Kota Ibushi victorious in comeback; challenged Jeff Cobb for Wrestle Grand Slam
The main event of Satsuma no Kuni night two in Kagoshima on April 29 saw Kota Ibushi return to action for the first time in 25 days, reforming Golden☆Ace with Hiroshi Tanahashi against the United Empire’s Jeff Cobb and Aaron Henare.
Steeping confidently to the ring in front of his hometown crowd, Ibushi glared at Jeff Cobb during the referee’s checks, and with no knee pads to soften any blows, immediately looked for knockout blows on the Imperial Unit. Ibushi tore into Cobb before a double elbow drop saw he and Tanahashi take control. When Ibushi leapt for a dropkick to Cobb however, he was caught in mid air, Cobb taking control in ring while Henare targeted Tanahashi on the floor.
Both Cobb and Henare delivered heavy, painful shots to Ibushi before the former world champion scored with a dropkick to a charging Henare to bring Tanahashi back in. The Ace bowled over his former tag partner and landed a Dragon Screw to Henare before the flipping senton out of the corner got the NEVER champ a two count, but Henare responded with a crunching leg kick and fists and elbows from a half mount before transitioning into a knee bar.
Cobb cotinued the punishment on Tanahashi, mocking the Ace while staring down a frustrated Ibushi on the apron. As Henare worked over Tanahashi’s Achilles tendon, a Dragon Screw followed for a Henare two count, and though the Ace fired up in the face of Cobb’s headbutts, Henare was swift to knock Ibushi off the apron to prevent a tag.
A Twist and Shout from Tanahashi though, and Ibushi was finally back inside, cutting off a United Empire double team with a double overhead kick before a standing moonsault for two. A Kamigoye attempt was premature however, and Cobb popped his hips to send Ibushi flying with an overhead belly to belly.
Cobb and Ibushi traded knockout caliber shots, a superkick rocking Ibushi before a high roundhouse floored Cobb. Tanahashi was there for the Ibushi tag, but tasted the Spin Cycle, Henare tagging in with a corner knee and rugby punt for two. The Rampage Tackle followed, but Streets of Rage was countered with a modified Slingblade, Ibushi back in at the 15 minute mark.
Ibushi and Henare met strike for strike center ring, but a mid kick put the Kiwi down. Cobb broke up a Kamigoye attempt though, and hoisted both opponents up before being low bridged out of the ring. The fearsome Henare struck both opponents hard but was met with a crunching knee and High Fly from the top rope; Kamigoye followed for the Ibushi victory.
Post match, Ibushi issued a singles challenge to Jeff Cobb, to which Cobb responded with an emphatic ‘f**k yeah’. Backstage Ibushi would state that he wanted Cobb at Yokohama Stadium May 15- will the bout be officially put into place?
