Kota Ibushi has stated that he has signed a new two-year contract extension with All Elite Wrestling.
The 43-year-old announced the news Thursday on his Instagram account, sharing a video of himself on a private jet. In the post, Ibushi called the moment a turning point.
A turning point in my life. I never thought I would get to ride on a private jet! And I have signed a two-year contract extension…I can’t imagine myself still wrestling at 45. What more could I want? I don’t know.
He continued by reflecting on the difficulties of his chosen career and his future in the business.
I’ve lived my life knowing nothing but pro wrestling, mental control, and the mechanics of the body. Pro wrestling can be a dream come true, just as I thought it would be when I was a child. But it’s not all good things; you can’t get there without going through 99% hell. How tough that 99% hell is was far beyond what I could have imagined, from training to just how you live day-to-day. But you can’t look down. Always look up. This isn’t enough for me, not by a long shot! This is just the beginning.
Ibushi first joined AEW in July 2023. His run with the company has been significantly affected by injuries, but he returned to action in June 2025 and has competed in three matches over the past several months.
On Wednesday’s episode of AEW Dynamite, it was revealed that Ibushi will take part in a lights-out cage match at Forbidden Door in London on August 24, 2025.
He is set to team with Kenny Omega, Will Ospreay, Darby Allin, and Hiroshi Tanahashi to face Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, Gabe Kidd, and The Young Bucks.
