BORN TO MAKE HISTORY:
KOTA IBUSHI VS TETSUYA NAITO
By Jasmine Olan
They are two of the best wrestlers competing on the international wrestling scene today. One of them is a hard hitting, high flying mad genius who has evolved into every bit of what New Japan Pro Wrestling is looking for in a future Ace. The other is a talented and hugely popular antihero much like the legendary Masahiro Chono. Kota Ibushi and Tetsuya Naito started out as friends but are now embroiled in one of NJPW’s most talked about current rivalries. At the center of this heated feud is one of the industry’s most prestigious titles, the IWGP Intercontinental Championship. In its own way, it has become a battle over the importance of that title. While one wants to elevate the Intercontinental Championship to even higher levels of honor and prestige, the other just wants to use it as a means to an end. This battle dates back years, and is now boiling over in a big way. It began when Ibushi and Naito were two stars on the rise.
Kota Ibushi is widely regarded as one of the greatest wrestlers of his generation, known around the world for his explosive and innovative style. Dubbed the Golden Star, he is also beloved for his free spirited nature as well as his kind and humble heart. Although a massive fan favorite, it’s taken him quite some to reach where he stands now as the reigning IWGP Intercontinental Champion. Always a main event caliber performer, what held Ibushi back for a long time was his uneasiness about signing with any promotion full time. A change began to take place with his 2017 return to NJPW during which he gradually proved his loyalty to the company.
When best friend and longtime partner, Kenny Omega left New Japan to help form AEW in January of this year, Ibushi had a major decision to make. In the end he chose to stay with New Japan and surprised the world by signing a two year contract. On April 6, 2019 that show of loyalty led to a huge win for Ibushi when he defeated Tetsuya Naito for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship at the G1 Supercard in the world’s most famous Arena, Madison Square Garden. It’s a win that meant the world to Ibushi because of how much the Intercontinental title meant to his two biggest mentors, Shinsuke Nakamura and Hiroshi Tanahashi, two men he views as wrestling gods. Ibushi has always loved and respected the IWGP Intercontinental Championship while Tetsuya Naito has had a love/hate relationship with it for years.
Tetsuya Naito’s history with New Japan Pro Wrestling and the IWGP Intercontinental Championship has long been a complicated one. Before becoming the leader of arguably the most popular faction in New Japan’s 47 year history, Naito was known as the Stardust Genius, an in ring character somewhat similar to both Ibushi and Tanahashi. During this time Ibushi and Naito were actually good friends. The two even appeared together in an episode of a Japanese tv show which followed them as they hung out at a theme park and went out to dinner after. Because of Naito’s difficulty connecting with the audience, things changed after he returned from an excursion to Mexico with a new attitude that both Ibushi and NJPW fans didn’t agree with. This could be seen when they were paired together in tag team matches.
When Ibushi returned to NJPW for the 27th annual G1 Climax tournament, he and Naito would find themselves going head to head during block competition. Naito would go on to win the G1 for the second time, but fail to win the IWGP Intercontinental Championship at WRESTLE KINGDOM 12, falling to the Rainmaker, Kazuchika Okada. That summer at G1 28, Ibushi would get and make it to finals but fall to the Ace Of The Universe, Hiroshi Tanahashi. The rivalry between Ibushi and Naito would be reignited during the 2019 New Japan Cup which would see Ibushi once again get the win, eliminating Naito in the first round.
When it came time for the G1 Supercard in 2019, Ibushi would challenge Naito for the Intercontinental Championship and win the title for the very first time. Prior to the match Ibushi mentioned that he didn’t like the way Naito treated the Intercontinental Championship belt. After Ibushi successfully defended the title against Zack Sabre Jr, Naito would come out to the ring, looking to be Ibushi’s next challenger. It remains to be seen when that next encounter will happen, but one thing that remains crystal clear is that the war between these two is far from over. A very interesting element of this feud is the undercurrent of mutual respect and how both men have openly stated that they enjoying wrestling each other.
At this rate, fans could very easily end up getting a main event match between Ibushi and Naito at WRESTLE KINGDOM in the Tokyo Dome. Given their chemistry with each other it wouldn’t be much of a surprise. This feud is definitely reminiscent of the legendary rivalry between Keiji Mutoh and Masahiro Chono. Only time will tell where things will go from here. What can be said is that Kota Ibushi and Tetsuya Naito were both born to make history.
