AEW has yet to bring back Kota Ibushi to television, and a new report has shed light on why the international star has remained absent. While it was previously believed that visa issues were primarily to blame, Fightful Select has now reported that there is more to the story.

According to the latest update, Ibushi is in the process of working through visa-related matters, but this has not been the only factor keeping him off AEW programming. The report notes that he has also been recovering from injuries during this period.

No timeframe has been given for Ibushi’s full-time return to AEW. His last match for the company took place on the March 13, 2024, episode of AEW Dynamite, where he joined forces with Kenny Omega and “Hangman” Adam Page to defeat The Mogul Embassy (Swerve Strickland, Brian Cage, and Kaun) in trios action.

Ibushi had previously been announced for the AEW Continental Classic, which began in November 2023, but was pulled before the tournament started due to injury.

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