Don Callis On Why Kota Ibushi Is Not In Kenny Omega’s League
Don Callis says nobody is on Kenny Omega‘s level, including his “onetime close friend” and former partner, Kota Ibushi.
The former Golden Lovers partners sit atop the wrestling world with championship gold to prove their worth. Omega is the reigning AEW World Champion and the AAA Mega champion. Ibushi was the big winner coming out of NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 15 by winning and defending the IWGP Heavyweight & Intercontinental titles.
“The Invisible Hand” recently spoke with Talk Sport about Omega’s success. He says Ibushi was a good friend of Kenny Omega “at one point.” He knows Ibushi is a great wrestler. But he’s not the best.
“Kenny Omega is still the best wrestler in the world and number two isn’t close,” said Callis “Whether it’s [Impact World Champion] Rich Swann or Kota Ibushi, you’re getting in the ring with Kenny Omega, a generational, once in a lifetime performer.”
Callis thinks that no matter how good of a wrestler Kota Ibushi is, he exists in a bubble. Ibushi hasn’t tested himself around the world like Kenny Omega has.
“What makes Kenny great isn’t just the athleticism, it’s his next level thinking. Kota Ibushi thinks in the IWGP bubble. It’s all he knows and all he’s ever known. In order for Kota Ibushi to truly evolve into the Kota Ibushi he can be, he needs to get on an airplane. He needs to come from Japan and defend that title around the world like Kenny Omega does.”
Don Callis honed in on what he believes to be, “the problem” with Kota Ibushi. Naturally, Callis will promote his guy and is protective of how Kenny Omega is perceived.
“The problem with Kota Ibushi has never been a lack of ability, it’s been a lack of imagination,” he began. “But Kota is very much like the wrestling fans we spoke about, he has a limited world view. He has been a great friend of Kenny’s in the past, the reality is, sometimes as we move through our lives we have to shed friends like we shed dead skin cells. What once worked in a friendship or relationship no longer works for us, so we move on.”
Callis finished by teasing that he and Kenny Omega have plans that most of us are thinking ‘too small’ to comprehend. “A lot of people would love to see Kenny and Kota Ibushi reunite, but that’s very small-minded thinking and it is what it is. People get excited about their dream matches.”
