Before the Road to Dontaku hit Korakuen Hall on April 22, Kota Ibushi joined Chairman Naoki Sugabayashi for a special press conference. Sugabayashi explained that just prior to Sengoku Lord in Nagoya Saturday, Ibushi signed a contract with New Japan Pro Wrestling, ending a long spell as a freelancer. 

Ibushi’s statement:

‘I would like to formally announce that I have signed with New Japan Pro Wrestling and will now represent NJPW as Intercontinental Champion. I appreciate your support going forward’

Questions from press:

— At one point in the past you were signed to a double contract with NJPW and the DDT promotion. Is it correct to say that you are exclusive to NJPW at this point?

Ibushi: Yes. That’s correct.

— In Nagoya you said that you wanted to be on every card going forward.

Ibushi: That’s right. If I can physically be there I want to be there.

— You’ve been freelance for the last three years; what made you arrive at this decision?

Ibushi: Well, I had this dual contract and after I left both companies, I went to a lot of different places and had a lot of different experiences. At the end of the day though, ever since I was a kid in middle school, I always wanted to join NJPW. I thought that I couldn’t, and that’s why I worked for a lot of different independents, but my feelings never changed. 

— The time finally arrived for you.

Ibushi: I took a roundabout route, but it all got me some valuable experience.

— Do you think now is the right timing for you, personally?

Ibushi: I do. I really think I’m arriving at my peak now. Whether I have another 10 years, or 20 years wrestling I don’t know, but my peak is beginning now. So I’ve found my final destination.

— When you are contracted, your position and your responsibilities change. Is there anything extra that you feel you can do now because you are exclusive?

Ibushi: I’ve always said that I want to broaden the horizons of professional wrestling. I feel, if I can broaden the horizons of NJPW, then I can broaden the horizons of wrestling at large.

— Having that mission motivates you?

Ibushi: It’s the ultimate motivation.

— Is there anything specific that you want to do in order to achieve that?

Ibushi: Well, for now, I’m the Intercontinental Champion, and I want to put everything I have into defending this title.

— You want to elevate the status of the title?

Ibushi: Yes, of course.

— A while ago Tanahashi questioned your resolve. Was that challenge something that influenced your decision?

Ibushi: Hmm. ‘Resolve’ means a lot of things to a lot of different people, but I think I finally understand now what Tanahashi meant when he used that word. I always felt I had resolve when it came to my definition of the word, but I understand what Tanahashi means now.

— And what do you think he means exactly?

Ibushi: To put it simply, I think he was talking about responsibility. To put it in a word.

— Signing with the company brings with it a responsibility to represent it. That’s what you think he meant?

Ibushi: Right.

— Back in February, you said in the ring ‘I’m not going anywhere’. Was it from there that you decided to commit to NJPW?

Ibushi: Right. To bring up my and Tanahashi’s resolve again, as far as I was concerned personally, I made this decision last year. But to actually bear responsibility and resolve the way Tanahashi puts it, the timing was a little bit different.

— And now everything’s finally the way you wanted?

Ibushi: Correct.

— How long is your contract for?

Ibushi: Contract… To me, this is the last place I’ll be. Until the day I die. Until the end. That’s my contract period. (To Sugabayashi) Is that OK? Until the very end? OK then (laughs).

— Now that you are fully signed with NJPW, you might be asked to join a specific unit. Is there a group in particular you want to join?

Ibushi: I like to think I can make it work wherever I am, wherever would be fine. But personally, I’d like to be in hontai.