Originally published at https://www.postwrestling.com/2023/02/01/kota-ibushi-comments-on-his-future-as-tony-khan-signals-desire-to-work-with-him/
Brand-new free agent Kota Ibushi has said he will show up in places that ‘truly and fully understand him’.
In a brief interview with Dark Puroresu Flowsion, Ibushi signaled that he did not think a move to AEW was an immediate prospect.
He said:
A lot of my best friends are in AEW. My younger peers in Japan are also growing up [there?]. Nonetheless, I don’t think of going to AEW immediately. I want to have a ‘school’ in Japan. Once that’s been worked out, I think I’lI talk with AEW.
Ibushi officially became a free agent on the expiry of his contract with New Japan Pro Wrestling on January 31st.
He will make his GCW debut during WrestleMania weekend, facing “Speedball” Mike Bailey at Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport. Ibushi is also set to take part in Joey Janela’s Spring Break.
On the Bailey match, Ibushi commented:
The match with Speedball Bailey was an important match for my comeback match after 1 year and 4 months. I chose him. I’m really looking forward to it!
Meanwhile, Tony Khan was asked about Ibushi on Busted Open Radio, saying:
Well, there’s a lot of great free agents in the world of pro wrestling. Certainly, Kota Ibushi is a great talent. When you have a name like that, that’s somebody that everybody in the world of pro wrestling would be very fortunate to have in their promotion. We’ve really wanted to work with him in the past, so it’s certainly something we would have to consider.
"He's somebody everyone in the world of pro wrestling would be fortunate to have in their promotion."@TonyKhan gives his take on free agent @ibushi_kota during 'Tony Time' w/@davidlagreca1 @THETOMMYDREAMER @MickieJames 🔊@AEW #AEWDynamite #AEW
Full INT on the podcast later ‼️ pic.twitter.com/1Fc4KM8YQB— SiriusXM Busted Open (@BustedOpenRadio) February 1, 2023