Kota Ibushi could be on his way out of New Japan Pro Wrestling following a series of tweets in which he expressed his displeasure with the company.
On Twitter, Ibushi has said that unfair treatment is just part of the problem with New Japan at the moment.
In a series of screenshots of messages between himself and Kikuchi, a New Japan booker seemingly threatens to fire Ibushi.
During the latest Wrestling Observer Live, Bryan Alverez said that a source close to the situation believes Ibushi will be gone from the company soon after publicly revealing info regarding NJPW business.
“The exact wording I was told is, ‘he’s burned his bridges.'”
Bryan Alverez.
Alverez added that this could have major ramifications for Ibushi and that other promotions in Japan may be hesitant to work with him.
“The culture of Japan is you don’t do stuff like this… There’s kind of this feeling that he may be done.”
Bryan Alverez
On the most recent Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer reported that Ibushi had not been fired yet, and Gedo had been trying to “save the deal” with the inaugural IWGP World Heavyweight Champion.
Ibushi in the United States
If Ibushi’s actions have cost him work in Japan, then the 39-year-old wrestler may take his talents to the U.S.
In 2016, Ibushi briefly worked with WWE, competing in the Cruiserweight Classic but was eliminated in the semi-finals by eventual winner T.J. Perkins.
With WWE ending their Cruiserweight Championship division, a role in WWE may seem unlikely for Ibushi, who could join his former tag-team partner Kenny Omega in AEW.
This too has its problems, as AEW and New Japan will be working closely together ahead of the Forbidden Door event on June 26, and signing Ibushi could possibly strain this relationship.
