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Tony Khan, the President of AEW, is reportedly showing interest in acquiring the services of a top free agent in NJPW. Khan sees him as a valuable addition to his roster.
Kota Ibushi has officially left NJPW as his contract has come to an end. He will be making his debut in Game Changer Wrestling (GCW) during the Collective 2023 event during WrestleMania 39 Weekend in Los Angeles, appearing in at least two shows. Ibushi's match was confirmed against Mike Bailey at Josh Barnett's annual "Bloodsport" event. Another match against Joey Janella was confirmed as the main event of the Spring Break show on March 31st.
There have been recent reports that Ibushi has received significant interest from multiple organizations. Given Ibushi's impressive track record and reputation as one of the top performers in the industry, top organizations would be interested in signing him.
During an appearance on Busted Open Radio, Tony Khan mentioned Kota Ibushi is a highly talented free agent in pro wrestling. He further added that AEW would consider working with him as they have wanted to in the past.
"There are a lot of great free agents in the world of pro wrestling. Certainly, Kota Ibushi is a great talent. When you have a name like that, everyone in the world of pro wrestling would be very fortunate to have in their promotion. We've wanted to work with him in the past, so it's certainly something we would have to consider," Khan said. (H/T- Fightful)
Kota Ibushi has teased joining AEW in the past
Former NJPW star Kota Ibushi's speculation of appearing in AEW has gained traction due to his hints in the past.
Kota Ibushi expressed high expectations for Tony Khan's All Elite Wrestling through a Twitter exchange. Additionally, he responded to a Twitter user saying he would like to compete with Hangman Adam Page in the ring.
In 2018, Ibushi and Page faced each other in a match at ROH Supercard of Honor XII, with Ibushi emerging as the winner. He was also a tag team partner with Kenny Omega called Golden Lovers. The two wrestlers, who both competed in NJPW, gained popularity during a time of conflict within the Bullet Club.
Would you like to see Kota Ibushi make his debut in Tony Khan's promotion? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below
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