One of the biggest stories of the year as far as New Japan Pro Wrestling goes, has been everything going on with former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Kota Ibushi. Earlier this year, there was an issue with Ibushi calling out NJPW officials for abusing their power, and trying to get him to return to the ring before he properly healed his shoulder injury. Now, Ibushi has another update on the status of his shoulder.
Kota Ibushi’s Shoulder Is Not Getting Better
Taking to Twitter, Kota Ibushi would share the following news about his shoulder. Translations were done by Twitter user, thefeelite.
“Sadly, my shoulder injury is getting worse. I have done my rehab according to the instructions and guidance of my doctors and trainers too. I’m not risking anything this time. My shoulder won’t move at all, so I probably overdid it for many years. However, physically, it’s been 8 months and I still can’t do a single push-up, so I’m making a calm decision. I’ll say it again and again, but I’m not giving up.
Ibushi was injured during the finals of the G1 Climax in October of 2021, when he landed wrong after a missed Phoenix Splash. He was announced for the New Japan Cup while still injured earlier this year, despite NJPW knowing it would have been impossible for him to enter the ring. Ibushi made the choice to avoid surgery and let his shoulder heal naturally, which is a factor in his long recovery time.
Ibushi will hopefully be back in the ring in 2023, but given this latest update – even that is uncertain at best. He’s not giving up hope, and will likely change his in-ring style upon his return to take high risk moves out of this style. Ibushi is a fantastic mat wrestler and striker, which is a style that would help him avoid major injuries going forward.
NJPW will start the G1 Climax later this month, with Ibushi unsurprisingly not in the mix. It’s a 28 man field, split into four blocks. When do you think Ibushi will return to the ring? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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