Katsuyori Shibata Returning To AEW For Dream Match On Collision Following Visa Issues

Former ROH Pure Champion Katsuyori Shibata has been away from the United States for a number of months, but "The Wrestler" is back, and in a very big way.

Shibata dropped his Pure Championship to Wheeler Yuta on the November 25, 2023 edition of "AEW Rampage," a result that surprised a lot of fans given how dominant he had been during their previous encounters. It turned out that Shibata needed to return to Japan due a visa issue, but according to a recent report from Fightful Select, that issue was rectified earlier this week, and he will be returning to "AEW Collision" this Saturday to face "The American Dragon" Bryan Danielson.

The match was initially announced on social media by AEW President Tony Khan, who called it "an impossible dream" and a personal dream match for the former NJPW star, who also has unfinished business with the Blackpool Combat Club. Fightful Select reported that Khan had big plans for Shibata before he had to return to Japan, and that Shibata himself was very happy working for AEW. Khan reiterated his point of having big plans for the former NJPW star by announcing that he had signed a full-time deal with the company in December 2023, a time where Shibata was still dealing with his visa in Japan.

Elsewhere on the March 16 edition of "Collision," fans in Ottawa will see the in-ring return of Kyle O'Reilly, who will wrestle his first match for AEW since June 2022 against Bryan Keith; Julia Hart will defend the AEW TBS Championship in an "Open House" match against The Infantry's Trish Adora; and the first round of the tournament to determine the new AEW Tag Team Champions will commence, with the bracket being announced this Friday on "Rampage."