AEW Star’s Future in Serious Doubt After Prolonged Absence

Kota Ibushi may still be active in Japan, but don’t expect to see him lighting up AEW television anytime soon—if ever again.

According to Sean Ross Sapp, the former NJPW standout isn’t the same explosive athlete fans once knew, and that reality could spell the end of his AEW run.

Speaking on the post-AEW Dynamite show, Sapp didn’t hold back about where things currently stand with Ibushi. “Ibushi’s just been around. But listen man, if you saw Kota Ibushi—and I tried to warn people when he got signed—I was like, ‘This is not the same Kota Ibushi.’ He’s not the same guy anymore,” Sapp said bluntly.

Despite being signed to AEW in 2023 and wrestling multiple matches in Japan over the past six to seven months, Ibushi hasn’t been acknowledged on AEW programming since November 15, 2023, when he last appeared on Dynamite. That silence, Sapp says, is no accident. “The fact that he has been wrestling matches in Japan for the last six, seven months and they haven’t even mentioned him on AEW TV, I think, speaks volumes.”

Ibushi’s struggles began after Pro Wrestling NOAH’s ‘The New Year 2024’ event, where he sustained injuries that led to surgery. Though he’s recovered and returned to competition in Japan, Ibushi has admitted his body isn’t what it once was—and that his career may be nearing its end.

Now fans are left wondering if AEW plans to use him at all going forward, or if his run quietly ended months ago. Whether or not he gets one final program on AEW TV remains to be seen—but time may be running out.

Do you think AEW should bring Kota Ibushi back for one last storyline—or has that ship already sailed? Sound off in the comments and let us know what you think.

Should AEW bring Kota Ibushi back for another major run, or is it time for him to move on? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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