Kota Ibushi On His Upcoming Match With Naomichi Marufuji: “It’s Been A Long Time Since I Felt Excited”

On December 2nd at Pro Wresting NOAH’s NOAH the BEST event, AEW superstar Kota Ibushi made a surprise appearance and called out NOAH legend Naomichi Marufuji. Ibushi challenged Marufuji to a match at the upcoming NOAH “THE NEW YEAR” 2024 event on January 2nd.

Shortly after, Pro Wrestling NOAH made the match between Ibushi and Marufuji official for January 2nd and declared it to be the main event.

In a recent interview now available on Pro Wrestling NOAH’s YouTube channel, Kota Ibushi discussed the upcoming match with Naomichi Marufuji.

Ibushi was asked his feelings about the match with Marufuji which is finally happening after two prior scheduled meetings were cancelled due to injuries to both wrestlers. Kota Ibushi stated, “It’s been a long time since I felt excited” referring to his upcoming match with Marufuji.

“Perhaps it was the year after Marufuji-san’s injury? Marufuji-san and I were going to have a singles match in DDT, but I wasn’t recovered from a dislocation. We both missed the singles match, and we didn’t overlap, and in the end twelve years passed without us meeting each other. During those twelve years, we’ve both experienced a lot. Personally, if there is one thing that I’ve left unfinished, it’s that I wished I had been able to do it with Marufuji-san at that time. I am the type of person who doesn’t regret anything, but Marufuji is the only person who makes me wonder for a moment what it would have been like if we had done it at that time. I don’t want to say I regret it, but I do regret it. That’s what it comes down to. In the end I was just trying to be strong. I thought we would never meet again, but now that we’re meeting again when we are both in our forties, I think we might be able to see something new

If I was in my twenties, I might have been able to see some amazing professional wrestling from people in their twenties. Pro Wrestling varies, but what will Marufuji and Ibushi’s pro wrestling be like now that they are both in their 40s? Like, this is what I can enjoy. To be honest with you, I’ve had injuries to my shoulders, ankles, etc, and I am sure that Marufuji-san is also injured in various places, but even in that condition he’s definitely going to have a career of maybe twenty-five years? I’ve covered a lot of different things in my career for probably twenty years, and since I already have experience points, I think something will be born somehow. It’s been a long time since I felt excited”

Kota Ibushi

NOAH “THE NEW YEAR” 2024 will stream live on Wrestle Universe on January 2nd 2024.

(H/T goes to NOAH’s ARKIVE for the translation and transcription)

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