This Ibushi saga is interesting. He was injured shortly before WK but even before he was announced as injured, he was taking time off. He's resigned from both, DDT and NJPW because of "physical and mental burnout". However, he's staying on as a freelancer (which I thought he was already for NJPW). He said it was too much working for two companies and that he's bored wrestling his current style. He's starting his own wrestling school called the "Ibushi Pro Wrestling Institute". It seems he's not going to be wrestling at all in NJPW for the foreseeable future.
. If he just signed exclusively with NJPW, he'd be IWGP champ by the end of WK XII in 2018 and maybe even by the end of next years Invasion Attack show in April. Sad news.
Translated tweet of what Ibushi said at his press conference.
This has led to Nakamura publicly offering to talk to Ibushi and to get him a spot in WWE. It has also led to Okada claiming his allegiance to NJPW, saying that he would never leave because "NJPW would die" without him. He's definitely correct. Shibata is another guy who, if they signed an exclusive contract, would be in the main event scene, making things better after the recent departures that now include Ibushi. Shibata doesn't even wrestle for other promotions, he just doesn't want to be held to a contract. With Tanahashi injuring his shoulder recently and in addition to having the nagging back injury, NJPW's falling apart.
In other news, the New Japan Cup brackets:
Tanahashi vs. Fale
Tenzan vs. Big Mike
Makabe vs. Tonga
Nagata vs. Goto
Honma vs. Kojima
YTR vs. Yujiro
Ishii vs. EVIL
YOSHI-HASHI vs. Naito
My prediction is Goto vs. Naito in the finals. Naito avenges his loss at the Dome. Naito challenges Okada at Invasion Attack and loses.