Japanese Star Kota Ibushi Joining NXT?

WWE may be adding another top international star to the roster.

By Brad Hamilton /

As WWE continues to recruit the top wrestling talent in the world to freshen up the ranks of both their main roster and NXT, yet another star looks set to join the company, assuming he hasn't already signed. During the action-packed NXT: TakeOver Dallas show, the cameras focused in on Japanese superstar Kota Ibushi seated in the crowd, a recent free agent after successful runs in DDT and New Japan Pro Wrestling. Ibushi resigned in February after recovering from a cervical disc herniation, stating that he felt he could no longer maintain the strenuous schedule he was working while performing for both companies simultaneously. His departure was a difficult blow for New Japan following the losses of top stars AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura, and many expected "Golden Star" to be in line for a major push. WWE has even acknowledged his presence on their website which would seem to indicate there is more to his attendance than just being a mere spectator in town to enjoy the show. The post read as follows:
NXT TakeOver: Dallas had no shortage of action inside the ring, but there also was plenty of intrigue beyond the ropes. During the live WWE Network event, Kota Ibushi was seen sitting amongst the capacity crowd of NXT fans. Is the Japanese Superstar the next highly-acclaimed competitor to bring his talents to NXT? Let the speculation begin. The decorated grappler could have been taking in another action-packed NXT TakeOver, like the thousands of other fans in attendance at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. However, there€™s also the possibility that he's scouting his future competition. If it€™s indeed the latter, who in NXT might Ibushi have his sights set on? Does the man they call "Golden Star" have plans to enter his name into the recently announced Global Cruiserweight Series? What dream matchups could be in store for Ibushi?
This reads as everything short of an official announcement of his signing, and the Cruiserweight Series would be an ideal way to debut the exciting talent. We'll have more on this story as it develops.