Kota Ibushi Requests NJPW Unify IWGP Heavyweight & Intercontinental Titles

Written by Jack Goodwin • Published 7th January 2021
Kota Ibushi after winning both the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships

Kota Ibushi wants to “make his dream come true” by unifying his two new titles after Wrestle Kingdom 15.

Following his double-night success, firstly capturing both the IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental Championships at night 1 of Wrestle Kingdom 15 against Tetsuya Naito and then defending them in an emotional victory over Jay White on night 2, Kota now wants both titles unified.

Speaking at a backstage press conference following day 2, Kota said:

The IWGP Intercontinental Championship is the greatest belt there is. The IWGP Heavyweight Championship is the strongest belt there is. I want to unify these titles. I want it to be both the greatest and the strongest. Nobody has challenged for just one of these titles. Then what does a double championship mean? I want to unify them. Then I will make my ultimate dreams come true.

Going 31 minutes and 48 minutes respectively in match time, both his matches against Naito & Jay White are already being considered as some of the greatest two-day performances in NJPW and wrestling history.

Both titles haven’t been defended separately at all since Naito, who was the Intercontinental Champion, beat Kazuchika Okada for the Heavyweight Champion at Wrestle Kingdom 14 at the start of last year – So it’s quite a sensible request to be fair.

Kota won’t have long to wait for his second title(s) defence, with SANADA challenging Kota in the ring post-celebrations on night 2. Coming off a huge win over EVIL, SANDANA will now be looking to avenge his loss to Kota back in the G1 Climax 30 Finals.