KENTA Joins Bullet Club At NJPW G1 Climax Finals
Turns on partners, Shibata.
Two months ago, Katsuyori Shibata reintroduced KENTA to Japanese wrestling, announcing the former Hideo Itami for the G1 Climax at NJPW's Dominion. At the finals of the event this morning, he probably wished he'd never bothered, as his charge turned on him and joined the Bullet Club in the process.
Whilst KENTA, YOSHI-HASHI & Tomohiro Ishii tagged together to face off with Bad Luck Fale & The Guerillas of Destiny, the ex-NXT man never once entered the ring to face off with the Bullet Club trio. When the time finally came for KENTA to join the fray, he took a powder, ducking out of the match to watch from the outside.
Some moments later, KENTA hit his partner Ishii with a running knee, handing Tama Tonga the win.
Post-bell, manager Shibata legged it to the ring to make the save, earning an enormous ovation in the process. He got caught with a kendo stick from Jado for his troubles, before KENTA ended his incursion with a GTS.
The angle appeared to be setting up a match between KENTA and his now ex-manager, though it's unlikely. Shibata has not wrestled since suffering a subdural hematoma in his contest against Kazuchika Okada at 2017's Sakura Genesis, an injury which left him partially paralysed. He has been working as a coach for New Japan since.