During the final night of G1 Climax action this year, fans of New Japan Pro Wrestling got a massive shock. Zack Sabre Jr. came out wearing some shorts, and the music of Katsuyori Shibata would hit – and he too was dressed to compete. What followed was a five minute grappling exhibition, which had fans worldwide glued to their screens. Following the match, he took a simple back bump – and now is claiming he’s ready for a full return.
Katsuyori Shibata Knows What His Body Is Capable Of
While speaking for an interview on NJPW1972.com, Shibata would have the following to say.
“I think it was an easy thing to overlook, but in the match you can see me doing a headstand as well. That was all part of the confidence I’d built; it’s been this long since I had surgery, and my skull is completely healed up and hardened now.”
As previously noted, Shibata was forced into early retirement after suffering a subdural hematoma while challenging Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. Since then, he’s been pushing to return – while coaching the future of NJPW as a backup plan. He knows what he’s capable of, and has a plan.
“I do have a plan, in as much as I think if I don’t have something to work toward, I would be spinning my wheels. Obviously I understand the people that feel I shouldn’t push myself, but at the same time, nobody knows where my body is better than me. I don’t want to cause the company, or any of the other wrestlers any trouble, or put anybody in a bad position. I know what I’m capable of, and I know best where I can take things.”
December 15th Will Bring Some Answers
However, fans of his pre-injury work might not get exactly what they want. Shibata was renowned for his hard hitting shoot style wrestling. There was a focus on submission and grappling yes, but he was mainly giving and taking incredibly hard strikes. Fans won’t be getting that – with his grappling exhibition being a sign of his new style of professional wrestling.
We will learn more about his future on December 15th. In addition to the finals of the ongoing Best of The Super Juniors & World Tag League tournaments – fans will get an announcement from Shibata himself regarding what will come next. The hope is for a match at Tokyo Dome, perhaps against KENTA – a rival of his in recent years.
What do you hope for with the future of Katsuyori Shibata? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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