Kota Ibushi Reunites With Kenny Omega Ahead Of AEW Dynamite: Blood And Guts
After a long, long wait, Kota Ibushi is finally coming to AEW, reforming the Golden Elite with old friend Kenny Omega, the Young Bucks, and "Hangman" Adam Page to do battle against Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, Wheeler Yuta, PAC, and Konosuke Takeshita in Blood And Guts on Wednesday. But before that transpires, Ibushi and Omega are getting in some quality hang-out time first.
Monday night, Ibushi shared via Twitter that he had safely made it to America, posting a photo of himself with both Omega and their buddy Michael Nakazawa. Ibushi noted that all that was left now was to have the match and that it had been quite a while since he had been this excited to be smashed or to fight in a cage.
よし、揃った！！もうあとはやるだけ！どうなるかは知らないメイン。
ぶっ壊すかぶっ壊されるか檻の中で闘うのは久々に興奮するな！#豹変#危険度MAX#仲間たち世界を変える！！！ pic.twitter.com/agAXFwBPeV
— 飯伏 幸太 (@ibushi_kota) July 18, 2023
Blood & Guts will be the first time that Ibushi and Omega — famous for their Golden Lovers tag team — have partnered up since December 2018.The duo then defeated the team of Hiroshi Tanahashi and Will Ospreay on a NJPW show. The match will also represent only the third time Ibushi has been in the ring in the last two years, with the former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion missing extended time due to injury. He returned to action earlier this year at Josh Barnett's Bloodsport and Joey Janela's Spring Break.
While Ibushi's AEW debut and reunion with Omega will get the most attention, Blood & Guts will also be the first time Ibushi has encountered his former rival Takeshita. The duo were frequent opponents while both worked for DDT, with Ibushi defeating Takeshita in both their singles matches. But they haven't wrestled each other since September 2015.