At New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s recent Wrestle Kingdom 16 press conference, Katsuyori Shibata announced a ruleset for his return match on January 4 in the Tokyo Dome.
Katsuyori Shibata will compete in the Tokyo Dome in a Catch Wrestling Rules match!
Shibata explained the rules, their reasons, and his aims in today's Wrestle Kingdom press conference!https://t.co/P68nu8Gkba#njpw #njwk16 pic.twitter.com/nktGSJvorG
— NJPW Global (@njpwglobal) December 27, 2021
Katsuyori Shibata Competes at Wrestle Kingdom 16
The Rules to Know
The bout will be contested under catch wrestling rules that allow any stretches, submissions, and throws but prohibit striking in any shape and form. Victory can be attained by pinfall, submission, count-out, which follows the traditional pro wrestling ruleset.
Shibata stated that he wanted to give his upcoming match a different name to the grappling exhibition match he had with Zack Sabre Jr. to distinguish one from the other. Grappling rules are a common concept in mixed martial arts, so he wanted to make catch wrestling rules unique and specific to pro wrestling and that’s why he decided to name change.
According to Shibata, the main difference between grappling and catch wrestling rules is that the seconds utilize the surroundings of the ring. This allows for moves using the ropes and gives a match a ‘three-dimensional’ feel. In essence, pro wrestling is a way to achieve victory by using one’s skills and environment.
What’s more, Shibata’s ambition is to go back to the roots of Pro Wrestling exampled by the Lanchasire style and fuse them with today’s style of NJPW. This upcoming match is just a beginning of a process and Shibata is sure that this concept will evolve bringing changes to overall rules.
Who Will Katsuyori Shibata Face?
Shibata’s opponent is still unknown. This upcoming bout on January 4 will be his first officially announced match since April 9, 2017, when he suffered an injury during a match against Kazuchika Okada. He has spent the next four years rehabilitating and as a head coach for NJPW Dojo in Los Angeles. He made his in-ring return on the final night of G1 Climax 31 in an aforementioned grappling bout against Zack Sabre Jr., which ended in a time limit draw.
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