Katsuyori Shibata Makes Shocking Return At NJPW G1 Climax 31 Finals, Wrestles Zack Sabre Jr. In Exhibition Match

An emotional surprise occurred in Nippon Budokan on Thursday. Katsuyori Shibata wrestled his first match since April 9th, 2017. In an unannounced appearance, Shibata wrestled Zack Sabre Jr. to a 5-minute draw in a UWF Rules Match. After the match, Shibata told the crowd “Next time I get in this ring, it’ll be in a match,” confirming that there will be a “next time” for the once-retired wrestler.

Shibata originally left his career in question after suffering a serious head injury in the main event of Sakura Genesis 2017. Coming off a big New Japan Cup win, a rogue headbutt to then-IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada left Shibata with a subdural hematoma that caused left-side paralysis and required emergency surgery. Shibata returned at that year’s G1 Climax finals to let the fans know that he was alive.

Shibata then went to the NJPW LA Dojo in California to train the recent crops of Young Lions for NJPW’s North American extension. Shibata then returned to Japan again in 2019 to reintroduce KENTA to the NJPW audience. KENTA then betrayed Shibata at the 2019 G1 Climax finals, attacking the injured wrestler and sending intrigue as to whether Shibata would ever return for vengeance.

Shibata did not seem to have vengeance on his mind in the competitive draw with ZSJ. Shibata was Sabre’s first opponent in NJPW, so there was a certain symmetry in Shibata returning against the Technical Wizard.

In a year of seemingly impossible returns, Shibata has sent heavy shockwaves and deep emotions through the wrestling world. What is next for The Wrestler? Only time will tell.