Kota Ibushi Reportedly Offered RIZIN Match Against Manny Pacquiao

Tokyo Sports reports that RIZIN has approached Kota Ibushi and offered him a match with boxer Manny Pacquiao at an upcoming event. It would be Pacquiao’s debut for the promotion. RIZIN is an MMA company but according to the report, they want to expand into professional wrestling. It’s unclear what the rules would be for Ibushi vs. Pacquiao, if it happened.

CEO Nobuyuki Sakakibara said: “Please come! In the world of professional wrestling in Japan, there are no wrestlers who are interested. If that happens, it would be great. It would be a truly different match. I don’t want to be small, like Pacquiao. In that sense it’s good. It’s a big love call for RIZIN. The rules are also flexible. I think I’ll approach it. If you’re going to participate in the competition, wouldn’t it be nice to have a professional wrestling match? Unlike in the past, there is a clear distinction between professional wrestling and martial arts these days. Probably not many of our fans watch professional wrestling. Even if you have a match next to a match, you should be able to make martial arts fans think, “Wow, professional wrestling is amazing!” I think I can serve as a bridge between professional wrestling and martial arts.“