Backstage Details On Kota Ibushi's AEW Return Match Scheduled For Dynamite

It's safe to say many were caught off guard by Kota Ibushi's return to AEW this past Saturday on " AEW Collision." The former New Japan star made his first AEW appearance since November 2023, joining forces with Mark Briscoe to in a quest to avenge Ibushi's Golden Lovers teammate Kenny Omega after Omega was brutally assaulted weeks ago by his All In opponent, Kazuchika Okada. Ibushi and Okada, no strangers to each other from their New Japan days, even squared off briefly, before Ibushi sent Okada running with a furious strike exchange.

The angle has set up Ibushi for a match against Okada's Don Callis Family teammate Trent Beretta this Wednesday on "AEW Dynamite," a match that is very much by design. Fightful Select reports that the call was made to make Beretta Ibushi's return opponent due to Beretta being a veteran of both the American wrestling style and New Japan's style, thanks to Beretta's six years with the promotion in the 2010s. The match will be as big a deal for Beretta as it is Ibushi, as Beretta himself is coming off one year on the shelf recovering from injuries, with this match serving as his first singles match after several tag team/multi-man bouts.

Of course, Ibushi remains the story, as Wednesday represents his first singles match since last December, and his first match period since February. The former IWGP World Champion has been plagued by health issues since he suffered a shoulder injury during his 2021 G1 Climax final match against Okada, and his performances since have many wonderomg if Ibushi's best days in the ring are behind him. However, those close to the "Golden Star" say Ibushi is currently "in a much better place physically than he has been in quite a long time."