Backstage Report On Issues Between AEW's Kota Ibushi & DDT

For "The Golden Star," Kota Ibushi, it seems all that glitters is not gold, following a separation between the star and the promotion he put on the map, DDT Pro-Wrestling, in Japan. Following rumors of the split between Ibushi and the promotion, new details have emerged from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

After Ibushi's last match, a victorious six-man tag team match on September 8, it appeared he canceled the rest of his scheduled dates with the promotion. According to an anonymous source who knew the situation, there was a divide backstage on whether Ibushi's returning presence was desired. The source mentioned that some of the younger wrestlers in the back made comments that Ibushi found to be disrespectful. The President of DDT, Sanshiro Takagi, asked the wrestlers to apologize for their actions, but they refused to. Based on the lack of apology, Ibushi took his exit. This week's newsletter did not mention who made the comments in question. However, it did say that some felt this situation was blown out of proportion and should have remained private. Since his departure, all of Ibushi's matches from July 21 – September 8 were removed from the company's streaming platform.

For those displeased with Ibushi's comeback, the divide could stem from what the former two-time DDT Universal Champion, MAO, called the "Golden Star Syndrome," which he described as an influx of popularity for the company, but only for shows on which Ibushi was scheduled. The promotion's popularity would die down when Ibushi was absent. Oppositely, stars like Yuki Ueno found Ibushi's long-awaited return as a blessing in disguise, saying the company would not be where it is today if it weren't for Ibushi.

Either way, Ibushi's star power will carry over wherever he goes next. A part of the AEW roster since last year, a reunion between himself and Kenny Omega could be imminent, as the reunited Golden Lovers tag team recently teased photos of their training sessions.