Kota Ibushi Says He Could Return Sooner Than Expected

Kota Ibushi believes he could return to the ring sooner than expected following the serious leg injury that sidelined him in 2025.

The former IWGP Heavyweight Champion has struggled with injuries in recent years, wrestling fewer than two dozen matches across the past five years. Kota Ibushi appeared to be regaining momentum after returning to AEW in the summer of 2025, but that run was halted in October when he broke his femur during a match with Josh Alexander.

At the time, some believed the injury could keep Ibushi out of action for as long as two years. In a rare interview with HypeTalkTV, Ibushi shared an update on his recovery and said he hopes to return much sooner than doctors initially projected.

“The surgery was really painful,” Ibushi said. “Now walking is okay, but running I can’t do. The doctor said a year, but I’ll do it in half that. In six months… AEW is fine. Sometimes I just want to do an easy match.”

Ibushi made a brief appearance earlier this year at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 20 as part of Hiroshi Tanahashi’s retirement ceremony. However, he appeared to struggle while making his way down the ramp at the Tokyo Dome.

Kota Ibushi Wants To Be Fully Recovered Before He Returns To The Ring

Despite that moment, Kota Ibushi said he wants to make sure he is fully recovered before returning to competition.

“I will heal my leg as fast as possible and come back to the ring,” he said. “I want to return as soon as possible, but in perfect condition.”

Plans for Ibushi prior to the injury have also recently been revealed. On an episode of Being The Elite, Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson said that AEW had been planning a major tag-team match for Full Gear 2025.

According to The Young Bucks, the event was set to feature a rematch of their 2018 classic with Ibushi, and a match between Kenny Omega’s Golden Lovers tag team and Ibushi before the injury forced the plans to be scrapped.