2021 started as the year of dreams for Kota Ibushi. He would cash in his title shot that he had won during 2020’s G1 Climax Tournament, and successfully defeated Tetsuya Naito to become the IWGP Heavyweight Champion on the first night of New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Wrestle Kingdom 15. Four days into
2021, Ibushi found himself not only as the newly crowned champion, but he had walked into the year also as IWGP Intercontinental Champion, and accomplished his goal of “Becoming God”. What was lining up to be the biggest year of Kota’s already impressive seventeen-year career, turned out to be one of the most challenging years for the Golden Star.
Ibushi Made History By Unifying the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships
One of Ibushi’s first pieces of business after becoming god, was to combine the Intercontinental and Heavyweight Championships into one belt, effectively ending the title lineage of both respective titles. A move that was met with mixed responses, made even more vocal when the design for the new IWGP World Heavyweight Championship was revealed. On top of that, it wouldn’t be long until Kota would find himself on the losing end of a title defense against the divisive Will Ospreay, ending Ibushi’s reign after only three months.
Much of Ibushi’s reign happened during a time when Covid precautions began to once again tighten in Japan, so losing the championship in April after much of March's events had been canceled, came as a surprise to many. In July, however, something even more surprising would come to light — New Japan Pro Wrestling would announce that Ibushi had been hospitalized with Aspiration Pneumonia. This lead to, among other things, a large part of the wrestling community learning what Aspiration Pneumonia was. Here it is according to Medline WebMD:
“Pneumonia is a breathing condition in which there is inflammation (swelling) or an infection of the lungs or large airways. Aspiration pneumonia occurs when food, saliva, liquids, or vomit is breathed into the lungs or airways leading to the lungs, instead of being swallowed into the esophagus and stomach.”
Kota would be out of the ring until September, and questions lingered about what his conditioning and endurance might be upon his return to the ring. With Covid restrictions tightening once again closing in on his return to the ring, many things were unclear as the return date grew nearer and nearer.
His Return To The G1 Climax Ended In An Injury
Kota was able to return in time for the G1 Climax, and despite being sideline for two months, was seen as a possible favorite to win it all based on the fact that Ibushi had won the G1 both in 2019, and in 2020. Ibushi would spend the early tournament matches doing his best to return to the elite form fans had come to expect from him previously, with commentary doing a great job helping to tell the story of a top athlete trying to return to championship condition. Ibushi would score wins over Tomohiro Ishii, KENTA, and current IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Shingo Takagi on his way to the finals against arguably the Ace of New Japan in Kazuchika Okada.
The finals of the G1 Climax tournament took place on October 21st, and represented the latest chapter in what can only be described as a very unlucky 2021 for Kota Ibushi. During the final match of the tournament, about twenty five minutes into his bout with Okada, Ibushi would attempt a phoenix splash that Okada would avoid, leaving the Golden Star to come crashing down to the mat awkwardly on his shoulder. The referee would check on Kota as he writhed in clear discomfort on the mat, after a short time he would call for the bell. That would be how the prestigious 25th G1 Climax would come to an end, as Kazuchika Okada would win by referee stoppage due to an injury. This after Tetsuya Naito also left the tournament due to injury after his match with Zack Sabre Jr.
What began as a year seeing Ibushi finally become a god, breaking through to the heavyweight championship seven years after announcing his ascension from junior heavyweight to heavyweight, and twelve years after his first match in New Japan, would quickly turn from the one Kota’s greatest years professionally, to potentially his most challenging. Despite the setbacks, one thing that Ibushi has proven not just this year, but over his whole career, is that he has perseverance. Best wishes, and a speedy recovery to one of the best wrestlers in the world.