Katsuyori Shibata Requests Medical Clearance From NJPW Doctors
Let The Wrestler wrestle.
At Power Struggle 2019, in what was either a superb tease or a dumb, reckless bait-and-switch, Katsuyori Shibata once more got physical.
'The Wrestler' was forced into retirement following the events of Sakura Genesis 2017, at the stunning apex of which he suffered a subdural haematoma. The crunching headbutt he blasted Kazuchika Okada with caused internal brain bleeding that left the right side of his body partially paralysed. At that year's G1 Climax, he returned, improbably, took a self-inflicted back bump, and said: "I'm alive. That is all."
But it wasn't all: this seemed to mark the beginning of his campaign to return to the ring.
At this year's G1 Climax final, in an electrifying, euphoric angle, he blasted turncoat KENTA as if it were 2017. The excitement was tempered by the fact that New Japan were very careful in blocking the scene. He did not take any blows to the head.
But he did at Power Struggle; KENTA kicked him square in the head during the main event. It felt like something. It was as pointed as it was brutal. Every fan watching felt like this had to signal his in-ring return. It had to. This was the one thing he didn't do at the Budokan.
"It looks like he's gonna wrestle again," Meltzer pointed out on Observer Radio, who also revealed that he has visited doctors to seek clearance. Meltzer also reminded us that "the chances were he was going to die [in 2017]," which tempers excitement far more than a lack of a kick to the head.
But... it's Shibata. That in-ring return would be f*ckin' hot.