being signed to AEW in 2023 and wrestling multiple matches in Japan over the past six to seven months, Ibushi hasnt been acknowledged on AEW programming since November 15, 2023, when he last appeared on Dynamite. That silence, Sapp says, is no accident. The fact that he has been wrestling matches in Japan for the last six, seven months and they havent even mentioned him on AEW TV, I think, speaks volumes.
Ibushis struggles began after Pro Wrestling NOAHs The New Year 2024 event, where he sustained injuries that led to surgery. Though hes recovered and returned to competition in Japan, Ibushi has admitted his body isnt what it once wasand that his career may be nearing its end.
Now fans are left wondering if AEW plans to use him at all going forward, or if his run quietly ended months ago. Whether or not he gets one final program on AEW TV remains to be seenbut time may be running out.
Do you think AEW should bring Kota Ibushi back for one last storylineor has that ship already sailed? Sound off in the comments and let us know what you think.
Should AEW bring Kota Ibushi back for another major run, or is it time for him to move on? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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