AEW Star In The Doghouse For Violating NJPW Match Stipulation

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Katsuyori Shibata signed with AEW last year and was a key figure in NJPW. However, he was sidelined from the Japanese promotion due to various circumstances, and it seems both parties still have unresolved issues.

At Wrestle Kingdom 16, Shibata made his second in-ring appearance since returning from a career-threatening injury. He was originally set to compete against Ren Narita in a match governed by “catch wrestling rules,” which forbade strikes. However, once he entered the ring, Shibata unexpectedly modified the stipulation, declaring that the match would be a full pro wrestling contest, allowing strikes.

This surprise alteration reportedly alarmed NJPW officials, as Shibata had not received medical clearance from the promotion’s doctors to participate in such a match.

Following this incident, Shibata did not perform for NJPW again. In December 2023, the promotion permitted him to join AEW, and it was reported that NJPW had effectively severed ties with Shibata.

During a recent press conference, NJPW President Hiroshi Tanahashi expressed his wish to compete against Shibata as part of his retirement tour.

However, Tanahashi acknowledged that he was skeptical about the match happening. The primary reason for this doubt relates to the ongoing friction between Shibata and NJPW.

According to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, Shibata still faces heat with NJPW officials. This issue traces back to Wrestle Kingdom 16, where his decision to disregard NJPW’s agreed match stipulations led the company to remove Shibata from active competition and ultimately caused them to cut connections with him.

Shibata also held the position of head trainer at the NJPW dojo, which he lost due to that incident.

Meltzer said, "The issue is the Japanese doctors won't clear Shibata, number one, the New Japan doctors. Number two, they're still pretty hot on Shibata for double-crossing them in that match with Ren Narita a couple of years ago when they're supposed to go out there and do a grappling match and then Shibata called an audible in the ring when he was not cleared to do an actual match with striking and went and did an actual match with striking. Because he double-crossed them, they have never put him in the ring since. Eventually, he was no longer the head trainer at the dojo or anything, they cut all ties with him and that's when Tony Khan picked him up."

Shibata’s career was initially halted because of a life-threatening subdural hematoma he suffered in April 2017, which kept him from wrestling until his brief return in 2021.

Nevertheless, it seems unlikely that Shibata will ever wrestle for NJPW again.

The post AEW Star In The Doghouse For Violating NJPW Match Stipulation appeared first on eWrestlingNews.com.