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Kota Ibushi, The Star Looking For Gold

With a newly signed contract, what does the future hold for Kota Ibushi?

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This picture right here is the definition of subtle storytelling.

With a newly signed NJPW contract in his pocket, New Japan may trust him more. What does the future hold for Kota Ibushi?

Kota Ibushi, New Japan’s Golden Star, made his return in Osaka last February after having to take some time off following Wrestle Kingdom. Ibushi announced he would now be a New Japan performer full time, and he threw himself in the field of the New Japan Cup. With the first round of the tournament now being done with and with Ibushi advancing, let’s look at what might be in store for him from now on.

Since returning in New Japan for the G1 Climax 27 in what will be two years ago this summer, Kota Ibushi, while being as good and popular as ever, has known quite the rocky road so far. From losing the championship matches he was involved in until last December, to being forced into the storm that was the Bullet Club’s civil war, Ibushi has had a hard time shining in New Japan’s landscape. It wasn’t helping that in that same time period, both Tetsuya Naito and Kenny Omega were rising as both tried to dethrone Kazuchika Okada during his tremendous IWGP Heavyweight championship reign. However, defeating Hirooki Goto for the NEVER Openweight championship during the World Tag League finals may have been what Ibushi was looking for.

While he lost the championship to Will Ospreay at Wrestle Kingdom 13 a month later, this win against Goto represents the first heavyweight championship Ibushi won in New Japan, his biggest accomplishment since winning the New Japan Cup in 2015. Therefore, this is only a starting point for the Golden Star.

Then, with the announcement of the New Japan Cup bracket, the road for Kota Ibushi was clearly shown to be a very, very hard one. Not only Ibushi had to face Tetsuya Naito in the first round and  defeated him, which I will come back to later, but the rest of his side of the bracket isn’t easy either. Who is Ibushi’s second round opponent ? Oh, just the defending New Japan Cup winner, Zack Sabre Jr. Not to mention that, if Ibushi manages to defeat ZSJ, another face-off with Tanahashi may await him, in another very storied match. You can’t forget about both Minoru Suzuki and SANADA, who will be facing off in the second round. The winner of this match will also be a potential tough match-up for Ibushi.

This heavily competitive bracket where Ibushi is in, is no coincidence. Going back to him having quite the hard time since returning in new Japan, Ibushi is someone who still needs a strong build-up to be contending for the top titles in the company. If Ibushi can go to the New Japan Cup finals, which means he would have defeated several top New Japan talents in a row, making him a credible threat for any champion he may have crossed path with.

Speaking of, let’s bring up Ibushi’s first round opponent, the IWGP Intercontinental champion, Tetsuya Naito. Since Ibushi has eliminated him, it is fair to expect that the current champion will defend the IC title against Ibushi in the near future. Will it be in Madison Square Garden ? That now depends on Ibushi himself, but let’s focus back to the two individuals, as well as the title Naito holds. The first thing you need to know is that Ibushi and Naito have had an evolving relationship throughout the years, from being quite friendly in their younger days to now considering each other as a foe, since Naito returned from Mexico in 2015.

The other big subject surrounding these two men is the Intercontinental championship, of course. We already know all of the history Naito has with the belt, but what about Ibushi ? Well, there is some symbolic with him going after that championship. Back in 2015, Ibushi challenged then IC champion Shinsuke Nakamura for the belt at Wrestle Kingdom 9, in what was Ibushi’s first high profile championship match as a heavyweight in New Japan. While he lost, this match confirmed Ibushi’s transition, as well as this was setting new goals for him. In that regard, fighting for and claiming the IC title is, in a way, the test Ibushi needs to pass. He needs to win this title, as it represents his first big goal as a heavyweight. It would definitely push Ibushi as the star New Japan always wanted him to be, so, do not be surprised if Kota Ibushi is your next IWGP Intercontinental champion, and don’t be surprised if he holds it for a good while, too.

The last thing I wanted to cover is pretty symbolic as well, as it also relies on Ibushi having the chance to become one of New Japan’s top stars. Ibushi has a very special relationship with Hiroshi Tanahashi, as they have fought several times in the past, as Ibushi was trying to reach to “God”, in Tanahashi. The Ace has always seen Ibushi as the future, and now more than ever seems to be on Ibushi’s side, as noth more than hinted at a pairing or alliance after the Anniversary show.

What does this mean for Ibushi ? Ultimately, no one can say with certainty, but I’d bet on some kind of torch passing between the Ace and the Golden Star, as it would be the current theme in New Japan, which new faces coming in and putting themselves at the top of the promotion.

You can already bet Ibushi will be a major part of this process.

 

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Opinion

Chris King: The Wyatt Sicks’ Wasted Potential By WWE

Chris King takes a look at the WWE and their wasted potential of Uncle Howdy and the Wyatt Sicks faction.

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Wyatt Sicks WWE

Chris King takes a look at the WWE and their wasted potential of Uncle Howdy and the Wyatt Sicks faction.

It’s that time of the year again, folks; it’s unfortunate and downright awful that so many WWE superstars got released today. I’m not going to list all of them, but I am going to talk about one of my favorite factions, 

The Wyatt Sicks. Nikki Cross, Joe Gacy, Erik Rowan, and Bo Dallas (Uncle Howdy) were something special. After Bo’s brother Bray Wyatt’s tragic passing, WWE felt like there was a hole that needed to be filled. Wyatt was one of the most creative and brilliant characters, and Bo would be taking over his brother’s concept and bringing it to life. In 2024, at the end of an incredible documentary highlighting Wyatt’s career and struggles, Bo appeared on the screen portrayed as Uncle Howdy. The last time Uncle Howdy was seen on-screen was at the 2023 Royal Rumble, where Wyatt defeated LA Knight in a Pitch Black Match. Howdy jumped off a structure onto Knight. 

This post-credit scene sparked so much speculation and excitement that Wyatt’s brother would carry on his legacy and possibly debut the faction that was Wyatt’s concept. On the June 17th episode of Monday Night Raw, The Wyatt Sicks made their dramatic debut ,destroying the backstage area as well as “murdering” Chad Gable. It was such an iconic arrival for Howdy as he made his menacing walk from the back into the audience who were chanting “Holy Shit.” The Sicks and American Made (Chad Gable and The Creed Brothers) battled for months, with The Sicks being victorious. On the September 9th episode of Raw, The Sicks defeated them, with Howdy getting the win with Sister Abigail. 

The following year, The Sicks would move over to Friday Night SmackDown, and it seemed like WWE had a plan in place. They would win the tag team championships from The Street Profits and start to look dominant. Now, what should have happened next is Howdy should have won the United States title. The Sicks could have held all the gold over on the blue brand, but it never happened. The Sicks entered into a never-ending feud with The MFT’s (Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, JC Mateo, and Talla Tonga.) It started off exciting, and the WWE Universe was red-hot for their interactions. 

After months of repetitive matches and The MFT’s stealing their lantern, the feud grew tiresome and boring. Even Tama asked Solo why they are still holding onto the lantern, as it was destroying them as a whole. Finally on the SmackDown before Mania, Tama

gave the lantern back to Howdy against Solo’s wishes. Please explain to me why both factions fought almost every single week instead of just having one final blowoff match at WrestleMania. 

It should have been either a massive street fight or a falls count anywhere match on the grandest stage of them all. Instead, it turned into a meaningless week-after-week extravaganza that benefited no one. The MFTs won the rivalry, and The Sicks don’t even work for WWE anymore. This was the same criminalized creative process that Wyatt dealt with during his first run in the company. 

We’ll never know how much of a dangerous force The Wyatt Sicks could have been in the WWE. For all their careers’ sake, I hope they stay far away from the company for as long as possible. Every superstar that was cut deserves better!

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Opinion

Chris King: Bloodline Saga: Is This the Right Call For WWE?

Chris King questions the WWE’s logic in setting up Jacob Fatu as the next challenger for World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns 

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WWE Jacob Fatu Roman Reigns Backlash

Chris King questions the WWE’s logic in setting up Jacob Fatu as the next challenger for World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns

Roman Reigns is once again World Heavyweight Champion after his dominant win over CM Punk at WrestleMania 42. On the following night on Monday Night Raw, The OG Bloodline came back together as a well-oiled machine as The Usos stood side by side with Roman. With the WWE Universe asking who would be the first to challenge “The Tribal Chief,” Jacob Fatu shocked the world by answering the call. 

Fatu is running hot after his impressive win over Drew McIntyre and feels like he is ready to become the new world champion. This bloodline segment ended Raw, and it picked right back up on SmackDown with even Solo Sikoa and the MFTs involved. This is now two shows that have been centered around The Bloodline saga, and it’s made me question whether or not WWE should be retelling this story. 

The Bloodline (Roman Reigns, The Usos, and Solo Sikoa) ran WWE for over four years as Reigns’ henchmen, doing his dirty work to retain his title. Even though Roman has declared he doesn’t want Jey and Jimmy to serve him, it sure seems like WWE are spinning their wheels. Fatu could add a whole new chapter into the story, even if he’s not able to beat Roman at Backlash. “The Samoan Werewolf” could be forced to do the same thing as Jey did all those years ago and fall in line. 

 In my opinion, I feel like Fatu should be challenging for the Undisputed WWE Championship because that’s a title I feel like he should win. I understand standing up to your blood and trying to prove you’re the best, but I don’t think this is the right move. It feels like 2022 all over again, as The Bloodline is the central focus on both shows. If Fatu doesn’t win, what happens to all his momentum he’s been building over the last two years? 

Why did WWE make this the best choice for storyline purposes? Why couldn’t creative have come up with a different challenger for Roman? There are so many other superstars that could challenge The Tribal Chief, such as Rusev, Bron Breakker, Gunther, or even a returning Sheamus. 

I just can’t help but question WWE’s logic here, and it kind of reminds me of all the times The Shield reunited. Could WWE be pushing the same storyline too many times here? Could the WWE Universe get tired of this rinse and repeat cycle of The Bloodline Saga?

Are we about to see all the weekly episodes solely focused on The Bloodline again? Will it be cinema… Yes. Is there still money in The Bloodline… Yes. Was it the right call? That’s to be determined!

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