Kota Ibushi returned to the ring after missing time due to an ankle injury. He suffered the injury in January, during Pro Wrestling NOAH’s New Year 2024 show. It was the main event as he fought Naomichi Marufuji.
The match had some rough-looking spots, to the point where Kota later apologized for his performance, as Ibushi was believed to have injured both of his ankles early in the match.
Following the match, he was taken to the hospital for further evaluation and later announced that he would be undergoing surgery. Ibushi was expected to be out of action for six to twelve months.
Kota left New Japan Pro Wrestling in 2023 and signed with AEW. He has not wrestled for AEW since WrestleDream in October.
Kota returned to DDT on Sunday morning after a seven-year absence, wrestling a full match against Sanshiro Takagi. Earlier this month, he did a 5-minute exhibition match at a Gleat event, where he and Daisuke Sekimoto went to a time-limit draw.
Kota Ibushi has returned to DDT tonight after 7 long years. The Golden Star is back ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/RQNfpxlDvU
— Dark Puroresu Flowsion (@PuroresuFlow) July 21, 2024
Takagi & Dino long tenured DDT wrestlers breaking down into tears after seeing Kota Ibushi return home tonight 🥹 pic.twitter.com/UQQGDE9ytw
— Dark Puroresu Flowsion (@PuroresuFlow) July 21, 2024
