On Wednesday, Tony Khan announced on social media that Kota Ibushi has officially signed with AEW, having taken part in the Like a Dragon Gaiden street fight on Dynamite.
Ibushi is known for his high-flying and acrobatic style, which has earned him the nickname “The Golden Star”. Ibushi is also a skilled mat technician and has a strong background in kickboxing.
Ibushi marked his debut in AEW this July during the annual Blood & Guts match, teaming up with Kenny Omega, Hangman Page, and The Young Bucks against Jon Moxley, Wheeler Yuta, Claudio Castagnoli, Konosuke Takeshita, and PAC. His subsequent appearances include matches at All In, WrestleDream, and the most recent Dynamite episode.
Ibushi has held the IWGP World Heavyweight, IWGP Heavyweight, IWGP Intercontinental, IWGP Tag Team, NEVER Openweight, IWGP Junior Heavyweight, and IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team championships. Additionally, he clinched victory in the G1 Climax tournament on two occasions and made appearances in the G1 finals for four consecutive years, spanning from 2018 to 2021.