The past few years haven’t been kind to Kota Ibushi when it come to injuries as the former IWGP Heavyweight Champion has wrestled less than two dozen matches in the past five years. Ibushi looked to have turned a corner when he returned to AEW in the summer of 2025, but that run was cut short in October during a match with Josh Alexander where broke his femur, an injury that some believed would keep him out of action for up to two years. 

In a rare interview with “HypeTalkTV,” Ibushi opened up about how he has been feeling lately, revealing that he can picture himself back in the ring a lot sooner than what doctors have told him, that is if the matches he’s involved in are easy. “The surgery…it 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. Yes, in six months…in AEW is fine. Just–sometimes or once, I want to do like an ‘easy match.'”

Ibushi did make a surprise appearance at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 20 to be a part of Hiroshi Tanahashi’s retirement ceremony, where he was visibly struggling to make his way down the Tokyo Dome ramp. However, “The Golden Star” wants to make sure that the next time he walks down the ramp, he is in perfect condition. “I will heal my leg as fast as possible and come back to the ring. I want to come back quickly as possible, as soon as possible. Yes, I will return to the ring in perfect condition as soon as possible. I want everyone to know that.

As for what Ibushi would have done in AEW had he not gotten injured, those scrapped plans were recently revealed by The Young Bucks on an episode of “Being The Elite.” Matt and Nick Jackson revealed that they were going to wrestle Ibushi and his Golden Lovers tag team partner Kenny Omega at Full Gear 2025 in what would have been a rematch from their 2018 bout in NJPW.

Please credit “HypeTalkTV” when using quotes from this article, and give a H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.