IMPACT Wrestling Executive Vice President Don Callis has addressed the possibility of a champion vs. champion match between AEW World Champion Kenny Omega and IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Champion Kota Ibushi.
Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi have a storied history in Japanese wrestling, from critically acclaimed matches against each other to their time as a tag team, known as Golden Lovers. In a recent interview with Alex McCarthy of talkSPORT, Don Callis, speaking in-character, discussed the idea of them facing off once again now that both hold the top championships in their respective companies, AEW and NJPW.
While the ‘Hidden Hand’ conceded that Ibushi is a great wrestler, he said he believes Omega to be on a different level and a once in a lifetime performer. He went on to say that he sees Ibushi as being in “the IWGP bubble” and needs to leave Japan to get to the next level as a performer.
“What makes Kenny great isn’t just the athleticism, it’s his next level thinking. Kota Ibushi thinks in the IWGP bubble. It’s all he knows and all he’s ever known. In order for Kota Ibushi to truly evolve into the Kota Ibushi he can be, he needs to get on an airplane and he needs to come from Japan and defend that title around the world like Kenny Omega does.
“The problem with Kota Ibushi has never been a lack of ability, it’s been a lack of imagination.”
Callis finished off by saying that he thinks the idea of a match between the two is small-minded thinking.
“A lot of people would love to see Kenny and Kota Ibushi reunite, but that’s very small-minded thinking and it is what it is – people get excited about their dream matches.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Callis also gave his thoughts on the Bullet Club reunion which took place on the most recent episode of AEW Dynamite.
Kota Ibushi defeated Tetsuya Naito for the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships in the main event of Night 1 of this year’s NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 15, and successfully defended them against ‘Switchblade’ Jay White on Night 2 of the event, with both matches being well-received. Kenny Omega, with assistance from Don Callis, won the AEW World Championship from Jon Moxley at AEW’s Winter is Coming event.
Credit to talkSPORT for the above quotes.