New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) hosted its first Wrestle Kingdom 15 press conference a day after the Power Struggle feature event. Bullet Club member “Switchblade” Jay White who defeated G1 Climax 30 winner “Golden Star” Kota Ibushi for the right to challenge Los Ingobernables de Japon (LIJ) leader and IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental ‘Double Champion’ Tetsuya Naito at Wrestle Kingdom 15.
White, the former IWGP Heavyweight, IWGP Intercontinental, and IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion was the first to speak. He had the following to say regarding his victory over Ibushi at Power Struggle and Ibushi being upset regarding Switchblade cheating:
Of course, he’s going to be upset about it, he lost. He won the G1 and then he lost that case. Of course, he’s upset. But there was nothing illegal. If the referee counted to three, maybe there’s an issue with the referee, take it up with (Marty) Asami, but I’m the winner.
“I was more intrigued to see if our fates were aligned rather than that I ‘wanted’ to face him,” White said regarding whether he would have rather faced fellow Bullet Club member Evil at Wrestle Kingdom 15. “It seemed like there was some animosity between us, so if he held up his part, then that would have happened. But even with me trying to help him, he couldn’t get it done. So I guess we won’t ever find out. I did my part by taking the briefcase. It could have worked out. We could have had an all BULLET CLUB main event, but he couldn’t do it.”
‘Double Champion’ Naito spoke after Jay White and had a lot less to say to the few media members present. However, he offered up an interesting newsworthy proposal:
On January 4, I want to face Kota Ibushi. Yes, Ibushi put his contract on the line and lost to Jay White. So he shouldn’t have a right to a title match at the Tokyo Dome. Yet both of us were in the G1 Climax, and he won it, not me. He won it back to back, not me. That hurt, and I want to get revenge for that.
“How about it? Thing is, I want NJPW to carefully consider this. If I get what I want here, what does that say about the contract concept? If this is the case surely we don’t need a contract at all? That might become the case. So I want the company to very carefully take everything into consideration,” Naito continued.
If Naito does get his request, Ibushi would effectively go ‘unpunished’ for losing the challengers contract from G1 Climax 30, and it would put Naito in the position to possibly face Ibushi and White on back to back nights. There will likely be several twists and turns as the road to Wrestle Kingdom 15 continues throughout November and December.
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