Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi’s story is one of the realest, most beautiful stories told in wrestling and they have managed to touch the hearts of many with their star crossed love and this video documents their journey. SOCIALS: Twitter - @Sonny The Jobber Instagram - @Sonny The Jobber TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 Golden Lovers Significance in Wrestling 0:40 Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi in DDT 4:50 Kota Ibushi Outpacing Kenny Omega 8:23 The Cleaner Kenny Omega Betrays Kota Ibushi 13:50 Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi Reunion 20:56 Kota Ibushi and Kenny Omega Split 25:04 Golden Lovers Impact on Wrestling
in his NJPW contract announcement press conference Kenny gets asked if he intends to join the bullet club [LINK]
he says no, he doesn’t think it would be a good fit
Nov 9th, 2014[LINK] Kenny debuts as a new member of Bullet Club. He has a new moniker “The Cleaner” and he’s now a sunglass-wearing leather-jacket-clad overdramatic villainous heel. He also has a toothpick (this fucking nerd)
[ID: Kenny as The Cleaner, standing in the ring holding a mic, wearing a long leather coat, sunglasses, black gloves, and he has a toothpick in his mouth. End ID]
(he comes out with his face hidden and when Karl Anderson gets out “i present to you the cleaner Kenny-” the crowd pops, even as a freelancer they remember him)
the BC might not have been a good fit for who Kenny was before, but he’s willing to change to fit them. i mean he’s already tried his luck in njpw as a goodie two-shoes junior. It didn’t work out. it’s time to evolve
and he knows first hand that bullet club can win matches [LINK]
[ID: a defeated Kenny in his green and orange 2012-2013 gear being held by the hair and stood over by Prince Devitt, Bad Luck Fale, Tama Tonga, and Karl Anderson why they point finger guns at his head. End ID]
besides whats the point of being a good guy if he’s not with kota anyway
Even though Kota couldn’t speak English and Kenny had yet to learn Japanese, the Golden Lovers had no trouble communicating. Their friend Michael Nakazawa was able to serve as translator, but by August 22, 2008 he felt his services had already become unnecessary. A few people who knew them at that time describe them being able to communicate with just a look, or Kota speaking in Japanese and Kenny speaking in English and somehow the Golden Lovers were just able to understand each other. Kenny once joked that they communicated telepathically
Kenny comes back to Japan just a few months after their first meeting and in their very FIRST EVER 2-man tag match (January 24, 2009-LINK) the Golden Lovers win DDT’s tag team championships
[ID: GIF from the end of the match, the ref is trying to hand the GLs their titles but Kenny pulls Kota into his arms and hugs him tightly. End ID]
They seem a little awkward with each other at the beginning of the match (Kota keeps glancing at Kenny while they wait for the ref to stop futsing with the belts) but they’ve clearly been practicing together, preparing for this moment because they already have their team moves down pat
their tandem move set (especially Golden Shower) is athletically impressive sure, but it’s also kind of magical when you think about what it means
“Somehow our jump height was the same, our spin speed was the same, and we would have the exact same timing of impact. It was really like twins were flying through the air.” [Kenny speaking in The Golden Comeback documentary LINK]
not only did the GLs share one brain, their wrestling had naturally developed to be in perfect unison. more proof that this was destiny
For people that don’t know, the name that was originally pitched for the tag team was the Golden Brothers, and frankly if Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi hadn’t pitched the name the Golden Lovers, I think the storyline wouldn’t have been nearly as emotional and impactful as it was, and I don’t think we’d still be talking about it.
While it’s never explicitly stated, it is so very very strongly implied that Kenny and Kota are in love, and in some sort of romantic relationship. Adding to that the fact that at the time gay marriage wasn’t legal in Japan (and I believe it still isn’t?) as well as the homophobia and toxic masculinity that wrestling fan culture is so often steeped in, the love between the two already starts of feeling like a rebellion, and a painfully beautiful one at that (wow that’s a long sentence woops). Its a positive Queer story, which wrestling has been lacking since forever.
And then of course, take into consideration their physicality in the ring. They’re essentially one being at some points, working and moving in unison. They’re both so graceful and brilliant in the ring. They have such strong chemistry, they’re essentially a perfect match.
And then we all know how it goes. Kenny starts to feel he’s falling behind, doesn’t match up to his partner, a gap is formed, and it just gets wider until he joins the bullet club. The team is over. The relationship has split. If they were the Golden Brothers, that split, that pain that comes with the end of the Golden Lovers, and eventually the beautiful reunion, would not come close to hitting as hard. It would be missing that depth. Not that platonic relationships can’t be powerful and deep, there are plenty of platonic relationships that are beautiful and important (especially queer ones). But, it’s the romantic relationship that makes the whole thing more impactful for a wider audience. A wider audience is able to grasp two people being in love, one feeling like they aren’t good enough for the other, and then the two slowly falling out of touch as everything crumples around them. I feel like, and I may be wrong, situations like this aren’t often had with platonic relationships. And again, I may be wrong, but often the pain of a breakup is much more debilitating and shattering than losing a friend.
Think about it like this. When the Dark Order were feuding a few months ago and essentially were torn apart, while the story was emotional and sad, it doesn’t hit the same as the Golden Lovers. Bad example? Maybe. But I needed something.
“.. All of these [gay] stories in the past and up to this point, it’s always a point of ridicule and it’s always presented as comedic. And some of the most creative people, some of the most artistic people, some of the most talented people, friendly people, kindhearted people that I’ve ever met are part of that community. I wanted to show that two very talented wrestlers, some of the most talented currently going — possibly, hopefully in a conversation for the most talented of all time — can represent that.”
