5 Most Insane Things Happening In Wrestling Right Now (March 16)

5. Gay Panic

The Golden Lovers tandem of Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi have caused a stir since their early 2018 reformation...

...only, they haven't. You would think a homosexual love story in the regressive professional wrestling industry would send the fandom into meltdown. It has not, because, per recent Twitter rumblings, so many fans are in denial about the entire premise of the storyline.

"They're just best friends. They love each other platonically."

When the Golden Lovers made their ring entrance on the first night of the recent NJPW Honor Rising tour, Omega's hand lingered over Kota's chest as they pumped up the crowd before their match. They kiss in New Japan. They kissed in DDT. The wife of their antagonist, Brandi Rhodes, kissed Omega at the ROH 16th Anniversary Show in a psychological taunt designed to question the integrity of his relationship with Ibushi. Cody himself has taunted Ibushi with the words Kenny doesn't love you like I love you. They're trying to rip the Lovers apart by casting doubt over their love. For this to work, psychologically, they must love each other.

Kenny Omega literally quote tweeted a thread dedicated to the progressive gay overtones of the story. In the first tweet, visible on Kenny's quote tweet, user @EffingBoring wrote that this is a "(currently happy) gay love story". As this aspect of the story arc intensifies, so too does the denial. At this point, if and when the Golden Lovers kiss passionately to celebrate a major victory, some fans will react like Homer Simpson did when his prized pig soared through the air. "They're not kissing, they just each have magnets in their mouths. Still not gay, still not gay."

Homer Simpson is not a role model to aspire to.

They are not called the Golden Mates. They are called the Golden Lovers. The clue is literally in the name.