In 2008, New Japan wrestlers Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi met for the first time in the ring. What began as a rivalry, turned into a pact—a truce—between the two young wrestlers trying to make it in the Japanese pro wrestling world.
Their relationship in the last decade has had ups and downs, but has ultimately resulted in a tag team partnership, Golden☆Lovers, in 2009. Throughout the years, Omega and Ibushi found themselves clawing to earn wrestling titles and vowing to best and in 2014 the team split up. Their team has always been surrounded by speculation and for some time has made everyone question if their ‘partnership’ is more than just what they are displaying inside the wrestling ring.
So are they gay? Bisexual? Queer questioning? On many occasions the Golden☆Lovers have demonstrated questionable behavior like kissing on the mouth and long held embraces. The two have frequently been seen feeding one another and posing in cute positions that could very well be misconstrued as dating.
Yahoo Sports spoke with Kenny Omega as the team prepares a comeback for a match with The Young Bucks (Matt and Nick Jackson) in Long Beach, CA. In regards to the public’s opinions, Omega said:
Let people think what they want to think. If LGBT people can identify with our story, if they think ‘the Golden Lovers are my team,’ I’m good with that. It’s the story of two wrestlers who shared dreams on their way up, who became fast friends, who are now reuniting at the top of their game.
Omega goes on to speak very highly of his wrestling counterpart:
Ibushi was the very first friend I made when I came over and started wrestling in Japan. When two people start at the bottom of a business and work their way up and find success, that stays with you, whether you’re working together or separately. Now, the time is right for the next chapter.
The public’s perception of the duo being gay or being in a relationship has not stopped Omega or Ibushi from rising to the top of the pro wrestling. They continue to celebrate differences within the sport of wrestling and hope that it will open up an avenue for inclusivity of more LGBT wrestling fans, and do I dare say—wrestlers? How fabulous would they look in those tight outfits?
Omega, gay or not, is an advocate for the LGBT community and has stated:
I think it’s important to show in the 21st century that if you’re gay, lesbian, trans, whatever, that you should feel just as welcome to be a wrestling fan as anyone else. You’re welcome in the space. I do get some stupid messages on Twitter from homophobic people and they’re usually WWE fans, which kind of drives things home. In WWE, a gay person is usually portrayed like some sort of comedy act to be mocked and laughed at. The world’s not like that anymore. Everyone should feel welcome to the show.
So is it possible that their affinity for one another is just part of their storyline of camaraderie? If it is that’s some great role playing because it’s definitely a bromance that we can dream to be something else.
But if they are gay for each other—oh to be a fly on that wrestling bedroom wall.
Take a look at the journey that has lead us to the Golden☆Lovers and you be the judge:
h/t: Yahoo Sports, Kenny Omega, Kota Ibushi, Showbuckle YouTube
