Kota Ibushi is outing NJPW for Abuse of Power

While the pressing issues seem involve Ibushi’s return to action after the shoulder injury he suffered in the G1 Climax final last October, there is said to be bad blood going back years between the wrestler and Kikuchi, a longtime New Japan executive who is currently head of talent relations for the company. Ibushi and Kikuchi apparently first butted heads back in 2018 over merchandising royalties.

Kikuchi left NJPW a year later, allegedly due to the royalties issue and a personal matter. But he was brought back in 2020 after Dick Togo gained a more prominent role on the booking committee (Kikuchi, Togo & others are involved in creative, but Gedo has final say). Kikuchi supposedly has “old school” views of the business that he “selectively and unfairly” enforces.

Ibushi believes he is one of the people unfairly targeted, with Kikuchi preventing him from wrestling Shingo Takagi at Dominion last year after his aspirational pneumonia diagnosis, but then pressuring him to return by Wrestle Kingdom in January while he was still rehabbing his shoulder. Two months later, when Ibushi was ready to return for the New Japan Cup — a tournament Gedo planned to have the Golden Star win — Kikuchi had him pulled from the shows. VOW’s source says Kikuchi’s justification was a “minor concern” about Ibushi raised by a doctor.

Complicating matters is that Kikuchi has allies beyond just Togo, including others in management and former NOAH wrestlers like KENTA, Taiji Ishimori, and Yoshinobu Kanemaru. Ibushi also has heat with Suzuki-Gun members TAKA Michinoku & Taichi; the “Cheaters-Gun” or Cheater's Army in English refers to the fact that TAKA & Taichi have cheated on their wives in the past. Infidelity is a considered to be extremely shameful in Japan. Both guys took huge pay cuts for it. Kikuchi, TAKA, and Taichi, is a group Ibushi has warned younger wrestlers to avoid.

Matters have obviously come to a head, with Ibushi threatened to expose Kikuchi’s extramarital affairs (the aforementioned “personal matter” which allegedly contributed to former NJPW President Harold Meij’s decision to fire Kikuchi in 2019) publicly after Kikuchi threatened to have him released. Thought he’s far from the only person backstage with a negative view of Kikuchi, there’s reportedly some heat on Ibushi for doing this publicly rather than going to NJPW’s corporate parent Bushiroad with his grievances.

Commenting on the matter, Dave Meltzer said:

“There is more than smoke to the fire. Ibushi has problems with upper management that are significant. Gedo... is trying to smooth them out, but it’s not settled.”

Also wouldn't AEW harm their friendship with NJPW with signing a tallet that left New Japan in bad terms?

Ibushi Kota is doing sort of Q&A for frustration with NJPW management problem, in the course of tweet someone ask him;'Can I ask you one question? About Unification of IWGP heavy and intercontinental (now they are used for birth of IWGP World Heavy), are you leading this all of idea? Or Is it led by New Japan?'

Ibushi said "Guess I was the Right Person for that. It still doesn't make any sense. Even I talk later about this in detail that will be nothing but excuse to speak of, so that won't be work anyway. Think this is where i should draw the line at this point. Please forgive me."

www.njpw1972.com/121950?fbclid=IwAR0d95frYtykD_kEI2ETYfgsavG_I1xFhhAVxpRMSiYDEytcPEibUXeAzWE

Takaaki Kidani (Bushiroad founder and President), and Takami Ohbari (President of New Japan) held a press conference regarding Kota Ibushi. Full English translation

WON: Issues between Kota Ibushi and NJPW have calmed down.

The [Wrestling Observer Newsletter] reports that the issues with Ibushi and NJPW have calmed down, although Ibushi has said that things are not fully settled.

Ibushi currently feels he has to take care of his mother, but wants to return to wrestling and martial arts training eventually. He’s also discussed opening a dojo in his hometown to train others