10 NJPW Stars Who NEED A Memorable G1 Climax Run

3. Kota Ibushi

Tetsuya Naito Table
NJPW

This is as dedicated as Kota Ibushi gets to one pro wrestling company, which could persuade Gedo to belatedly capitalise on his drawing power and sensational in-ring game by elevating him to the rare arena of the Tokyo Dome main event.

It's a curious thing to approach, Ibushi's relationship with New Japan Pro Wrestling. It's a league that, true to Japan, values loyalty and commitment. And yet, where the turncoat Katsuyori Shibata was made to wait years to feature prominently at the top of the card, the erratic and evasive Ibushi entered the semi main event of Wrestle Kingdom 9 at the expensive of the star-studded full-time roster. Ibushi's talent and star power is that undeniable.

As aforementioned, there is a money match in Ibushi Vs. Omega II, and several more in the interim to build its importance.

If Ibushi genuinely commits himself to New Japan, we in turn can genuinely commit to him; at present, Ibushi is still received as something of an outlier - a special attraction fans receive as the star he is without throwing our full weight behind him, equipped with the knowledge that he is a crazy person.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!