Shibata thinks he’ll wrestle again in the near future.
Last week’s AEW Dynamite featured the return of Katsuyori Shibata to AEW programming. He saved All-Atlantic Champion Orange Cassidy from an attack but was also there to sign the contract to become Cassidy’s next challenger for that week’s Rampage.
Shibata was defeated by Cassidy in singles competition. Coming out of the bout, Shibata spoke to Tokyo Sports and said he felt alive in the ring. It is noted in the article that Shibata was cleared by his own doctor, but has not had many opportunities to wrestle. Shibata added that he did not want to wait around in Japan for a shot.
It’s frustrating, really. The result is the same and I have a lot of things to reflect on in terms of my moves. I felt that I was back in the battlefield, and that the ring is special. Sometimes things go well, and sometimes things don’t go well. I really felt alive.
I’ve been looking for a chance for a long time. I thought that if I waited in Japan, I would never get a chance. I didn’t want to miss out on the opportunity I have now. I wanted to give it my all… I went there without hesitation.
As far as what’s next for Shibata, he believes he’ll wrestle again in the near future, adding that he has already started working on it.
I think I will fight in the near future. I’ve already started working on it.
On the call for Shibata versus Cassidy was International Boxing Hall of Famer, the 50-6 ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson. Shibata said when he was doing MMA, he watched a lot of Tyson’s videos. He never thought Tyson would be commentating one of his matches and said if one works hard and lives life to the fullest, dreams can come true.
I watched a lot of Tyson’s videos when I was doing mixed martial arts. I respect him. I never thought that five and a half years after my injury, I would be competing in the U.S. and Mike Tyson would be commentating. If you work hard and live life to the fullest, things like dreams can come true.
Prior to Rampage, Shibata was last in action this past January at Wrestle Kingdom 16 where he took on Ren Narita.
Narita made it to the finals of the NJPW World TV Championship tournament. He’ll be facing Zack Sabre Jr. at Wrestle Kingdom 17.
