Kota Ibushi has shared a deeply personal update following his latest surgery, revealing that his lengthy recovery has affected him far beyond his hopes of returning to professional wrestling. The AEW star admitted that, for the first time, he feels like he could be losing the battle with himself while also revealing that he has spent roughly the past year taking medication typically prescribed to cancer patients.

Ibushi began his message by reflecting on how he feels after undergoing another procedure. Rather than pretending the latest setback has been easy to handle, he acknowledged that his mental state has reached a difficult point.

“Regarding this surgery. The first thing that came to mind, maybe because it’s now, is that I shouldn’t leave it behind. It’s the time when I feel like giving up on myself. I’m not sure what’s ahead, but I’m grateful that I’ve been able to do professional wrestling for 22 years.”

His comments then shifted from wrestling to something more fundamental. “The Golden Star” explained that his biggest concern is no longer simply whether he can return to the ring, but whether he can eventually regain what he considers a normal life.

“Regardless of whether I’ll make a comeback or not, the first thing is to become a normal person. I’ve been taking medication for cancer for about a year now, so I’ve been living with it. That’s why I’m not normal, and the specialist is urging me to have a re-surgery as soon as possible, which led to this surgery.”

Ibushi did not say that he has cancer or identify the medication he has been taking. His comments specifically concerned medication he described as being used for cancer patients, alongside the seriousness of his ongoing physical condition.

Despite everything, the former NJPW star also provided a small sign of progress after the procedure. He revealed that he was able to get out of his wheelchair after only one day and has now started using crutches.

“I’m thinking about my age and the time I need to consider, but I’m facing it head-on. I was quickly discharged from the wheelchair in one day. I still can’t move well, but I’ve managed to use crutches.”

Kota Ibushi Undergoes Second Surgery on Injured Femur

Ibushi’s latest update comes after another difficult chapter in his recovery from a broken femur. He suffered the injury during his match against Josh Alexander at an AEW Collision taping in October 2025, after landing awkwardly and immediately requiring medical attention. He subsequently underwent surgery to repair the injury.

The recovery did not go according to plan. Ibushi required another procedure in February after a screw came loose, adding another complication to an already lengthy rehabilitation process.

Before the latest operation, Kota Ibushi revealed that he was hospitalized ahead of another surgery on his femur. Doctors planned to remove the existing plates and replace them with stronger hardware after determining that the previous plates were not strong enough for his leg.

“I am being hospitalized starting today,” Ibushi said at the time. “Tomorrow, I will undergo a second surgery on my femur. They will remove all the current plates and replace them with the strongest available option, as the doctors said my current ones were simply too weak for my body and leg.”

Ibushi has remained determined to wrestle again despite the setbacks, previously making it clear that he would not allow the injury to end his career. For now, however, his latest message suggests that getting back to normal physically has become the priority before he can determine what his future inside the ring will look like.