Kota Ibushi Talks Kenny Omega "Overshadowing" Him In New Japan

One of the biggest stories of 2018 from New Japan Pro Wrestling was the reunion of Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi, collectively known as The Golden Lovers. The reunion took place after Omega dropped the NJPW United States Championship to Jay White at The New Beginning in Sapporo, and was attacked by former Bullet Club member Adam "Hangman" Page and a faceoff with Cody. Now one year removed from the reunion, Ibushi would speak to NJPW regarding the reunion last year, as well as some interesting feelings on Omega.

Ibushi opened up on the reunion from last year, as well as how he feels now about Omega.

"Kenny has his own path to follow and I support him with it completely," Ibushi said. "I'd like to see Kenny change the world with wrestling, but I don't want to lose to him. I'm going to fight my battles with everything I've got. Looking back now, I think Kenny really overshadowed me in New Japan, right?"

Omega recently stated that their relationship was 50/50. Ibushi said that he does not belive that because of Omega's achievements.

"When I look at what he's achieved, Kenny's won the G1 and was IWGP Heavyweight Champion, two things I've never done," Ibushi stated. "Because I felt that I was not on the same level as him, I was always conscious about linking arms and teaming-up with him."

Last month, Omega officially signed with All Elite Wrestling. With "The Best Bout Machine" departing NJPW, Ibushi said that he plans to have matches differently than Omega. He noted that there is always the possibility that they will face off again in the future.

"In wrestling, no one ever knows what's going to happen and maybe we'll meet in the ring again," Ibushi said. "In the meantime, I'll just have to think of him as someone who is fighting a different fight."

Kota Ibushi is coming off a defeat with SHO and Hirooki Goto in a six-man tag against Tetsuya Naito, SANADA and Shingo Takagi on night one of the New Japan Cup tournament, which took place earlier this morning from Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.