#myGLgifs

[mitchtheficus]

the way he smiles when he says "love"

#kenny omega #kota ibushi #golden lovers #the golden elite #aew #aew dynamite #otp: the sea between us #mykennygifs #myglgifs

[mitchtheficus]

A Golden Lovers Timeline

PART 26: TWO PEOPLE THAT SHARE ONE HEART

The night before they main event budokan hall, the lovers have a tag match against each other [Aug 10, 2018 - LINK]. It’s mostly a silly no-touch affair that’s quickly broken up by the BC OG but the emotional core still comes through in the image of Kota standing in the ring, waiting for Kenny to tag in, with his hand over his heart

[ID: Kota stands with his right hand over his heart and breaths out hard, puffing his cheeks out. he looks nervous. End ID]

Kota says that standing across from Kenny in that moment was “something I can’t even put into words.”

his quiet dread echos through the post match comments

[ID: picture of a reporter asking Kota “Are you looking forward to tomorrow or not?” in the second picture Kota is looking down and saying: “I hope tomorrow never comes.” End ID. LINK]

Kota has been feeling the weight of Kenny’s accomplishments this entire G1. Kenny has achieved so many of Kota’s own dreams, and Kota now has to prove himself to NJPW in a way that he never did before. He has to show them that he’s not just Kenny’s partner, that he’s a wrestler in his own right, with his own dreams, deserving of his own opportunities. This is his chance. He has to win.

and more than that, he’s terrified of one of them getting hurt. really hurt. both of them are. and there’s certainly reason to, their last budokan match broke Kenny’s sternum

[ID: picture of Kota in a blue suit jacket with a yellow tie. He says: “Before, I didn’t want to face Kenny because it would end both our careers. Now I think if we did, someone might die.” End ID. LINK]

this quote is from when Kenny was still a heel, but it’s a fear that both wrestlers express over and over when asked about having another singles match.

the BC OG are counting on this match to tear the lovers apart, but that is one outcome that neither lover is afraid of

Kenny says as much to Tama

[ID: four gifs of Kenny speaking in the postmatch. He says: “By forcing our hand, between myself and ibushi, it's not going to change what we have. It's not going to change what we are. it's only going to make us stronger in the end.” End ID. LINK]

And again to Matt just before the match

[ID: Matt, Nick, and Kenny are walking down a hall together just before Kenny’s entrance. Matt is saying: “I know the last thing you want to do is wrestle each other, but uh-” Matt stops walking bites his tongue and looks at Kenny. He continues: “listen. We're the Golden Elite now, and hopefully at the end of this thing we're still going to be the Golden Elite. Okay?” End ID. LINK]

[ID: Kenny puts a fist against Matt’s chest as he walks by and tells him calmly: “It's not gonna change. I got it. Don't worry. Thanks though.” End ID]

i love Kenny’s calm certainty in the face of something he has always feared: coming up short against Kota Ibushi. It says so much of his growth as a person, and the deepened understanding of the bond between the lovers.

Earlier this year the lovers have an interview with NJPW’s magazine. When asked about their relationship, Kenny answers with this:

“It's a real life Your Name. Our hearts move the same way together. I guess everybody wants to say "we're a couple!" [laughs] I don't know whether it's as simple to express as that. We're two people that share one heart. That's what I want to say."

-Kenny Omega, NJPW Magazine - LINK [Chris Charlton translation]

(Chris Charlton originally translated this quote as being from Kota Ibushi, and so many people (including me!) have been falsely attributing it to Kota all this time, but Chris has since deleted his tweet and other translators have said it was really Kenny who said this. Here’s a link to the full interview: LINK (thank you breadclub for giving me the link!))

[ID: part of the poster from the movie Your Name. A boy stands on the left, in a city, looking towards a bright star shining in the bright sky. on the right a girl stands in a field near a tree, she’s looking at the same star. the light beams of the star both separates them vertically and connects them horizontally. End ID]

For those who may not know (spoilers), the movie Your Name is an animated film about two strangers separated by distance and time, who one day begin waking up in each others’ bodies. This magical connection not only transforms their lives in beautiful mundane ways, but also changes the very world around them, and even time itself. These characters never kiss on screen, but their bond is at the center of the movie. two people who share a heart, who are drawn together by destiny and love, two people who are more than a couple, connected to each other in a way that they can never explain to another person. two people who are brought together and separated, until finally they find each other again, transcending even the most extreme kinds of separation, beyond death and forgetting.

to say that your relationship is a real life Your Name is ridiculously romantic

In the same interview Kota says: “In 36 years I’ve never had this with anyone else aside from Kenny. It’s like—it’s as if two people are sharing the same brain.” LINK

The interviewer informs us that “when Kenny was told of [Kota’s] answer after the interview, he let out a surprised “Oh, my God!”, and smiled shyly.” LINK

what kenny and kota know, in a way that no one else can, is that no matter what happens in that ring, the golden lovers are coming out whole in heart, if not in body

Kenny vs Kota III [Aug 11, 2018 - Official LINK, Unofficial LINK]

[ID: picture of Kenny and Kota hugging before their match and entrances. Kenny is wearing his grey entrance jacket and Kota is shirtless. Both have their eyes closed as they hug. End ID. LINK]

The bucks come to ringside, but decide not to enter with Kenny, emphasizing their desire to support both lovers

waiting for the bell to ring and the match to start, Kota looks more nervous than i have ever seen him

[ID: three pictures of Kota waiting in his corner of the ring opposite Kenny. in the first his head is tilted down and his eyes are squeezed shut. in the second he tilts his head back to stare up at the ceiling, mouth open. in the last he looks across the ring at Kenny, looking nervous and distressed. End ID]

(in the postmatch Kota says that he blacked out here, and that this moment is the last thing he remembers of this whole match)

the match of course is excellent.

Kenny openly struggles with hurting Kota at first

[ID: two gifs. in the first Kenny chops Kota across the chest and Kota flinshes and grabs the rope for support. Kenny puts his hands on his knees and bends over and just stares at the mat. in the second Kenny looks at Kota and runs his hand through his hair before shaking his head a little and approaching him. End ID.]

and there are some brutal moments in this match

[ID: Kenny is sitting on the top turnbuckle, Kota is standing on his back. Kota jumps up and does a double stomp to the back of Kenny’s head. End ID]

but it’s nothing like what they have done to each other before

they’re holding back.

you can see it in a million little ways, but especially in the way that Kota does not allow the strange monstrous side of himself to surface for more than a brief moment

[ID: Kota is holding Kenny’s wrist and his eyes are wild as he straightens to look at Kenny. End ID]

and isn’t that something, Kota needs to win so badly but he’s holding that part of himself back, to keep from hurting Kenny.

it’s still an incredibly physical match, there are multiple times when the commentators, bucks, and crowd are all begging the lovers not to do what they’re threatening to do to each other

[ID: Kenny has Kota up on his shoulders, about to one winged angel Kota from the apron to the floor. End ID.]

but compared to what we know they’re capable of, this is restrained

[ID: the lovers hold onto each others wrist as they hit each other with the elbows of their other arm. The camera is zoomed in on their held hands and then zooms out to show them. End ID]

Kenny doesn’t manages to hit Kota with the one winged angel, tho he tries it several times

[ID: gif of Kenny with Kota up on his shoulders, he pulls one of Kota’s legs behind his shoulder, setting up for the one winged angel and Kota puts it back. they do this twice. End ID]

the last time he was able to use it on Kota, it meant something different. now, he has a full set of wings, and that move almost can’t exist in a match that has Kota in it.

in the end Kota wins with his second Kamigoye and just lays on Kenny for a bit after the pin

and the bucks take care of both of them.

Kota Ibushi is going to the G1 Climax finals for the first time in his career.

And Kenny is so proud of him.

[ID: two gifs, Kota is on his knees post win and he looks at Kenny who holds out his hands like “look at you! look at this amazing thing you did!” and Kota covers his face. Kenny goes to him and ruffles his hair. End ID]

[ID: gifs of Kenny and Kota sitting in front of each other in the ring. Kota says something to Kenny and they press their heads together, holding each other by the neck and head. End ID]

[ID: picture of Kota sitting in the ring, curled into Kenny’s chest while Kenny holds him. End ID]

in the post match Kenny says he’s disappointed to have lost, but he doesn’t seem it. he’s cheerful and beaming, proud and supportive

[ID: screenshot of Kenny looking at Kota in the postmatch and saying: “But my partner, best friend, my life partner, Kota Ibushi...]

he’ll be in Kota’s corner for the finals

[ID: gif of Kenny grinning at Kota and touching his shoulder as he saying: “i will be his second if that’s what he wants.” and Kota says “Please” in the most exhausted way possible. End ID.]

the postmatch ends with Kota getting fed up and just grabbing Kenny’s arm mid-answer and dragging him away

The very next night is the finals.

Kota Ibushi vs Hiroshi Tanahashi [Aug 12, 2018 - Official LINK, Unofficial LINK]

when Kota was 18 he moved on his own to Chiba so that he could work as a baggage handler at Narita airport while he pursued his dream of becoming a wrestler. if he wins this match, it will be his first time winning the G1, his first time main eventing wrestle kingdom, his first chance at the IWGP Heavyweight championship since Kenny cost him his match against AJ Styles in 2015.

the only person now standing between him and the realization of his childhood dreams is Hiroshi Tanahashi. Kota’s Wrestling God.

[ID: a picture of Kota in the post match after his match against Kenny. He says: “I’ve always called him, ‘The God’...” End ID]

He first faced Tanahashi in a tag match in 2009 while he was still at DDT. since then he has fought Tana one-on-one 3 times (2015 G1, 2017 G1, 2017 Power Struggle) and beaten him once.

Their last match was for Tana’s IC title, and in the wake of that loss Kota was approached by Cody Rhodes, setting him on the path that brought him here. to this moment.

Kota’s new finisher, the one he debuted during the 2017 G1, is called Kamigoye, ”to surpass God”

now is his chance to do it.

[ID: picture of Kota from the postmatch. He continues: “I guess now is the time to overcome the God.” End ID]

Kenny’s presence in at ringside truly shows how much the past is past for the golden lovers and how much Kota loves and trusts Kenny now. Kenny’s presence is so obviously a source of comfort

[ID: two gifs. In the first Kenny is standing in Kota’s corner before the match. He smiles at a visibly nervous Kota and pulls him into a hug with the ropes between them. in the second you can see, from a wide above shot, a tiny Kenny ruffling the hair of a tiny Kota after their hug. End ID]

and joy

[ID: Kota does a moonsault from the second rope onto a prone Tana. After he lands he pauses to grin at Kenny and then goes for the pin. End ID]

and support for Kota

[ID: Tana has Kota in his texas clover hold submission, Kota is reaching for the ropes and Kenny is right there calling for him, encouraging him to reach out and get the rope break. End ID]

Kota fights so hard. And it’s just not enough. Tana wins.

[ID: gif of Kenny helping an exhausted Kota sit up. He has an ice pat against Kota’s neck and he’s leaning close and speaking to him. Kota tilts his head towards Kenny but seems out of it. End ID]

and Kota is devastated

[ID: picture of Kota’s face as he looks at Tanahashi, hands on his knees. Kota’s hair is wet with sweat and hanging in little spikes over his eyes. his face is devastated and pained, almost on the verge of tears. End ID]

[ID: five pictures of Kota in the postmatch. in the first four he looks tired and despondent and says: “Honestly, I worked so hard to get here. This month I tried harder than in any other point in my life. I still can’t get it, can I?After I returned, I promised I would never give up again. That’s what I told myself. I started wrestling again.” in the last picture he’s crawling away and says: “I will not give up again.” End ID. LINK]

but he will not give up this time.

[LAST PART] [ALL PARTS]

#i finished this fcking thing four different times and tumblr didn't save it :) #goldenloverstimeline #kota ibushi #kenny omega #the golden lovers #mestuff #myGLgifs #mykotagifs #myomegagifs

[mitchtheficus]

A Golden Lovers Timeline

PART 23: THE POWER OF LOVE

the Okada trilogy takes place during a time of immense change in Kenny’s life, and you can see that in their matches

The Kenny who fought Okada at Wrestle Kingdom 11 had decided that caring for other people made him weak

[ID: close up of Kenny in his post-G1 climax car interview. He’s saying: “I don't want to feel passion towards anything but my wrestling. When I start to care too much about people I find that my performance suffers. I think that was my problem when I wrestled in the juniors.” End ID. LINK]

that caring about Kota made him weak

“[Ibushi] was the bane of my existence. I had thought that he stood for everything that I hated and everything that I wanted to destroy. Both the man himself, and what he was inside of me. [...]”

- Kenny Omega, pre-Dominion Interview [LINK]

And so he tried to become an unstoppable machine without passion

[ID: kind of pixelated picture of Kenny grinning during his WK11 entrance, he’s wearing a mask that covers the left half of his face and looks like the terminator. End ID]

And he lost to Okada anyway.

But that failure set him on a new path 

“As hard as I trained, as hard as I prepared, I lost. Something’s missing and until I figure out what, I can’t wrestle.” - Kenny, Tokyo Sports [Chris Charlton translation]

when he emerges from the ashes of that defeat, he has already begun to evolve into something new.

he’s no longer interested in cheating to win, he wants to be the best. And more subtly, his relationship with the fans and his own heart has been shifted. He’s started to open up to the feelings he has denied himself for so long.

but these changes alone weren’t enough

When he faces Okada for the second time at Dominion 2017, it’s fair and square, but they fight to a tie, and the match is ended indecisively as they hit the 1 hour time limit.

“I thought it was my time tonight. I did everything I could. I said so many bad things about you, Okada. I really did. And even if they were all true, I couldn’t beat you. I couldn’t beat you.” LINK

something’s still missing.

even though Kenny’s putting his heart and soul into matches, those things remain broken and damaged by the choices he’s made over the last three years.

[ID: picture from Kenny’s rooftop interview with Kevin Kelly after the G1 Climax. Kenny says: “...that heart is black and that soul is mostly gone...” End ID. LINK]

the truth of that damage is written into his gear and spoken aloud every time he sets up his finishing move.

he has one wing and half a heart, and it’s just not enough to beat Okada.

When Kenny gets his third shot at the end of a grueling G1 block, Kota has returned to NJPW but they have yet to reconcile. Kenny is finally able to beat the champion, but not for the title, and Okada is badly injured and worn down by all his previous G1 matches. It’s not the victory Kenny has been striving for.

in the 10 months since Kenny and Okada last faced each other in the G1, the lovers have reunited and that reunion has changed Kenny in fundamental ways.

at Dominion 2018 Kenny and Okada face each other for the fourth time.

Okada has held the IWGP Heavyweight title for an incredible 1516 cumulative days, 720 of which come from his current reign. No one has been able to beat him for the title without cheating since Tanahashi did it in 2012.

Kenny wants to do the impossible.

But this time, he is entering the match with a restored and golden heart.

[ID: Kota stands in Kenny’s corner at Dominion, he’s wearing a GL shirt and looking at Kenny. Kenny is hopping a little and grinning at Kota and then looks up the entrance ramp. End ID]

in the lead up to this fourth and final match up, you can finally see that the Kenny/Okada series is ultimately a tale about the power of love and human connection

“[...] Both the man himself, and what he was inside of me. And then I realized that that really wasn’t the feeling at all and it was something I needed to embrace. My absolute best matches have all been ones that come from the heart. So why would I shut something away- why would I turn something down that’s still so near and dear to me? Ibushi was that. He is that. He always will be. And I’ve realized that moving forward, I’m much stronger as a person, as a human being, with him by my side.”

- Kenny Omega, pre-Dominion Interview [LINK]

Kota of course helps him train and strategize and motivates Kenny to prepare, but his most important contribution is love and the way accepting him back into his life has transformed Kenny

“And for this match specifically, it’s the first time in a long time when I’ve had a training partner and someone who has helped me formulate a game plan for Okada. I’m not saying that I’m arriving to this arena with a bunch of new moves, but I am saying that this version of Kenny Omega might be the most prepared. And a big part of that [...]”

- Kenny Omega, pre-Dominion Interview [LINK]

[ID: three gifs of Kenny doing his pre-dominion interview. His hair is golden and he says: “And a big part of that is because I’ve let someone back into my life that I cared about, that I loved, and that together with that power we can’t lose.” End ID. LINK]

A year and a half ago Kenny sat in an airport after his G1 Climax win and told us that loneliness made him better and stronger.

He understands now that that isn’t true.

Dominion 2018 - June 9th, 2018 [Official LINK, Unofficial LINK]

Kenny starts us off with a dramatic little intro video. in it Kenny is flinching from painful flashbacks of all the terrible things that have happened in the past year, when a single white feather falls from the sky, and Kenny looks up and sees Kota standing before him, wearing all white and standing among fallen white feathers.

And we see that Kenny is standing surrounded by his own pool of fallen black feathers. Kenny remembers Kota’s rescue and their reunion and Kota telepathically asks Kenny if he’s ready and has prepared himself for what’s to come. Kota asks, “What did it cost?” We see the bullet club logo disappear into dust and Kenny says: “Everything.”

(Okada doesn’t need a dramatic little video for his entrance cause this is just defense #13 for him)

and then...it’s time

[ID: picture of the lovers standing in Kenny’s corner. Kota’s hand on Kenny’s shoulder. They look intense and focused. End ID]

there’s a lot of little moments, their hug before the match

[ID: gif of Kenny and Kota hugging over the ropes. Kota is saying something to Kenny and patting his back for emphasis. Kenny nods along. End ID.]

Kota and Kenny talking strategy during the 2 minute breaks after a fall

[ID: two pictures of Kenny and Kota in their corner during the post-fall stoppage. Kenny crouches and Kota is kneeling in front of him, his hands on Kenny’s arm and knee, their heads together in conference. End ID]

but the most important moments come at the end.

Kenny wins the IWGP Heavyweight title, both falls coming from one winged angels

and the first thing he does is reach for Kota

[ID: gif of Kenny laying on the mat, sweaty and exhausted. Kota is nearby and Kenny reaches up both his arms and calls Kota nearer. Kota crawls over and leans over him and Kenny asks Kota to pour water over his hair. End ID]

the young bucks come out, hesitating on the entrance ramp. They want to go to Kenny and be there with him so badly, but they’re not sure if they’re wanted

[ID: two pictures. The first from far away, showing how alone the bucks are and how far away as they look towards the ring. The second picture shows their faces, both bucks are holding their new heavyweight tag titles and they look sad and wistful. End ID]

Kenny kneels beside Okada and takes his wrist. In his interview before this match he said he wanted to tell Okada: “You've done a great job, and now, my friend, it's time to take a rest.” and now he can.

Red shoes comes forward with the belt and Kenny gently pushes it aside and takes Matt in his arms. 

[ID: two gifs. in the first Kenny gently pushes the belt aside and takes Matt into his arms and Matt immediately puts his arms around him and closes his eyes. in the second Matt is holding Kenny and trying not to cry and Nick comes in and hugs them both. End ID]

Kenny has learned a lot about what’s truly important in the last three years

Kota makes the first move to include himself in the hug, and the crowd, who were already cheering the Elite’s reunion, erupts into cheers again. This isn’t Kenny picking one family over another, this is the building of a new family.

[ID: Kenny and the bucks are hugging and Kota comes up on Kenny’s side and puts his arms around all three of them, pressing his head against theirs. End ID]

Kenny Omega, the boy who ate a star and lost his heart in pursuit of his own ambition - who once thought that he had to give up everything that he cared about to achieve his dreams - finally learns that allowing himself to love and be loved is what makes a moment like this possible

[ID: Kenny is looking tired and euphoric an sweaty. he has an arm around Kota’s neck and he pulls him close and presses his forehead against the side of Kota’s head and then gives him a little head pat. Nick and Matt are there two. Matt is smiling at the GLs and Nick has his hand on Kenny’s back. End ID]

It’s a beautiful story.

[ID: screenshot of a tweet from Matt Jackson saying: “Tonight, friendship, family & the power of love won. #GoldenElite” End ID.]

[ID: two gifs of Kenny is wearing the title and some stray golden streamers and sitting on Kota and Matt’s shoulders. Kota is looking at the camera and pointing a finger at Kenny. Kenny ruffles his hair and Kota looks up and smiles at him. Kenny is grinning. Matt is quietly beaming at Kota. End ID]

“With the power of love and friendship I did something I never thought possible.”

-Kenny Omega, [Chris Charlton translation]

we so rarely get stories of reconciliation in wrestling, especially stories that give reconciliation the same time and weight that betrayal stories get.

we rarely get to see wrestlers try to reconcile, we rarely see them make an effort to make things right.

and that’s part of what hits so hard about the golden reunion with the bucks. just how much they all wanted this happy ending. How much they fought for it. It wasn’t easy, they had to try over and over. They never gave up. They kept reaching out. They apologized and forgave each other, made themselves vulnerable, put aside their own anger and pride and jealousy. They earned this reunion, they built it with their own hands.

Kenny gives a victory speech, much of it is in Japanese [LINK to njpw’s translation]

He says that he and the young bucks are champions, and Ibushi-

[ID: picture of Kenny giving his speech. he’s gesturing to Kota and saying: And Ibushi is my strongest and most handsome partner.” Nick has his hand on Kota’s shoulder and Matt is beaming proudly with his title. End ID]

now that they’ve all come together, the bucks are just radiating love at Kota, like Nick has been waiting for ages to brother-in-law it up with this man and he is just all over him now, it’s so cute. and Matt is just beaming at Kota every time he looks at him. they love him so much already.

[ID: Kenny giving his speech saying: “My way is to make my own rules. My way is to live life the way that I want. And with all of you by my side, and what I realized is my friends, my best friends, my lovers by my side we can truly do anything.” End ID]

Before they can leave the ring, Cody appears on the entrance ramp.

[ID: picture of Cody in a white dress jacket standing midway down the entrance ramp. in the ring Matt is sitting on the second rope like he might be holding it open for Cody to come join them. End ID]

presumably he’s thinking about challenging for the title, but during the last few weeks of BTE episodes, Cody has begun to regret the consequences of his actions, if not the actions themselves.

instead of making a challenge he just stands there all alone, witnessing Kenny in this moment of triumph, surrounded by love

In some ways he’s the antithesis of the Golden Elite story. He doesn’t have the courage to reach out, to be vulnerable and ask for forgiveness. He's not willing to put his pride aside. Not yet.

After leaving the stage, Kenny reiterates the message of the story

[ID: picture of the post-match. Kenny sits behind his title, speaking to the reporters. Matt and Kota have their hands on his shoulders. Kenny says: “You know, up until this point, I’ve used all my hatred to fuel my matches. [...] Then I realized I’m focusing so much on the negative when so many people are giving me love and respect and treat me like a real human being. [...] What really fuels great performances are my friends and the people that I love, and using that as my energy, that is how I truly became champion.” End ID. LINK]

in the BTE episode from Dominion [LINK] we get to finally see what was in the box the bucks sent to Kenny

The bucks show their love in many ways, and shared merch is one of them. It’s a t-shirt and a proposal of a new group that includes Kota

[ID: picture of Kenny holding the opened box. inside the box is a folded Golden Elite T-shirt. It has “the ELITE” written on it in gold. End ID. LINK]

and the back says CHANGE THE WORLD

[PART 24] [ALL PARTS]

#kenny omega #kota ibushi #the young bucks #the golden lovers #goldenloverstimeline #the golden elite #matt jackson #nick jackson #mestuff #myGLgifs #myomegagifs #mykotagifs #myyoungbucksgifs #dominion 2018

[mitchtheficus]

A Golden Lovers Timeline

PART 21: THIS IS WHAT LOVE LOOKS LIKE

It’s Wrestlemania weekend in New Orleans! (April 2018)

So let’s take a quick second to talk about our buddy hangman and his feelings. he’s not a huge part of this story, but he still managed to spear me in the heart anyway

(the hangman feelings part of this is essentially going to be taken from a post i made back in 2018, that became a twitter thread that Hangman retweeted and responded to, and generally seemed to like)

[ID: picture of Hangman quote tweeting my thread. His tweet says “The contents of this thread are misguided and definitely not a real view into my inner psyche. Not at all.” End ID]

Hangman gives a post-match promo after his Sakura Genesis match and I love it so much because it’s just so wonderfully, demonstrably false, right?

[ID: gif of Hangman yelling: “WHAT HAVE I DONE TO KENNY? NOT A DAMN THING!” End ID]

I mean, Hangman was pretty instrumental in helping Cody turn on Kenny. He held Kenny’s hands behind his back so Cody could hit him with a chair. He held Kenny’s face so he couldn’t even look away.

[ID: gif of Hangman holding Kenny while Cody stands before them with a steel chair from the GLs reunion night. End ID]

but his claim that he’s never done anything to Kenny is different from Cody’s delusional certainty that he’s The Hero Of This Story, because I think Hangman knows he’s lying

I think he’s been telling himself this lie over and over, hoping it’ll be true if he just says it enough times

Because here’s the thing about Hangman. The Bullet Club is his family.

[ID: gif of an ROH promo. Hangman is looking very earnest and saying “I have searched my whole life for a home and I found one in Bullet Club.” End ID. LINK]

Remember that time he got kidnapped by WWE and tortured? What was the first thing he did when he escaped? He went to his friends. His family.

[ID: picture of hangman’s tweet from Sept 24, 2017. It’s a picture of Hangman, Cody, Brandi, the bucks and their family. The caption says “What a beautiful family dinner tonight. Just what I needed after the WWE kidnapped and brutally tortured me for three weeks.” End ID]

When Kenny stopped him from having his moment at New Beginning in Sapporo it probably felt like a betrayal

[ID: gif of Kenny pulling the belt out of Hangman’s hands and then pushing him out of the way. End ID]

because Kenny, as his family, was supposed to have his back. And it seemed like Kenny was putting his own ego ahead of Page’s career.

That night everything happened so fast. Cody was yelling at him and Kenny was reaching for him, and it’s not like Hangman knows Kenny that well to begin with, they’re usually in different countries.

[ID: gif from the GL reunion night. Cody is yelling and Kenny and Hangman, Kenny is on the ground reaching for Hangman. Hangman looks between them, shirtless and unsure. End ID]

And Kenny had just kind of betrayed him. So he makes a choice.

There’s been a lot of focus in this story on how much the inter-faction tension is upsetting to Kenny and the bucks, and even Cody goes out of his way to lie about it bothering him

but Hangman has never really said much about it. He’s been pretty firmly on Cody’s side and that’s seemingly been all there is to it.

Except that we know from the BTE ep after Sapporo that it’s not, right?

Look at him, he’s so sad

and you can see him take that feeling and shove it down.

[ID: three gifs of Hangman in the shower facing the camera. He’s crying in the first, then in the second he breathes out and gets his crying under control. in the third he looks grim and sad and goes “yep” to himself. End ID. LINK]

That little “Yep” always kills me. He made his choice and he doesn’t believe he can turn back now.

Because if he ever admits to himself that Cody is in the wrong, he has to lose Cody too, and he’s already burnt the bridge with Kenny.

And maybe worst of all, he would have to admit that he helped break this family apart. So instead he leans in.

And he takes all that guilt and anger, and he focuses it on Kota Ibushi

[ID: gif of Hangman from an ROH promo. He looks angry and says: “Kota Ibushi you have become a home wrecker!” End ID. LINK]

but before Supercard of Honor, Kenny and Kota have another Wrestlemania Weekend appointment

[ID: promotional picture of the lovers and Trent and Chuck with the words “LOVERS VS FRIENDS” written on it. End ID]

they’re set to face Trent and Chuckie T of the Best Friends at WrestleCon! (April 5th, 2018)

(this match was originally available on the Highspots network, but I don’t see the 2018 show there now. i’m not sure if there’s any way to watch it legally anymore but thank god some kind soul has put the whole show on bilibili [LINK - 2:27:00])

unfortunately things don’t go quite as planned...

[ID: picture of Chuck speaking to the crowd before the match. He says “My partner tonight was supposed to be my best friend in the world, Mr. Trent Baretta. But unfortunately, some asshole hurt him real bad.” End ID.]

(the asshole in question was Chuck himself)

they do this whole bit where Chuckie tries to call out different people to be his replacement partner (it’s very funny and worth watching) including trying to harangue poor injured Trent into fighting anyway (blocked by Trent’s other tag partner Rocky Romero’s intervention)

Chuckie eventually tricks Flip Gordon into being his partner and they all have a great match

after the lovers win Kenny gets the mic and tells Flip (and us) this:

[ID: three gifs of Kenny says: “[referring to Chuck and Trent] This is what friendship looks like. And this is what love looks like.” Kenny puts his arm around Kota when he says the bit about love and Kota just beams. End ID]

the cheer they get :((((((((((( kota’s big smile :(((((((

(you can also look at Mith’s HD gifs of the moment here, and a recording of just the speech on tumblr here)

the next day Kota has a 6-man match at a Rev-Pro show (April 6th, 2018) that Kenny isn’t apart of (and i’ve never watched!)

Supercard of Honor - April 7, 2018

(btw the ROH commentators got criticized for being very “friendship” focused during Supercard of Honor (and then saying that calling the lovers “friends who love each other” wasn’t “labeling” them), and Ian at least listened and had convos with queer fans online and ended up making changes to how he spoke about them going forward, calling the lovers a “romantic relationship” during Cody’s May matches)

The hangman vs kota match happens first and is very fun [Official Youtube LINK; Unofficial LINK - starts at 00:31:00]

they’re both incredible athletes, and kota is so popular that hangman actually manages to get booed at an ROH show

You can see hangman’s personal animosity towards kota throughout the match, the way that they’re very similar wrestlers in some ways (a fact that is more interesting in hindsight given Kenny and Hangman’s tag team run in AEW), but ultimately Kota outclasses Page. It meshes well with Page’s 2018 stories in general, this is a man who is on the cusp of becoming one of the best wrestlers in the world, a main-eventer, but he’s not quite there yet

(there is no balcony flipping, but only bc they were forbidden from doing so)

and then it’s the main event! Kenny Omega vs Cody Rhodes [Unofficial LINK; BTE also has the end of the match filmed from ringside, which I highly recommend LINK]

Cody and Brandi come to the ring wearing gold from head to toe and Cody calls them the “Golden Lovers” :/

he’s accompanied to the ring by Bernard the Business Bear and the fucking cops, just in case it wasn’t clear who’s the bad guy here

the main action happens at the end. The ref gets knocked out and the young bucks come down to the ring

[ID: picture of the bucks with their foreheads pressed together, standing between Cody and Kenny’s prone forms. End ID]

they’re going to make a choice. for themselves, for bullet club. this is it, the moment where they pick a side and stick to it.

but they hesitate.

[ID: gif of the bucks standing in the ring, they look between Kenny and Cody. Matt points at Cody and then looks at the audience anxiously in response to their cheer. End ID]

even tho they’ve talked about this. even tho they know who Cody really is now, Matt is still wearing Cody’s belt around his waist. it’s still hard for him to attack his friend, the friend that Kevin Owens asked them to look out for. he keeps looking to the audience to get confirmation that this time he’s making the right choice

and they make their choice.

and they miss.

[ID: gif of the bucks going to superkick Cody but at the last moment Cody falls out of the way and they kick Kenny instead. End ID]

and Cody wins with the young bucks screaming and begging for Kenny to kickout

[ID: gif of Cody pinning Kenny while the ref counts, the bucks are in the background screaming “KICKOUT KENNY!!! KICKOUT!!!” and when the 3 count gets called you can see the horror of it hit them. End ID]

[ID: gif of Cody pressing a kiss to Kenny’s hand following the pin. Kenny is covered in Cody’s victory streamers and the bucks are in the background looking horrified. End ID]

after Cody leaves the ring the bucks go to Kenny

[ID: picture of Kenny still pretty prone on the mat, with Matt touching his shoulder as both bucks huddle over him. End ID]

and Kenny sobs into the mat

for the third time we see the Sapporo Reunion beats played out before our eyes

[ID: four gifs. in the first one Kenny pulls himself towards the ropes while Matt extends his hand, in the second we see the same moment from the reunion with Kota extending his hand to Kenny. In the 3rd Kenny is holding the ropes prepared to leave and Matt grabs his shoulder and turns him around. in the last one we see the same moment but this time Kota is the one who turns Kenny around. End ID]

but Kenny rejects them.

[ID: gif of Matt holding his arms open to Kenny, and Kenny pushing him away. End ID]

afterwards the bucks are left alone in the ring as the crowd rains abuse (and some encouragement) down on them

[ID: three gifs of the bucks in the ring and then leaving it and walking away. In the first the audience is chanting “YOU FUCKED UP! YOU FUCKED UP!” in the next they’re booing. in the last two different audience members say “He was your friend!” “You did the right thing!” The bucks look completely crushed. End ID]

we know it was an accident, but right then, in that moment, the crowd feels all the same anger and betrayal that Kenny does. i was there that night and it felt like the bucks stole the victory from us as much as Kenny. All match Cody was treating the audience like another character in the plot, picking fights with individuals and the crowd as a whole, making us hate him, openly hating us. we wanted to see him lose so badly. instead we had to watch Kenny cry.

the bucks immediately go to Kenny’s dressing room and apologize

[ID: picture of Matt and Nick talking to a seated, defeated looking Kenny while Kota looks on from beside Kenny. Matt: “We went out there to fix the problem! We’re Team Kenny! I swear to God, it was an accident!” Nick: “We chose you!” End ID]

and it’s just heartbreaking. they’re so earnest, they finally understand that Cody is a manipulative snake, and Matt has finally forgiven Kenny. but now Kenny is the one who’s hurting and isn’t ready to forgive.

[ID: two gifs, in the first Kenny says “It was never about teams, Matt! It was never about teams with you and I! We’re supposed to be best friends since the beginning.” Matt: “I know I know-” and Kenny goes: “Why did it even become a thing where we’re standing in the ring. “Oh I don’t know if I’m going to kick Kenny in the face. I don’t know if I’m going to kick Cody.”” We see the room flash to matt and nick standing in the ring looking uncertain. End ID]

he doesn’t care that they kicked him in the face. he cares that they hesitated.

That’s the betrayal to him. Not the fact that the Bucks accidentally helped Cody win. it’s that it was even a choice at all.

[ID: gif of Kenny demanding: “Would you turn on your wife? Would you turn on your kids? Would *I* turn on you?!” and Matt is distressed and goes “No, no of course not! We’re best friends, man! We’re the elite.” End ID]

you can see it in his questions that despite the conflict within the elite lately, Kenny always thought that this was one line they would never cross. the bucks might leave him to the wolves, but they would never turn on him. he had thought that their bond went beyond the possibility of betrayal

and i don’t think there was ever a version of this night where the bucks could have turned on Kenny either, not really. the hesitation was never really about deciding who to kick, it was just a moment of confused mercy where they didn’t want to do that to Cody, but they knew that they had to.

but sitting here with his body and pride hurting, nursing an unearned loss, facing the shadow of a betrayal that he never thought possible... Kenny can’t let it go. not tonight.

[ID: gif of Kenny saying: “There are no sides, and guess what? There is no Elite.” End ID]

[ID: three gifs. Kenny says: “Just like the beginning, with all your Meet & Greets, your t-shirts,” and Matt goes “no, no-” Kenny continues: “your website. It’s just all about the Young Bucks. It always was.” Matt yells at him: “It was about changing the world, Kenny!” End ID]

it just breaks my heart!!!!! it’s so cruel the way Kenny throws the bucks’ money-mindedness in their faces, because they always, ALWAYS did everything to include Kenny in those things! they got him his pro wrestling tees store, they made him get a twitter account, they wore his shirts to shows he wasn’t even on, promoted his stuff when he forgot to, they named their youtube channel Being the ELITE because it was for the THREE of them

money has always been a way they take care of family, and that always meant Kenny too.

and even tho Kenny has been the one saying “change the world”, watching this moment you can feel that it was Matt’s dream too, that doing that with Kenny, being a part of that, it meant something to him

Kenny is taking all these precious things and just throwing them in Matt’s face like they aren’t proofs of Matt’s love for him

and in the face of Kenny denying their very friendship, Matt becomes desperate. he reaches for Kenny

and that’s when Kota decides it’s time to shut this thing down.

[ID: gif of Matt reaching for Kenny’s arm, Kenny physically rebuffs him and Kota immediately gets up and pulls Matt away. He gets between Matt and Kenny and he yells and points towards the door. End ID]

you can already see a change in how Matt is treating Kota, the lack of animosity, the way the accepts that Kota has a right to kick him out of this room.

He’s worked through a lot of his own issues, he’s ready to reconcile

now it’s on Kenny to meet him half way

[PART 22] [ALL PARTS]

#golden lovers #goldenloverstimeline #kenny omega #hangman page #kota ibushi #maybe teared up a little watching the elite locker room fight again ;-; they just all love each other so much ;-; #cody rhodes #the young bucks #matt jackson #nick jackson #for any non-native english speakers who might be reading this “homewrecker” is slang used to describe someone who breaks up a marriage #mestuff #myyoungbucksgifs #myGLgifs #myomegagifs #myKotagifs #myCodygifs #i was there in person for all these matches that's so insane to me

[mitchtheficus]

A Golden Lovers Timeline

PART 22: REACHING OUT

the lovers return to japan, have an 8-man tag against Suzuki Gun [LINK - April 29, 2018], Kenny returns to his DDT-era angelic babyface blond hair, and then it’s May and time for Dontaku

the first night (May 3, 2018) Kota faces Cody again in a singles match [LINK]

I feel like every time Cody has a match with the lovers there’s the obligatory “and Cody continues to be a Weirdo about this” part and uh it’s that time again!

[ID: Cody is kind of spooning Kota against the ropes and he leans over and kisses him on the cheek before letting him go. Kota seems disgusted. End ID]

In case you were wondering, yes he is still being Like That

[ID: gif of Cody looking down at Kota and announcing delightedly “oh he can’t satisfy.” End ID]

(Cody says the lovers do definitely fuck but like badly lol)

Throughout the match there’s a desperation in the way Kota fights, and that risk-taking ultimately leads to Cody’s victory

In the post-match we find out where that desperation was coming from: he wasn’t just trying to beat Cody for himself. Kota was hoping to put an end to the bullet club feud, and he failed

[ID: two pictures of a sad, sweaty, and defeated Kota saying: “This won't do anything to end the bullet club’s feud. Since i couldn't win this, i don't have a say in it.” End ID. LINK]

Kenny faces Hangman in singles competition for the first time that same night. [LINK]

the match is great. Kenny gets a cut on the top of his head, and as the match goes on, the blood seeps down and turns more and more of his hair red

[ID: gif of Kenny with blood seeped into the blond hair on the top of his head, he’s making a fight-y face, in the background women are laughing and clapping and looking at hangman who is on the ground. End ID]

(it’s kind of a Look tbh)

Kenny wins. Hangman hasn’t reached his full potential yet, but it’s coming (just not in this story).

Kenny is so sweet with the Japanese crowd now that he’s a face, apologizing for being too groggy to speak Japanese well after his victory, asking their permission to speak a little English, and promising he’ll do it all in Japanese next time [LINK]

The next night of Dontaku (LINK - May 4th) the lovers have another multi-man tag match, this time against Cody’s faction of the BC (which NJPW has deemed includes the bucks, tho they seem uncomfortable with this booking decision)

both of them, but especially Matt, are visibly distressed at the sight of Kota being hurt

[ID: gif of the bucks while cody and hangman attack Kota. Nick is talking to Hangman and he puts his arms out like “what the hell are you doing?”, Matt is leaning away from where Kota is being attacked, like he wants to get away from it, looking distressed and uncomfortable. End ID]

And when Page angrily tags in Matt while Kota is in the ring, Matt can’t even bring himself to try to hurt him

[ID: Matt looks down at Kota with pursed lips and tries to hype himself up into being able to fight him, then he gives up and backs into the ring corner, extending his hand for a teammate to tag him out, shaking his head. End ID]

They get into the ring later to try to talk to Kenny, and Kota is like “um can we do the fight thing that we’re here to do? This is a wrestling match?” and Nick is like “wth kota we’re basically brothers now!”

[ID: two gifs of the bucks and the lovers standing in the ring. based on body language, Kota seems to be suggesting to Kenny that they just fight the bucks and get on with the match, but Kenny seems reluctant. Nick opens his arms and looks at Kota like “what the hell, man?” and backs up a step when Kota gets close. End ID]

The bullet club guys are SO CUTELY SUPPORTIVE OF KOTA 

[ID: gif of Kota kicking Cody so hard he falls down. Tanga Loa and Tama Tonga clap and cheer Kota on in the background. End ID]

that’s their guy!! i swear they like Kota more than Kenny

throughout the match there’s respect and camaraderie between the bucks and the OG BC guys and after the match, with Kenny and Cody out of the picture (off fighting each other somewhere), the rest of BC is able to reconcile

[ID: picture of kota watching from outside the ring as the BC guys all do a two sweet in the ring. End ID]

And now it’s time for my boy Kazuchika Okada to re-enter this story.

[ID: gif of Okada’s entrance. he’s wearing a huge colorful sparkly coat, a big sparkly necklace, the giant heavyweight belt around his waist. Okada bucks fall from the ceiling above him. His arms are out stretched as he looks up and then forward with a determined, confidant look. End ID]

The last time we saw Okada was nearly a year ago at Dominion 2017, where he and Kenny fought to a draw. He has held the IWGP Heavyweight title ever since that night. At Dontaku 2018, he wins his 12th consecutive title defense, breaking Tanahashi’s record for most successful IWGP Heavyweight title defenses in NJPW history

After his victory he lists off the opponents he’s faced and beaten one by one, and then he looks at the crowd

[ID: Okada, looking a little sweaty and tired after his match, looks up and out at the crowd and asks: “There is one draw, isn’t there?” End ID. LINK]

The one flaw in his perfect record. And he hasn’t forgotten that Kenny beat him during the G1, earning him a title shot that he hasn’t yet asked for.

[ID: Okada stands in the middle of the ring with his sparkly golden pants and his title around his waist and he yells into the mic: “KENNY OMEGA!” and turns to look at the entrance ramp. End ID]

And the crowd goes nuts

[ID: Kenny, blond and shirtless, walks down the entrance ramp, putting his arms out to touch the reaching hands of the fans. He keeps looking at where Okada is, his expression is wary and ready, but not excited. End ID]

Okada tells him that this time, there will be no draw, because this time there will be no time limit. Kenny asks for a 2 out of 3 falls match (a stipulation we almost never see in NJPW). Finally they will put to rest who is better.

Okada looks excited

[ID: gif of Okada looking at Kenny with a small, anticipatory smile. He says: “No time limit... two out of three falls...” End ID]

(Gedo not so much)

Kenny is kind of surprised by this turn of events.

[ID: picture of Kenny in the post-match. He’s smiling and saying: “Honestly, I’m surprised he chose me as his next challenger. Because I haven’t gone after titles in a while, and I’m with Ibushi now.” End ID. LINK]

For so long Kenny was focused on getting that title, defeating Okada, reaching new heights... but ever since reuniting with Kota, his inner life has been restructured. it’s not that he’s no longer ambitious, it’s that ambitious is no longer the only thing he is allowing himself to be.

so much of his past motivation to get titles was wrapped up in the way he was perpetually chasing Kota

“Ibushi has been there since the beginning of my career in Japan and we very quickly established a friendship with one another,” explained Omega. “For 10 years he was a friend, a rival, a partner, and yet always a distant figure I was struggling to catch.”

- SI article from March 23rd

but now, Kenny has found a bone-deep certainty and restfulness in their relationship. he’s kind of accepted that he’ll always have to struggle to keep up with Kota, that Kota may in fact always be better than him, but that doesn’t frighten him anymore.

“It’s a challenge to match his athleticism and to sync with his speed,” said Omega. “But much like a world class couple in ballroom dancing or figure skating, we almost have an empathic read on our bodies and can move in harmony. I may have already peaked as a singles wrestler, but Ibushi is more than capable of taking over as the ‘Best Bout Machine’. I’d possibly even say he’s the only one in the world capable. This time, I don’t mind taking a back seat.”

- SI article from March 23rd

he’ll repeatedly, casually tell us that regardless of actual wins and losses, Kota is better than him as a wrestler. but now that he isn’t carrying the fear of being abandoned due to his own inadequacies, now that he’s full of the certainty that he is loved for who he is as a person instead of only as a wrestler, he’s comfortable with that reality

truly he’s been enjoying just being with Kota so much that it hasn’t really occurred to him to start pursuing singles titles again. and you kind of get the sense that he doesn’t actually want to do it right now. like if he’d gotten a choice, this rematch with Okada wouldn’t be happening yet.

[ID: picture of Kenny in the post-match, he’s looking a little wishful and saying “But I can’t do anything about it, he chose me.” End ID]

the lovers take the rest of May off to rest and prepare for Dominion.

So after the disaster that was Supercard of Honor, after Kenny telling them that there “is no elite” the bucks tell everyone that they’re shutting down Being the Elite for real. Not kayfabe, for real (bc they’re wrestlers!! And they love to lie!!!) 

And then May 6th they start it up again. And we see, over the course of several weeks, the bucks’ tentative reaching out to Kenny

the bucks have sent Kenny a package

[ID: Picture from BTE of the package. It has “URGENT! URGENT!” hand written on it and one of the bucks’ merch stickers. End ID. LINK]

[ID: picture from BTE of Matt looking down at the floor a little sadly. Nick says: “thing he opened it yet?” Matt says: “I think if he would’ve opened what we sent, I think he would’ve called us by now.” End ID. LINK]

Kenny starts carrying the package everywhere he goes, caught between his desire to open it and reunite with the bucks, and the desire to hang on to his anger

Kota is firmly on Team Open The Damn Package Already and gives him a little talk about the importance and power of forgiveness

[ID: four gifs of Kenny and Kota in Kota’s personal practice gym Kota says: “Kenny, after everything we went through, I forgave you and you forgave me, right?” Kenny says “Well yeah, that’s true.” And Kota gestures emphatically at the box and goes “So...” Kenny picks it up and looks at it. End ID. LINK]

A few days later (may 21st) Matt texts Kenny asking about the box [LINK] Kenny types out an apology for the delay, telling Matt he’ll open it and call him when he gets home, ending it with “I miss you guys…”

But he doesn’t send it. Matt even sees him typing :((((

[ID: picture of Matt’s phone with the message app open. Matt’s text reads “Hey have you opened the box I sent? It related to what we talked about in room 710. Please call me when you do.” and there are the three dots indicating that Kenny is typing. End ID. LINK]

He texts back later and tells Matt that he’ll contact him “after Dominion”

[ID: picture of Nick and Matt in the car. The angle is off because they “don’t know they’re filming.” Nick says: “After dominion huh? So he doesn’t want us ringside obviously? I mean to be fair the last time we went to the ring…” End ID. LINK]

It’ll be the first Okada match that the bucks won’t be at ringside for

[ID: four gifs from Kenny’s first Okada match at WK11. in the first the bucks hug Kenny before his entrance, telling him good luck and that he’ll kill it and that they love him. In the second Kenny has just done his golden triangle moonsault over the guardrail and Matt grabs him and presses their foreheads together asking if Kenny is okay, telling him he’s crazy and that he can win. Nick is there too telling Kenny he loves him. In the third Kenny has lost and is down on all fours outside the ring. the bucks are beside him looking grim and pressing ice to his back. In the last Kenny walks down a hallway and says: “bucks, you with me?” Nick answers: “yep.” Kenny: “oh thank god.” Nick: “Always with you.” End ID.]

[ID: three gifs from the second Okada match at Dominion 2017. in the first the bucks flank Kenny on either side during his entrance. in the second, the bucks stop Kenny and the rest of the BC from interfering in the match while Cody and Tama yell “LOOK AT HIM!” and Nick yells back “HES GOT THIS!” In the last, the bucks help Kenny walk out after his loss. End ID]

[ID: one gif from the third Okada match during the G1. Nick has Kenny in his lap and he yells and fist pumps the air, celebrating Kenny’s victory before reaching down to hold Kenny to him. End ID]

But you can tell that Kenny’s anger and hurt feelings are melting in the face of the bucks’ gentle, earnest persistence, helped along by Kota’s prodding. Kenny sends a vlog for the BTE show, his first in a while. it’s a little promo for Okada

the bucks continue dutifully plugging and promoting Kenny’s dominion match along with their own (their first shot at heavyweight tag team titles) and they say they’ll be there for him in the back, offering their support if he wants it

[ID: two pictures of the bucks in a car. Matt says: “Kenny and Okada Part Four. We were there for all three.” Nick says: “Yeah, it’s hard for us because we’ll probably not be there ringside.” Matt says: “But here’s the thing, we offer our support to Kenny, and we’ll be in the back. And he can have our support, you know, if he wants it.” Nick: “Yeah.” Matt: “But we’ll be watching.” LINK]

And at the end of the last BTE ep before dominion we see Kenny reflecting on the Elite’s time together, their love for each other, their importance to him. And finally, he opens the package.

[ID: picture of Kenny opening the package. The viewer can’t see what’s inside. End ID. LINK]

[ALL PARTS] [PART 23]

#goldenloverstimeline #golden lovers #kenny omega #kota ibushi #the young bucks #matt jackson #nick jackson #cody rhodes #the way as soon as matt has forgiven kenny he literally CANNOT BRING HIMSELF to hurt kota and can barely stand to see others do it :(((( #the GL stuff in this made me soft :((((( the way Kenny becomes so Certain in his love for Kota and Kota's love for him #mestuff #myGLgifs #myomegagifs #mykotagifs #myyoungbucksgifs #mycodygifs

[mitchtheficus]

A Golden Lovers Timeline

PART 24: VIDEO GAMES AND THE COW PALACE

After the emotional climax of Dominion the lovers kind of take the rest of June 2018 off. NJPW had partnered with the Fire Pro Wrestling game, allowing them to use official njpw characters, and the lovers appeared in the trailer for the new game, and in June they headed to CEO (a fighting game convention) to promote the new game and njpw

[ID: picture of Kenny and Kota seated on a couch holding controllers in their hands and grinning in delight as they play the video game. Kenny is wearing a GL merch shirt and Kota is shirtless. Text over the image says “Multiplayer Mayham” End ID. LINK]

It’s not their first time playing video games publicly, back in February 2018 the lovers did a twitch stream where they played games and answered fan questions [LINK] in it you get to see a little of their dynamic outside of the ring, and just how much Kenny enjoys the way Kota expresses himself

[ID: three gifs of Kenny and Kota, Kenny is speaking and the text says: “[translating Kota’s response to a question about an upcoming DDT matchup] Since they’ve wrestled so many times before up until now, he’s hoping they’ll do something different. Otherwise- [suppresses a smile] well. Otherwise it’ll be a bit of a disappointment. But you know, Ibushi’s a very tough critic. He’s a very hard person to impress. He’s very critical of the people around him and of himself. It’s not a bad thing, I think it’s a good thing.” End ID]

Asked about the possibility of Kenny vs Kota III...

[ID: two gifs of Kenny and Kota, again Kenny is speaking and he’s saying: “Some people are sad because they had wished that they could see Kenny Omega vs Kota Ibushi in a singles match.” He looks up at the camera and shakes his head “It’s not happening.” End ID]

(sure bud)

Anyway, they go to CEO together (Kota has some travel trouble and has to be rescued [LINK]) and they get up to some cute nonsense [There’s video of the first part of their video games LINK but not the second part, where most of the cuteness happens]

At one point they’re both playing themselves in the fire pro game, and Kenny keeps having video game!Kenny kiss video game!Kota while they both just dissolve into giggles [gifset of this: LINK]

They win a fake wrestling belt for their video game prowess and try to wear it at the same time [LINK]

[ID: picture of Kenny and Kota attempting to wear the belt, Kenny is grinning and Kota is looking down at the belt. End ID]

After the video games they have a real wrestling match at CEO against Naito and Hiromu (booked and organized by Kenny) [LINK]

[ID: gif of Kota standing up on the turnbuckles, asking for the crowd to cheer him (which they do) while Kenny stands on the apron beside him nodding approvingly, pointing at Kota with his thumb and saying “I like him too. I like him too.” End ID]

It’s a delight

[ID: Kota is in the ring facing Daryl Jr. (a stuffed animal cat with a luchador mask). Kota is treating this very seriously, approaching with hands ready for a test of strength and then Daryl falls over and Kota withdraws and shakes out his arms the way he would after a tense exchange with another wrestler. Kenny is on the apron, at first cartoonishly confused and then cheering Kota on to kick Daryl’s ass. End ID]

(later in June Kenny and the bucks face the New Day at yet another video game convention: E3 [BTE ep])

Also idk where else to mention this but sometime in 2018 NJPW puts out a little CD with Kenny and Kota’s entrance themes, as well as their GL entrance theme and the inside features this picture:

[ID: a picture of the inside of a CD case. Kenny and Kota are pictured about to kiss, lips inches apart, eyes closed while Kenny like gently guides Kota’s chin. End ID. LINK]

anyway.

once July hits the vacation is over. Kenny has his first title defense coming up, and he has picked Cody Rhodes as his opponent.

the loss at Supercard still hangs between them, and more than that Kenny is ready to move on from this and hopes that one last decisive match will finally put the conflict behind them to rest

Their title match comes at the G1 Special in San Francisco at the Cow Palace (July 7 - Official LINK)

Cody puts out a little promo for it on njpw’s youtube page [LINK]

(it features several other BC members, most notably Hangman Page looking like the goodest possible golden retriever and Hangman announces he will be entering the G1 Climax tournament for the first time!! Hangman won’t really be in the lovers’ G1 story much because he’s in the other block, but he uses the G1 as a canvas to paint a satisfying story of his own soft face-turn. you feel throughout the two months of matches just how excited Hangman is to be there, how much he wants to make us all proud and be deserving of the fans’ love. Every match of his is full of feeling, he somehow manages to build a unique, compelling relationship with every opponent. He is the first person who is able to Awaken Okada during his Depressed Balloons phase, he gets adopted by Tanahashi who promises to personally face-turn this beautiful cowboy (Hangman calls their match “handsome battle” bc njpw once used it to describe one of Kota’s matches and the BTE guys will never forget it), he even makes Evil kind of grudgingly want to take him under his wing)

In the promo video Cody reveals his truly embarrassing stalker board of GL pictures

[ID: Cody stands before a board of pictures of Kenny and Kota. Some are cut out from magazines, some are framed in golden picture frames, some feature the lovers together some as singles. End ID]

And he has the gall to lecture Kenny on “distractions”

[ID: Cody stands in front of his stalker board and says “Distractions like Kota Ibushi” End ID]

[ID: screenshot, a broken framed picture of the GL reunion lays on the ground where Cody threw it and Cody’s words are written above it “On July 7th you find out what everybody else already knows, that you can live your dreams and your nightmares at the exact same time.” End ID]

behind the scenes Matt goes to both Cody and Kenny in the hopes that this conflict can be ended amicably

[ID: screenshot of Matt looking at Cody in distress. He says: “Now I look at you and go “Where is he?” As I look in your eyes I know there’s still good in you. I know that same guy is deep down inside.” End ID. LINK]

he still loves Cody, even after everything. he asks him to be better than this, but also extends his love without conditions

[ID: gif of Cody looking at Matt and then away, his face expressionless, while Matt puts a hand on his shoulder and says “Good luck on your match tonight. We love you. Be safe.“ End ID. LINK]

he makes an appeal to Kenny too

[ID: Matt speaking to Kenny right before his entrance. Matt is wearing a Golden Elite shirt and he says “Deep down, man, the guy that we fell in love with 2 years ago...he’s in there.” End ID. LINK]

ever since Supercard of Honor, Cody has been feeling incredibly alone and lonely. the bucks are spending less time with him, and when they’re around he is met with their constant, loving, exasperated demand that him to become a better person. Even Hangman is giving Cody less of his time because as the Elite have come back together (repairing part of his broken family) and as he’s gotten more singles opportunities, Hangman’s anger at Kenny and Kota has pretty much melted away

Cody has become so lonely that he has considered reaching out to Kenny to try to smooth things over, but he hasn’t been able to bring himself to follow through. It’s not necessarily that he feels bad about what he’s done, but he can recognize this loneliness as the consequence of his own actions.

Cody knows deep down that he cannot beat Kenny in a fair fight. That was, after all, the point of all this. He needed all the mind games with Kota and the manipulations with the bucks to get in Kenny’s head and isolate him from his allies in order to achieve his victory. And now all that hard work has come undone.

in this match he’s backed into a corner: either cheat for another temporary victory and possibly lose the bucks for good, or just do his best and likely lose fair and square

it ends up not being a singular choice but one that Cody has to make over and over throughout the match as Cody is offered ways to cheat and slowly divests himself one-by-one of the remaining signals of his heel-dom

he’s already returned to his natural hair, and now he sends away Bernard the Business Bear (a creature that both interfered in matches and also represented Cody’s attempt to corporate-ize the bullet club)

he gives his big belt to Matt after considering using it against Kenny’s back

and he stops hiding behind Brandi

[ID: three gifs. In the first Cody sends away Bernard the Business Bear. In the second Cody gives his big belt to Matt instead of using it to attack Kenny. In the last Cody asks Brandi to leave the ring after she tries to protect him with her own body. End ID]

And in a fair fight, Kenny beats him.

[ID: kenny and cody lay on the mat after Kenny’s victory. Brandi cries on Cody’s chest. Matt sits between Kenny and Cody, his hand on Kenny’s knee while he holds Cody’s hand. End ID]

[ID: picture of Kenny giving his victory speech. Kenny says: “Each and everyone of us deserves a second chance. Even Cody.” End ID]

And then

[Kenny and the bucks post at the top of the entrance ramp when suddenly Nick begins having a Vision and Tama tonga attacks Kenny from behind. End ID]

Tama’s never liked Kenny, and after this past year of drama and Kenny’s frankly blatant disinterest in his role as leader now that he’s back with Kota, Tama is done.

the Guerillas of Destiny drag the Elite back down to the ring and kick their ass a bit. When Hangman tries to help, they kick his ass too. When Cody comes out, they offer him a chair and a choice.

this is it, what Cody’s always wanted, right? Finally he has the bullet club behind him, finally he can kick Kenny out and not even the bucks can stop him.

[ID: picture of Cody standing before a kneeling Kenny, holding a metal chair. on either side Tama and Tanga stand and talk shit to Kenny. End ID]

but that’s not what Cody chooses

[ID: gif of Cody using the chair to attack Tama and Tanga. End ID]

Cody is eventually beaten down just like the rest of them and the BTE boys are left broken in the ring as Tama flaunts his way back up the ramp.

in the aftermath, Cody extends his hand to Kenny, and they reconcile.

[ID: Kenny and Cody hug while the rest of the BTE aligned BC members look on. End ID]

you’re probably wondering: “where is Kota in all this?”

Kota was not present for this match. He was not at the G1 Special at all in fact, because he wasn’t booked. He didn’t have a match at Dominion either, and that is starting to bother him.

“The moment he won [at Dominion] I was delighted. I wanted to congratulate him from the bottom of my heart. But a few seconds later I was thinking, “Why aren’t I in this ring having wrestled tonight?” [...] It’s easy to think he’s going to keep moving forward and we’re going to move apart. But tranquilo asssen na yo [stealing Naito’s catchphrase] People can think that, but I just have to get results, and that starts in the G1.”

- Kota Ibushi, [Chris Charlton Translation LINK]

[PART 25] [ALL PARTS]

#goldenloverstimeline #kenny omega #kota ibushi #the golden lovers #cody rhodes #matt jackson #nick jackson #the young bucks #mestuff #myomegagifs #myGLgifs #mykotagifs #mycodygifs #myyoungbucksgifs #i will accept cody's reconciliation for matt jackson's sake #but he better have begged kota's forgiveness on his knees

[mitchtheficus]

A Golden Lovers Timeline

PART 20: WE CAN’T TRUST THIS GUY

So rewinding back to February 2018, Ring of Honor (the second biggest north american wrestling promotion before AEW debuted on the scene) announces that Kenny Omega will be facing Cody Rhodes in a singles match for the first time ever at Supercard of Honor (ROH’s Wrestlemania weekend event, set for April 2018)

Cody is very much looking forward to it, and he really wants Kota to be there, for sadism purposes

[ID: gif of Cody giving a promo to a camera, wearing a green suit. He says “Go ahead and bring Kota Ibushi with you, because I want to see his face. I want to see the look on his face when he sees you in pain.” End ID - Feb 27 LINK]

(lucky for him, March 15th 2018 Ring of Honor adds Kota Ibushi vs Hangman Page to the show’s card)

all this is why, while Kota is bonding with his in-laws during the NJ Cup, Kenny is spending his March in America, promoting on ROH and continuing his feud with Cody

(he starts off his US residency by liking this tweet calling the GLs’ wrestling story as a “queer storyline”)

Kenny decides to infiltrate the ROH bullet club by dressing up as Bury the Bear, an unloved corporate mascot that Cody has been trotting out as part of his utterly misguided bid to secure his place as CEO of bullet club

In a scene from the now deleted BTE ep 96, Kenny goes to the bucks’ dressing room while wearing the full Bury costume and tries to reveal himself to the bucks, trying once again to reach out and make amends before their Strong Style Evolved match, but he’s prevented from doing so by the entrance of Page

[ID: gif of Bury the Bear trying to remove his head while the bucks look on with confused expressions on their faces. Before Kenny can remove the head, Page comes into frame. End ID]

Afterwards Kenny goes to the ring as Bury and attacks Cody

[ID: picture of Kenny standing in the ROH ring, wearing the Bury costume but with the head taken off, grinning down at Cody. In the audience behind him, men are freaking out. End ID LINK]

He is then forcibly kissed by Brandi Rhodes, who proceeds to accuse him of faking his love for Kota and wanting *her* instead

[ID: Brandi delighted yells: “you’re a fraud! Go tell Ibushi you LIKED IT” while Kenny looks bemused with red lipstick smeared across his mouth. End ID LINK]

This is something that the Rhodeses will say over and over throughout their conflict with the GLs: that the lovers’ romantic love for each other is a publicity stunt for attention and nothing more

[ID: picture of Cody in the post-match comments, covered in his own blood, shouting “I CALLED OUT THEIR PUBLICITY STUNT BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT IT WAS!!!!!” End ID. LINK]

after all, if Kenny or Kota were capable of romantic love, wouldn’t they be in love with Cody and Brandi?? Really makes you think.

So i should probably mention here that there was a time when Kenny and Brandi were kind of sort of friends on BTE and Kenny was using this to make Cody extremely jealous by deliberately suggesting something untoward might be going on

All this probably had some bearing on Cody’s own choice to target Kota in the bizarrely sexual way he did, a thought process you can see Cody trying to assign to Kenny after the Brandi/Kenny kiss, when the initial tactic of using it to drive a wedge between the GLs fails

[ID: gif of Cody speaking to the camera. He says: “You kiss my wife because I kissed your man?! Is that what this is about?!” End ID. LINK]

Kenny brings up that supposed relationship with Brandi in his promo the night after the kiss [LINK] leading to a pull apart by security and the bullet club, including the young bucks. (as with so many ROH tv things, i’m not 100% sure when this incident is supposed to have taken place canonically, because ROH pre-tapes their tv show, but it was filmed in mid-march, pre-Strong Style Evolved) Cody pushes Matt into Kenny, things escalate and Nick forces himself between them. Matt walks away, and Nick follows him

[ID: gif of a fans video of nick climbing out of the ring, making kind of regretful/apologetic body language to Kenny who is trying to speak to him. End ID]

Strong Style Evolved happens (March 26), and afterwards everyone goes back to Japan for NJPW’s next big show: Sakura Genesis (April 1, 2018)

The Lovers have a tag match that night against Cody and Hangman [LINK]

Cody is a psychosexual disaster as usual

[ID: gif of Cody grabbing Kenny by the hair, tilting his head up, and pressing a gentle kiss to Kenny’s forehead. End ID]

and this match has one of my favorite Don Callis moments. he tells us on commentary that cody cares for no one, but Kenny “cares deeply for Ibushi” and that Cody will likely attempt to use that love against Kenny

Callis: He knows if he hurts Ibushi, he hurts Kenny

Rocky: That's pretty sick, man.

Callis: It's very sick! It's like going after someone's family! It's like going into someone's house and terrorizing their wife or their husband!

This is also something that I think is important to point out too, bc Cody and Brandi spend a lot of time telling us that the lovers’ feelings for each other aren’t real, but neither of them ever acts like they believe that. Everything they do presupposes and relies on the lovers’ feelings for each other being real. When they call the GLs’ love a publicity stunt, we the audience are always meant to understand that they are lying to us

Late in the match, right when hangman has kenny spread out on a table, ready for Cody to jump on him

the bucks come out

Cody tries to get them to take his hand, but despite his apologies post-Strong Style Evolved (ep 98), the bucks turn their backs on him in disgust

The match continues and Cody gets busted open, and the same way that his bleach blond hair and his ugly american flag pants tell you about who he is, the way he wears the blood is another character choice. This is very much not a babyface busted open and bleeding. He makes the blood a part of his monstrousness.

[ID: gif of Cody bleeding from around his eye, the blood has gotten all over the top of his face and he makes this evil lizard face and idk it looks cool. End ID]

Cody and Hangman cheat outrageously and win, then grab Kota again and try to re-enact New Years Dash

[ID: gif of Hangman holding a kneeling Kota still while Cody raises a chair above his head, reading to strike Kota. At the last minute Kenny manages to get to his feet and he grabs the chair and pulls it out of Cody’s hands. End ID]

but Kenny is there to save him once again

In the post-match comments the lovers apologize for letting down their fans, but you can tell that the joy of being together trumps the way their bodies are hurting and the disappointment of losing

[ID: three gifs of Kenny and Kota looking sweaty and exhausted in the post match comments. Kenny says “I’m sorry guys, for letting you down. But there’s a bright side, this time our tandem moves were perfect.” Kota puts his hand on Kenny’s knee and says “we were perfect.” End ID. LINK]

They assure us that they’re just getting started

Cody has some words for the GLs as well

[ID: two gifs of Cody in the post match comments speaking to the reporters and Hangman. He says: "Kenny gets with his ex-boyfriend- when you get with your ex it's never like it was the first time.” Hangman smiles and shakes his head. End ID. LINK]

After the match Cody talks to the bucks, apologizes for the way they’ve been placed in the middle of this feud, and assures them that after Supercard of Honor the shit between him and Kenny will be laid to rest for good

[ID: picture of Cody talking to the young bucks in BTE ep 99. Cody says “I’ts about one match and that’s it.” Matt says: “That’s it, huh?” and Nick says “The fighting’s done?” And Matt says: “It’s been two or three of the worst months of my life, is this finally it? After your guys’ match, that’s it.” End ID. LINK]

But Cody’s shit isn’t working the way it used to. The bucks have seen too much of his true face at this point to just let it go.

and Nick finally tells Matt how he feels about Cody. 

[ID: gif of Nick saying: “[Cody] had a little speech with me, he was trying to convince me to become a singles wrestler.” Matt goes: “Wait wait wait-” and Nick says: “It’s not just that. He pretty much kicked Kenny out. He’s not the leader.” End ID. LINK]

he hates Cody’s attempts to get between the bucks themselves (suggesting they try out singles competition - BTE 97) and he hates the way Cody tried to kick Kenny out of the bullet club, not only because Kenny is their friend but because the right to kick someone out of the bullet club belongs to the bucks

and finally they discover that Cody is trying to change the bullet club logo without even consulting them

That’s three things you don’t do. You don’t fuck with Kenny, you don’t fuck with the bucks’ tag team, and you don’t fuck with their ability to sell t-shirts

Nick’s reached his limit, and finally finally Matt sees that he’s right.

[ID: gif of Matt looking at his phone, it has the edited BC logo that Cody made, that incorporates Cody into the logo. Nick says “We can’t trust this guy.” And Matt covers his face and says “My god, I think you’re right.” End ID. LINK]

[PART 21] [ALL PARTS]

#goldenloverstimeline #golden lovers #kenny omega #kota ibushi #the young bucks #nick jackson #matt jackson #cody rhodes #mestuff #myomegagifs #myGLgifs #myKotagifs #myCodygifs #myyoungbucksgifs #forgot how much bucks stuff happens in roh before SSE #i guess brandi kissing kenny just seared everything else from my memory idk #flashing lights #blood cw

[mitchtheficus]

A Golden Lovers Timeline

PART 18: WHERE WAS HE

(years ago a nonie asked me about matt’s feelings during this time period and i made a post about it, and then when i was stuck in the boston airport for several hours I made a twitter thread of the post. And matt jackson retweeted it. so semi-wrestler-approved meta here we go)

time to talk about Matt Jackson’s feelings!!!

so when Kenny and Kota get back to their locker room after their Honor Rising match, the young bucks are there waiting for them, right?

[ID: bucks sitting on the counter in the locker room. Nick tells Matt: “You were so aggressive out there.” End ID]

the most important thing you need to understand about the young bucks in this story is that they love Kenny Omega. For a long time he was the only person outside of their family that they truly cared about

[ID: picture of Matt saying: “We’re talking about one of my best friends, my brother, someone I literally invite to my house. [...] My son loves him. [My kids] call him “Uncle Kenny.”” End ID]

And the bucks are so loud with their love for Kenny. they’ve show it with their words and acts and touch. Seconding Kenny in matches whenever they could, caring for him after losses

[ID: gif of Kenny walking down a hallway after WK11, he says “Bucks you with me?” Nick answers “Yep.” Kenny says “Oh, thank God.” and Nick tells him “Always with you.” End ID]

betraying and murdering their closest friends when Kenny asked them to

[ID: picture of the bucks doing their cheek kisses to an unconscious adam cole whose head is being raised by an umbrella handle around his neck. it’s right after they betrayed him in ring of honor. End ID]

And how has Kenny shown his love and loyalty in return? Certainly not by performing the same acts for them.

[ID: Matt is speaking angrily to Kenny in the locker room, while Nick and Kota look between them, Kenny looks angry/confused/dismissive. Matt says: “"Let's do what's best for Kenny Omega!” Every big match, Kenny, we've been seconding you. How many big matches have you seconded for us? You're upset? No no no. IM UPSET.” End ID]

But that hasn’t mattered till now (I mean it clearly has, it’s probably been eating at Matt for years), but it didn’t matter because Matt knew Kenny loved them. And he knew that Kenny saw their acts of love and appreciated them.

But that integral fact, that crucial piece that balances their relationship and makes it work, has been missing lately.

Before the reunion Kenny told them at the WK dinner that he was feeling left out and unloved, that they weren’t doing enough for him. He blamed them for not having his back during his Jericho match (a match that happened the same night Matt was injured)

[ID: from the post-WK12 dinner. Kenny saying: “What about me getting my ass kicked by Chris Jericho? Where were any of you?” And Nick says “The ref kicked us out!” and Matt tells him “I hurt my back earlier that night, dude!” End ID]

After their tag match the first night of Sapporo when he was attacked from behind he initially blamed them, demanded why they hadn’t helped him.

[ID: gif from after Jay White attacked Kenny. Kenny leans against a turnbuckle pad and demands “Where were you?!” Matt kind of laughs and goes “Dude!” disbelievingly, and Kenny goes “He came right from behind me!” End ID]

Kenny’s angry doubt and the furious way he explained that he was feeling unloved clearly irked Matt, because as he says himself in the locker room when Kenny accuses them of not taking his calls: they’ve given Kenny everything for FOUR YEARS.

[ID: three gifs, the first showing the confrontation in the locker room, the second shows Matt ruffling Kenny’s hair during the WK11 Okada match, the last shows the bucks helping Kenny walk out of that same match. The text over the gifs says: "For the last four years we've had your back! The entire Okada trilogy! We've been there! We've pounded the mat! We've had your back! Every time you lost we carried you to the back! Every time you won we celebrated in the hotel room.” End ID]

Four years of acts and declarations and fucking bodies in their wake and Kenny never giving them the same in return, and now Kenny has the gall to say they’re not doing enough? That they weren’t there for him when he needed it?

And then suddenly here is Kota Ibushi. This guy, who Matt knows of, but doesn’t understand the importance of

[ID: gif from the GL hallway confrontation. Matt looks Kota up and down as he walks by. End ID]

because Matt may or may not get that Kenny and Kota are bfs who kiss, but he definitely doesn’t get Them

he doesn’t get the “One Brain for Two People” “The Real Kenny is Always at Kota’s Side” Your Name Soulmates-ness of it all, which is part of why he’s so upset. he thinks that the normal rules should apply to kota, but they don’t and they never will. he’s mad that Kenny has seemingly completely restructured his life around Kota, but he doesn’t understand that Kenny’s life has had Kota at its center for TEN YEARS now, that’s not a new development. it’s just that with Kota gone, Matt couldn’t see it before.

when they’re apart Kenny will always be waiting for Kota, he will always be fcked up and carved out and not himself when they’re separated. this isn’t just the reunion of two best friends or exs, this is the return of Kenny’s heart to his body, the repair of his broken wing, the setting right of what was wrong these past four years.

and Matt doesn’t get that yet, but he will.

What Matt does get is that Kota has not been at Kenny’s side, fighting his battles, acting on his love for the past 4 years.

[ID: gifs from the locker room confrontation: Matt goes “And all that time, kenny, all that time? Where was he?!” and points at Kota. End ID]

And now Kenny is choosing him over them? Fuck off.

[ID: gif of Honor Rising, as the bucks leave the ring after confronting the GLs, Matt tells Kenny “We tried to tell you! You wanted to hangout with him and talk to him instead.” End ID]

And this is all happening when Matt needs his friend the most

As Mithen put it:

“[The Bucks are] annoying forces of nature, eternal Lost Boys…Their suffering is well-deserved and fleeting, their pain is ephemeral, and they are forever, forever young bucks. That’s their story…The Bucks suffer loudly and theatrically…as if they’re winking at the audience behind the referee’s back: don’t worry, we’re not really hurt, it’s all a game.” (x)

but now Matt is injured in a way he’s never been before, and it’s terrifying.

[ID: matt is in the ring laying on the mat, holding his back in pain. Nick leans close to him and asks “Matt, are you okay?” End ID]

His back is costing them matches and titles, it’s causing him incredible pain. And it’s like Kenny hasn’t even noticed.

[ID: picture of Matt saying: “It’s like he didn’t care. It was like, “No, my problems are bigger than yours, because you’re just junior heavyweight tag team wrestler Matt Jackson. You’re fine. You’re the Young Bucks. You guys are silly, you’re funny, you’re always going to have a good time.” I feel like his problems have always been bigger than ours.” End ID]

It’s all these little hurts adding up into something that can’t be ignored. Even Kenny’s pause before apologizing when he pushed Matt at Sapporo…

[ID: from the confrontation at Sapporo, Matt sits on the ground where Kenny threw him, holding his back and staring at Kenny. Kenny rubs a hand over his face. End ID]

It’s just the limit.

And now Matt doesn’t feel like he knows Kenny at all. He doesn’t know what their friendship is anymore. Maybe they never really mattered to him at all. Maybe those acts of love were expected, instead of appreciated because Kenny saw them as his minions instead of his friends. Maybe that’s all the young bucks are to him, maybe that’s all they’ve ever been, just a junior tag team that were never really on his level anyway.

[ID: picture from the locker room argument. Nick looks fed up with the fighting. Kenny looks outraged and confused and Matt looks outraged and hurt. Matt goes: “’Junior heavyweight tag team?’ Is that all you think of us? How condescending!” End ID]

(Kenny doesn’t see them that way of course. as he says: “For too long their talents were wasted in the junior division. It always felt strange, even wrong. It was like watching Kobe Bryant play street ball or Tiger Woods competing in mini golf. The Bucks are in a league of their own.”” LINK)

And with that fundamental bedrock come unstuck, Matt’s willing to believe that Kenny is capable of anything.

When Kenny sends them a recorded apology, admitting that the bucks are the best tag team in the world (something Kota agrees with btw, ahead of their match he tells SI that the bucks “are superior as [a] tag team, but we’re superior as singles wrestlers.”)

Cody edits the apology so that it seems like Kenny was actually insulting them. Nick clocks that it’s weird but for Matt it’s just a confirmation of his worst fears.

[ID: Nick going “No, no, no. Something was off. Matt, disbelievingly “Something was off?” Nick: “It seemed like someone might’ve- must’ve tampered with the footage...” End ID]

and there’s another element too. it’s not only that Matt feels that Kota is undeserving of his current place in Kenny’s life, it’s that Matt is jealous

The bucks get interviewed by NJPW [LINK] in the lead up to the GL match and interviewer asks the bucks what they think of Kenny and Kota’s relationship

[ID: interviewer asks “What do you think about Kenny and Kota Ibushi’s relationship right now? Do you think they’re too close? Are you jealous of their friendship at all?” End ID]

and Nick says no. 

[ID: Matt: “I-” Nick: “No, because they’ve always been friends.” End ID]

Nick has always accepted Kota as a part of Kenny (tho maybe he didn’t understand quite how big a part), even when they were separated, so to him, this whole thing isn’t such a change.

(and you can see that acceptance in how he reacts to Matt’s anger too. in the locker room, when Matt goes “Where was he?” Nick de-escalates and gets Matt out of there immediately)

but for Matt, things are different

[ID: gifs of Matt saying: “The three of us, we've been through so much together. So many wars, 14 hour bus rides, stuck in blizzards and typhoons. And Ibushi was just a story. He was a guy that we heard stories about. Can you even remember one day when Ibushi was around?” End ID]

the bucks’ relationship with Kenny is real and has all these moments of mutual experiences and suffering over the last four years to show for it, Kota’s relationship with Kenny was never real to Matt until now

[ID: four gifs, the first two show Matt being interviewed, in the third Kota is rescuing Kenny from Cody, and in the last Kenny presents Kota to the Honor Rising audience. Matt is saying: “You ask if there's jealousy and I want to say no, because I'm a grown man, I'm a father. I shouldn't be jealous of another man's relationship with another man- but it feels like a part of me is going, "well where were you tho, Ibushi? Where were you?” And all the sudden you’re just going to come back into this man’s life and now you’re his best friend? And you guys are going to team again like nothing ever happened?" End ID]

and of course Kota had his reasons for not being there, but those reasons don’t matter to Matt. The fact of the matter is that he wasn’t there, and Matt was, so why does Kota get to come back and be more important to Kenny than Matt is? All these things that Kenny is doing for Kota, the way he’s making Kota the center of his world? Where was even a fraction of the energy for the bucks all these years?

these feelings of jealousy mix perfectly with his fear that his love has been misplaced and unappreciated, that his friendship with Kenny was never actually equal, and his resentment at that inequality

Matt and Nick say in the njpw interview that they don’t want to hurt Kenny

but Matt’s not being completely honest. It’s not exactly that he wants to hurt Kenny (tho he does, a little), it’s more that he desperately needs his own hurt to be seen by Kenny. he wants to see Kenny’s disregard for him laid bare, he wants Kenny to hurt him in the ring where it’s clear, where Kenny will have to know he’s hurting Matt.

and it leads to one of the most Upsetting matches in pro wrestling history

[PART 19] [ALL PARTS]

#too sick to do hw or thesis work so!!! timeline!!! #matt jackson #the golden lovers #goldenloverstimeline #kota ibushi #kenny omega #nick jackson #the young bucks #i remember when i posted the thread and matt retweeted it i got an angry nonie who was like #‘how dare you take matt’s side in this!’ #and i was like???? There are no sides???? No one is wrong in this story! (except cody) #Kenny and Kota and the bucks are all just doing their best and making mistakes and being people??? #Idk it was such a funny reaction pls no one yell at me this time #mestuff #myyoungbucksgifs #myGLgifs #reunitedera #always with you #myomegagifs #mykotagifs

[mitchtheficus]

A Golden Lovers Timeline

PART 1: LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT

okay so our story starts in 2006. Kenny’s been wrestling for a while now, most recently spending a soul-crushing year in WWE’s developmental promotion Deep South Wrestling, and he’s kind of lost hope of ever finding someone who shares his vision for what wrestling can be

because to Kenny, wrestling can be anything. it’s an artform with infinite possibility, as long as you have the imagination and skill to create it

one day a friend shows Kenny a video from the japanese wrestling promotion DDT (Dramatic Dream Team). in the video he sees Kota Ibushi for the first time

and he is thunderstruck

[ID: Kenny being interviewed for Begin Japanology in 2013: “And I thought: he MUST think the same way I do. He’s doing the same crazy things that I’m doing. He’s SUPER athletic. And, you know, he’s not afraid to make people laugh. A lot of people are too afraid to make themselves laugh. They’re too prideful about looking tough. And he didn’t seem to be that kind of guy. But he IS tough, so I felt like whoever this guy is, I feel like I need to meet him, I need to challenge him, and you know, let’s make some magic together in the ring. Whether it be together as partners or against each other. I felt like my destiny, if there is such a thing, was to come out here and fight Kota Ibushi.” End ID] [LINK]

(isn’t that incredible? can you imagine seeing a stranger a world away and, despite barriers of distance and language, having the certainty and determination necessary to cross an ocean just to meet?)

Kenny sets out to get ddt’s attention. He films this insane “audition” video, a falls count anywhere out-of-ring match (Kota’s specialty) at his cabin in canada [LINK]

(the match is ridiculous in the best way, at one point Mike Angel “drowns” in the lake and Kenny is like “he’s dead! count him out!” only for the supposed drown-ee to make a surprise recovery and attack before the 10 count is up)

luckily for the future of wrestling, ddt’s interest is peaked and they invite him to japan

Kenny films a short promo ahead of their match challenging Kota [LINK]

[ID: screenshot from the promo, Kenny is standing in some random alley looking kind of challengingly at the camera. end ID]

(he says “ibushi” every other sentence its v cute) 

their first match was August 6th, 2008 - 2 out of 3 falls, falls count anywhere [LINK]

Even tho there’s no belt on the line for this match, Kenny is still fighting for something: if he loses he may never see Kota again. Only a win will secure him his place as Kota’s rival.

Kenny starts out the match being a dick

[ID: gif from their first match, it’s the start of the match and Kota extends his hand to Kenny but Kenny smacks it away before turning his back on Kota and walking to his corner of the ring. End ID]

(he’s never handled his own fears of inadequacy very well)

despite Kenny’s initial rudeness, as soon as they’re underway the alikeness of their minds and styles is immediately apparent. and both of them are clearly showing off for each other.

[ID: GIF of their first match. Kenny shoulder checks Kota, who falls down and then immediately kips back up. Kota looks at Kenny and puts his hands on his hips. Kenny looks away. End. ID]

[ID: GIF of their first match. Kenny fakes Kota out, making him jump for nothing, and then cockily walks up to Kota and points at his own bicep while flexing. Kota looks unimpressed. End ID]

(You can feel how much they’re enjoying this, so clearly excited to have found this new rival, eagerly anticipating what they can do together)

when asked why they don’t have singles matches against each other more often, kenny and kota have said that they’re afraid they’ll kill each other, and watching their matches you can definitely see it. this match is brutal.

In many ways they’re incredibly evenly matched, in fact how perfectly competitively compatible they are is almost the center of the match itself

[ID: GIF from the match, Kenny and Kota kick each other in the head at the exact same time, perfectly in sync, and then both fall to the ground. End ID]

but there’s this underlying feeling that Kenny is the underdog here.

Kenny is putting everything he has into this match, both times Kota pins him you feel that those seconds are ripped from him after he has been completely overwhelmed. And it’s not that Kota isn’t also trying his hardest, but somehow you can already see shadows of the dynamic that will play out during their Budokan match.

[ID: GIF from the match. Kenny hits Kota and it knocks Kota back a step as he shakes it off. When he hits Kenny back Kenny goes down to his knees from the force of it. Kota walks calmly after him as Kenny crawls away and gets back to his feet. End ID]

He gets just as exhausted as Kenny, but he doesn’t get exhausted in the same way. Kenny’s exhaustion makes him desperate, Kota’s doesn’t.

Despite how brutal this match is, you can tell they’re being careful with each other in a way they won’t need to be in their subsequent matches. Kenny takes a good long moment to check on Kota after michinoku driver-ing him into a pile of chairs (waiting a long beat before even trying to cover him). Kota leaves space in his attacks, pausing just too long before a strike or kick to the head to make sure Kenny is ready for it.

[ID: GIF from the match. Kota is ready to kick Kenny in the head but he pauses a moment until Kenny gives a small nod. End ID]

After Kota wins Kenny just lays there and Kota comes over to kneel at his side

It’s the first time Kenny’s ever cried after a match.

Kenny fought with everything he had, but in the end he couldn’t beat Kota

[ID: a screenshot of Kenny talking about this match in the 2016 NJPW documentary Second Home he’s saying: “That day I just wasn’t good enough.” end ID]

and because of his failure the possibility of a shared future was put in jeopardy

“Ibushi, or rather fighting Ibushi, was the entire purpose for my first trip to Japan in 2008. DDT had wanted a new challenger for him, a foreign archvillain, and I fit the bill. We killed each other in our first encounter (to this day it's one of my proudest matches), but it was a losing effort, and in that, I thought I'd never be seen again.” [2016 ESPN Interview with Kenny - LINK]

But something magical has happened

Kenny felt this instant connection the first moment he saw kota, and now kota feels it too, from that very first touch

"From that moment of contact in our first match together, I felt he thinks exactly as I do." [Kota Ibushi in the Omega Man: A Wrestling Love Story Documentary]

[ID: Six screenshots of Kota speaking in the documentary Omega Man: A Wrestling Love Story: “Think about it. For over twenty years, we grew up in totally different cultures, totally different places, totally different environments, and yet there's one brain for two people. This is amazing! Who knew this was possible?” End ID]

And it’s not just kota

their match won Samarai TV’s match of the year award and DDT invited kenny back. kenny and kota had become friends irl by then and they begged DDT to let them fight as a tag team

“[We promised the company] big things -- not to just be two singles guys on a team but to revolutionize the team work aspect. We brainstormed and came up with all sorts of cool double team moves. Fans saw the chemistry, enjoyed the real relationship we shared. We were able to make magic as a team." [2016 ESPN Interview with Kenny]

ddt allowed it and they paired up, and they were clear about what they were about from day 1

[ID: four gifs of Kota being interviewed for the Omega Man documentary. the first one shows a newsstand with japanese pro wrestling magazines, the second two are Kota speaking while wearing a Golden Elite shirt, and the last one is a drawing of Kenny and Kota shirtless and smirking. Over these images Kota is subtitled saying: “Right at that time a Japanese Magazine called ‘Weekly Pro Wrestling’ labelled us ‘The Golden Twins.’ So when we were interviewed we told them we’re not ‘The Golden Twins.’ We’re ‘The Golden Lovers.’” End ID]

and so the Golden Lovers were born

[PART 2] [ALL PARTS]

#:D here we go #golden lovers #kota ibushi #kenny omega #goldenloverstimeline #someone requested this #the next part might not be up for a little while bc i have to rewatch their old matches #otp: love at first sight #mymeta #myglgifs #mykotagifs #myomegagifs #sorry if i did the ID stuff wrong? it's my first time attempting it! #mestuff

[mitchtheficus]

A Golden Lovers Timeline

PART 16: HOMECOMING

it’s still Jan 28, 2018 the second night of New Beginning in Sapporo, and Cody and Hangman have just been run out of the ring by Kota. While the Golden Lovers play out their reunion, Cody takes this opportunity to pull at the frayed edges of the Elite’s bond [Post-match comments LINK, BTE ep LINK]

[ID: three gifs of the backstage comments. Matt is teary-eyed and standing supported by Nick while Cody promos at him. Cody says “Matt, are you okay? I do not understand this situation. You’ve known that guy for TEN YEARS! [then to the reporters] I appreciate you guys sticking around but this [gestures to Matt] is top priority! This is top priority! [to Nick] Let’s take care of your brother. End ID]

Pretending to care about Matt, pretending he did this to Kenny for them, playing at being concerned and compassionate

Matt is clearly distraught, he’s tearful in the post-match comments and later when the BTE guys gather in a backroom you can see him rocking back and forth trying to sooth himself while Cody goes on a tirade

[ID: the BTE guys sitting in a room. Cody is standing and speaking and gesturing. Matt is rocking back and forth and not looking at Cody. End ID]

but in spite of all Cody’s hard work, in spite of the horrible accident in the ring, the elite have not given up on each other

that night Kenny shows up at the Bucks’ hotel room, and he brings Kota with him.

[ID: four gifs. Kenny stands in front of the bucks’ hotel room door. Kota comes up beside him. Kota has like a scarf? he looks great. Then the bucks standing in their doorway, they move inviting the GLs into the room and Kenny and Kota enter. End ID]

they’re trying

(shout out to Kevin Kelly in the post Sapporo recap, saying the lovers’ relationship “certainly goes deeper and beyond friendship”)

during early February 2018 there’s kind of a holding pattern [BTE eps LINK and LINK], Cody is living his best, villainous life, feeling that all his dreams are now almost within his grasp. but he doesn’t let up on his manipulation, he knows that the bucks haven’t really given up on Kenny.

he starts pressuring them to move up to the NJPW heavyweight division (something that would put them in direct competition with the Golden Lovers) because they are “the best tag team in the world.”

[ID: picture of Cody with his arms around the bucks, saying “Think of the dream matches.” End ID]

all the other non-Cody members of BTE are conflicted and in pain, and Matt is wearing his divided loyalties on his sleeves

[ID: pictures of nick and hangman crying, and then matt looking unhappy. Matt’s shirt changes from Kenny’s BC shirt to Cody’s BC shirt. End ID]

but enough about those guys

February 2 Tokyo Sports interviews Kota Ibushi about the Golden Lovers reunion [LINK]. He clarifies that he is not part of the bullet club and will not be joining them, even tho they are now legally his stable-in-laws. When asked why he saved Kenny he answers simply, “because he’s my friend.”

“It ended once. So this isn't us picking up where we left off, it's a completely new start. I'm excited to see what we can do as a team, now both of us [are] heavyweight. I can't imagine a better tag team than us. At the same time, we spent this time apart, and did completely different things in those years. How we'll do together after that time, how well we'll gel, that's another part of it. [...] We've taken such different routes. But I think there are New Japan fans that sense a difference (in level) between us. I'm the only one that really hasn't made a mark or gotten results in New Japan. I'm not looking to Kenny for help in that regard. That's on me to rectify. Of course, I want to team with him. But I'm still a singles wrestler. I want to make my mark as a singles wrestler. As a tag [team], I'm excited to see what happens, and no doubt, cool things will happen. 2018 just got really interesting."

-Kota Ibushi, Chris Charlton translation [LINK]

just like Kenny, he’s not quite sure how this will go, but he’s committed to making it work

we get another update (Feb 13, 2018) when NJPW releases The Golden Comeback, a documentary on the GL reunion [NJPW LINK, Youtube LINK - please note that the youtube version is 15 minutes shorter and does not include most of the interview]

(Cody RTs the video and calls the GLs a “publicity stunt” saying “[Kenny’s] too selfish to love anybody” [LINK] (both bumping the docu and calling attention to the fact that the GLs are in love))

this same day Kenny likes this tweet calling Kota “that one beautiful man Kenny Omega loves unconditionally”

anyway this documentary is 30 entire minutes, and there’s just so much in it

first off, Kota makes clear before Kenny shows up that he sees this space, the private wrestling gym that he uses for practice (and has used for 10 years), as his home

[ID: picture of Kota in his personal gym. The NJPW interviewer asks “What does this place mean to you?” and Kota say “This is basically my home.” End ID]

what we’re going to witness here is a homecoming

hilariously Kota hasn’t told the NJPW film crew that Kenny is coming so they’re very surprised and confused when someone knocks on the door

[ID: gif of Kota in the doorway to his gym. He says “You’re late. Late.” Kenny laughs and replies “Sorry.” End ID]

(no big deal, just the first words we’ve heard them speak to each other in years. ‘you’re late.’ he had to wait for so long ;-; )

even more hilariously, Kota didn’t tell Kenny the film crew would be there

[ID: gif of Kenny looking around and then back to Kota and down, and he says “I thought this would be a private practice but um here we are. We have the camera crews here. [switches to Japanese] But I don't mind.” End ID]

I always wonder about this, whether he just didn’t think to tell him, or maybe he was going to if Kenny hadn’t been late, or whether it was a test, wanting to see if Kenny would still be Kenny to him in front of an audience...

but regardless of why the njpw people are there, Kenny is still Kota’s Kenny on camera. there’s a little awkwardness here and there, both of them sort of figuring out how to fall into this again, but the whole video is just filled with their soft joy and sweet giddiness at being together

[ID: gif of Kenny and Kota giggling together. End ID]

Kenny, who spent years trying to surpass Kota, switches so easily from “I” to “we,” already thinking about their future and successes as shared

one of my favorite moments is when Kenny pulls out one of Kota’s t-shirts

It’s the cutest thing in the world, the way he pulls it out, SEES WHATS IN HIS HAND and clearly gets nervous????? AND LIKE TRIES TO DROP IT ALL CASUAL???

And Kota notices immediately???? 

[ID: gif of Kenny looking in his bag, Kota says “Kenny...” Kenny looks up and says “Yes?” And Kota points at the shirt “Where did you get that?” End ID]

[ID: two gifs. Kenny picks up the shirt and goes “This?” Kota says “this shirt” and Kenny unfolds it and holds it up. “I brought it myself. For practice.” Kota looks at his own shirt and says “It’s my shirt!” and Kenny tells him “I wanted to dress as a team.” End ID

the “I wanted to dress as a team” and how delighted Kota is about it???? 

[ID: two gifs, Kenny is giggling and Kota asks “Did someone give it to you?” and Kenny tells him “I won it in an online auction.” they both crack up. End ID]

KENNY SAYING HE WON IT IN AN AUCTION AND THEM BOTH BREAKING DOWN LAUGHING???? it’s just the best

there’s all these little moments that show how much Kenny has been thinking about this, planning things out. he’s already brainstormed a new knee-based finisher, since their old finisher, the Golden Shower, is a bit more difficult now than it used to be and they need something they can do every match

(they do tease the Golden Shower during this docu and later, which makes me think they could still do it and were saving it for Something Special, but never got the chance)

and then the interview portion of the documentary begins. Kenny gives a brief account of his life and mindset since 2015, and it’s a little heartbreaking

"When Ibushi came to the ring, it was difficult at first to accept that he had noble intentions. For so long I felt so alone, that no one had the same idea of what wrestling should be. And maybe even to a degree that no one cared about me. I felt that it was just my job and my existence to give everything to wrestling. My health, my body, my soul. [...] didn't matter if I was broken."

[ID: gif of Kenny saying “And in the end to feel that someone maybe cared for me more than that...how could I turn that away?” End ID]

Kenny had just accepted that as his lot in life and then here was Kota, loving him when he had lost everything. seeing and loving Kenny the person, not The Cleaner or the Best Bout Machine

and in the face of that love Kenny couldn’t turn away forever

Kota gets asked about why he came out to help Kenny, and you can feel the years of pining in his answer, and just how badly Cody played himself by pushing Kenny into revealing how much he still cares for Kota

“Through all these years, I've always watched his matches backstage. I was watching that day. [...] Kenny did the same for me at New Years Dash. I tried to play dumb [referring to his post-match comments at NYD], but I knew what he did. Kenny...was looking out for me. It felt like the GL weren't done yet. That's what I felt that day. I was compelled to help him.”

the interviewer then asks about the choice to extend his hand after saving Kenny

[ID: the GLs sitting side by side. Kota says “It was a big deal for me. But he didn’t take my hand, at first. So, I thought maybe that it wouldn’t work out. But I didn’t want to give up so easily. I wanted to force him to acknowledge me.” End ID]

he says that he thought they could reunite "because we're the golden lovers" like it was just that simple

the way the lovers talk about each other now that they’re reunited is really something. Kenny tries to put into words what Kota is to him

"The Golden Lovers was always more than just the wrestling. That was real life. And if he just wanted to tag then that was something we would discuss in private [and then talk about to njpw] or I could make a big shpeal of it, make a big scene, give Ibushi a Bullet Club shirt, and it would be a business decision. But to me this was- this was something that had nothing to do with business. This was unrelated to Bullet Club, this was unrelated to the Elite. This was someone that I had cared about for 10 years. Someone that had helped me survive when I was in DDT. Someone that inspired me before I came to Japan.”

[ID: gif of Kenny saying “Someone who became a friend. Someone who became more than that. Sometimes in wrestling you say "business first" but this was a case when personal life was just too important to ignore.” End ID]

Kenny says that trying to change the wrestling world has been a lonely journey, "and there's not many people who can keep the pace. But Ibushi's one of them. [...] Same with the Young Bucks and that's actually why we formed the Elite. And in a way Ibushi is very much an Elite athlete, an Elite professional wrestler and I'm just happy that he's by my side.”

When asked about visiting the young bucks' hotel room, Kota says he’s “not trying to divide” Kenny and his friends. Kenny says that while Kota and the bucks might not be friends, they’re not enemies either, and that he wants badly to make things right

“I value my relationships. I don't have many real friends, but the real friends that I do have I want to cherish…we came to the room as a peace offering, and right now it's complicated, and I hope that with time we can fix that relationship.”

[PART 17] [ALL PARTS]

#kota ibushi #kenny omega #the golden lovers #goldenloverstimeline #kota came to the Elite parlay dressed to slay and i for one respect it #it cracks me up so much when kenny's like 'idk if i can do the golden triangle moonsault anymore...' #when he literally did it not even that long ago??? #ask a wrestler a straightforward question and they will lie for no reason 8 times out of 10 just for the Drama of it all #mystuff #myomegagifs #mykotagifs #myGLgifs #reunitedera #golden comeback #golden lovers documentary #njpw

[mitchtheficus]

A Golden Lovers Timeline

PART 13: WRESTLE KINGDOM 12

Kota mostly seems bemused by Cody’s hand-kissing weirdness but by the end of their first tag match he is pissed. Cody gets him out onto the entrance ramp and does his finisher

[ID: gif. at the top of the entrance Cody does his finisher, flipping Kota onto the ground, Kota goes distressingly limp and Cody crouches on the ground next to him, posted like an evil lizard. End ID]

and Kota can barely walk after, but he’s still trying to break away from the young lions and fight Cody about it. they literally have to drag him away

[ID: gif of Kota pushing against the two young lions, trying to get to Cody who taunts him from afar. End ID]

in the post-match comments of this tag match Kota says: “Damn it. I'm going to get him at the dome. Believe me. I'm going to finish him.” [LINK]

but once Cody goes back to the US and promptly loses his ROH belt to Dalton Castle (Dec 15, 2017), Kota starts thinking this whole WK match situation is extremely funny actually

[ID: gif of Kota sitting in post-match comments, looking around at the reporters innocently (though you can tell he’s smiling a bit) and saying: "Cody...what's going on with that?" End ID - Dec 17, 2017 LINK]

He spends his next few post-match comments cheerfully dragging Cody’s inability to hold onto a title and drawing the reporters’ attention to the question of why Cody still wants to fight him with no title on the line

[ID: two gifs of Kota grinning widely at the reporters and saying: “I was excited to challenge for the belt, [but] he lost it out of the blue! How could that happen? [...] But, I'm still excited for it. Everything's already crazy. Cody's gone crazy. So I'm looking forward to the dome. I'll make Cody lose his mind. He's holding something in, I'll bring it out.” End ID - Dec 17, 2017 LINK]

[ID: gif of a different post-match interview. Kota is smiling and looking between reporters saying: "Why is he fighting, without anything? [...] None of this makes sense. That actually makes me more interested.” End ID - Dec 18, 2017 LINK]

(this second post match comments ends with him reducing the reporters to giggling mush. If i’m remembering correctly, the tokyo sports guy who he calls out specifically is a friend of his and Naito’s)

he’s excited to get to the bottom of Cody’s odd behavior

Kenny was pretty consumed with thoughts of Kota during the G1, but in the time since the hallway touch he’s become avoidant. When asked about picking Kota as a possible WK12 opponent back in July he says that he doesn’t even know if Kota will be sticking around till WK12, so he’s not thinking of him. Personally I think the hallway touch made him reconsider what it would be like to face Kota in the ring

(like it was nearly unbearable to even be physically close to Kota, there’s no way he’d have been able to actually fight the guy)

so instead Kenny becomes embroiled in a brutal, bloody feud against Chris Jericho

it’s a feud that kind of plays into the liminal nature of Kenny’s wrestling alignment. his WK entrance (which proudly proclaims “Change The World”), and his gear (cyber-anubis with a big gun), are an extension of that

“Lately I have been doing the 'God of Pro-Wrestling' thing, and changing my statement. I don't want to be the Cleaner anymore; I kind of want to ease into this 'change the world' thing. [...] [the entrance and gear are] a huge ego trip thing, it was just ridiculous but I thought it felt for our thing because I was starting to get sympathy as a babyface, but at the same time I wanted that chip on my shoulder [...] because I didn't want to go full babyface yet, and I didn’t have clearance too, so I thought it would be really cool to go with the get up that I made.”

- Kenny Omega on Talk is Jericho [LINK]

the bucks have their own brutal WK match earlier that night (it’s so good, full of Monster Mode!Bucks and interesting relationship stuff - Official LINK), and during the match Matt Jackson “injures” his back (this will be important later).

but the bucks still take the time to help Kenny prep backstage and accompany him to the ring

[ID: picture from BTE of Nick helping Kenny put on his costume backstage. End ID - LINK]

Kenny wins his match against Jericho [Jan 4, 2018 - Official LINK], but some time during the match the bucks are kicked out by the ref, so the image you’re left with is Kenny stumbling out, barely able to walk, and all alone

[ID: gif from WK12, and Kenny walks out alone, stumbling and almost falling down against a guardrail. End ID]

earlier that night Cody and Kota both debuted new gear (and in Cody’s case, new (Evil) hair) [Unofficial LINK, Official LINK]

[ID: picture of Cody with blond hair grinning wide, Brandi Rhodes behind him. End ID]

Kota’s gear is filling out with more and more gold the longer he stays in Japan.

[ID: two picture of Kota’s shorts. The gold now covers his entire right side, with the wing now shown in silvery white. End ID]

the match starts off with Cody reinforcing that yeah, he is gonna be weird about this

[ID: three gifs of Cody helping Kota to his feet, in the first he stands over Kota’s prone body and holds out his hand. in the second Kota cautiously takes it and Cody pulls him to his feet, holding his hand too long and looking into his eyes. End ID]

Through the match you get a better sense of Cody’s feelings about Kota, not only are his romantic taunts more cruelly direct but his deep seated, personal jealousy is more obvious. He reacts furiously to Kota’s seemingly effortless athleticism and tries to incorporate more flippy moves himself. He's visibly angry and confused at the cheers Kota gets, and the boos he receives instead

He’s physically brutal, targeting Kota’s formerly-injured neck (the neck injury that partially resulted in him leaving njpw) but as expected he is most dangerous to Kota through his knowledge of the Golden Lovers

[ID: gif of Cody holding a dazed Kota by his hair and yelling: “Kenny doesn’t love you like I love you” into his face. End ID]

(Please do note that when cody says this Kevin Kelly, the english commentator, laughs out loud and goes “what in the world is that about” which is exactly what cody deserves)

Kenny doesn’t love you

Kota isn’t always as direct and public with his feelings as Kenny is throughout this story, but you can see the hurt he carries in the fact that he hasn’t used the Phoenix Splash (the move Kenny’s betrayal ruined) since returning to Japan.

[ID: gif of Kenny’s betrayal back in 2015. End ID]

Kenny isn’t certain if Kota still genuinely cares for him, and Kota is just as uncertain of Kenny’s feelings. Cody’s taunt would probably have landed no matter when it was said, but in light of Kota’s recent, failed attempt at a reunion, it comes off even crueler.

And it’s cruel to Kenny too. You know he’s watching this match, you know he hears Cody say this.

but Kenny isn’t the only one who has changed a lot over the past two years

Kota will not allow himself to be defeated by another member of the bullet club who tries to use Kota’s feelings for Kenny as a weapon against him

And to prove this to himself, to Cody, and to everyone watching, Kota hits Cody with his new knee-based finisher

and he doesn’t cover him

instead he goes to the turnbuckle

[ID: three gifs. in the first Kota uses kamigoye against Cody. in the second Kota pauses, overcome with emotion before heading to the turnbuckle. in the last Kota does his phoenix splash. End ID]

and he uses the phoenix splash, reclaiming his move and winning the match

for himself and for us

[ID: gifs of Kota’s post match comments. The reporter asks: “And you unleashed the move you’ve been holding back...what was the reasoning behind that?” Kota replies: “I had to do it...for my fans...and for myself.” End ID - LINK]

and with the confidence gained through this match, Kota is ready to make a promise going into 2018

[ID: gifs of Kota saying: “In 2018...something is coming. It’s going to happen here, in New Japan. I’ll make it happen.” End ID - LINK]

[PART 14] [ALL PARTS]

#we finally got to the part where njpw subs their post match comments lets gooooo #goldenloverstimeline #kota ibushi #kenny omega #cody rhodes #golden lovers #mestuff #mykotagifs #myomegagifs #mycodygifs #myGLgifs #returnera

[mitchtheficus]

A Golden Lovers Timeline

PART 7: AND WAITING FOR HIM

G1 Climax 26!!!! (for anyone who doesn’t know, the g1 is a tournament that determines who gets a main event title match at Wrestle Kingdom)

it’s his first time participating and Kenny does tremendously, winning most of his matches until finally only one thing stands between him and the finals:

Tetsuya Naito [Aug 13, 2016 - Official LINK, Unofficial LINK] 

[ID: gif from the match, Naito is holding his shoulder and then begins to grin as he stands up, while Kenny looks distressed and in pain in the background. End ID]

kenny decides that this match is the right time to give us a little update on the condition of his heart and he debuts new gear!

these pants are a similar design to the old ones, but the wings have begun to change. the skeletal wing is now completely bare

and the other wing has become bleached white and is starting to lose its feathers. You can see them falling down his pant leg, like the loss is continual and steady

because of the different amount of points they’ve accrued, Kenny has to beat Naito to advance to the finals, but Naito only needs a tie. All he has to do is run out the clock. Naito is also entering with the majority of fan support (something that Kenny doesn’t want to care about, but v much does). so already the match is set up with kenny as the underdog

and that is how the match itself plays out too, Kenny continually throwing his body into peril (as he says later, not caring about injury or safety), putting everything he has into winning this, desperately fighting through Naito’s viciously targeted attacks on Kenny’s injured knee

and you can hear the crowd responding to the story, being won over during the match by Kenny’s heart, desperation, and fighting spirit. Kenny even comments on it in his post match promo

[ID: screenshot of Kenny saying “You know, as this match went on and got more and more physical I started to notice some changes. Changes in the way you felt about me, and changes in the way I felt about you.” End ID.]

But he rejects them. He claims they were actually supporting Naito the whole time and only came to his side when he won. Further proof of what he has already come to suspect, that in the eyes of others his worth only comes from his success

[ID: gif of the promo. Kenny is pointing out at the crowd and saying “What kind of home cheers for Naito?! I gave you everything! I gave you my heart! I gave you my soul!” End ID]

his ambition, his decision to cut himself off from others, those are the things giving him the strength to win, not the fans’ love

[ID: screenshot from OnTheRoad #1 Interview LINK. Kenny is in an airport saying “We thrive on pressure, so putting the added pressure on us, having those feelings of emptiness, loneliness, it makes us stronger.” End ID]

in the car to the airport after the G1 finals Kenny tells Naomi that he deliberately chooses to speak only in English to create a disconnect between himself and the fans, because he doesn’t want to “feel passion towards anything but my wrestling. When I start to care too much about people I find that my performance suffers. I think that was my problem when I wrestled in the juniors.” [LINK]

You see, it was his heart that was always the problem. Cutting it out was the right choice.

and he knows it’s coming with a cost, that it’s damaging him in a fundamental way (the truth of that belief is written into his gear), but he sees the trade off as worth it. As he says over and over again in interviews from this time: Failure is not an option.

[ID: screenshot of Kenny in the same airport saying “We remember what what we do, we’re doing for them [family, friends ‘old training partners’], as much as we’re doing it for ourselves. So it doesn’t make failure an option.” End ID]

Only success can secure his legacy as a legend in japan and only success can bring Kota back to him.

THE G1 FINALS - August 14, 2016 - [Official LINK, Unofficial LINK]

listen. listen. do yourself a favor and watch this match. just watch it. like yes the okada matches are incredible off the charts matches but this match with goto is just so fun, the way the crowd loves kenny so much that they boo goto (who has done nothing wrong!!!!) but kenny keeps doing Heel things so they keep turning against him and then getting immediately won over again. all the little fun cheating shit he does, all the fake outs, and just his energy, the perfect pace of the match, the way he embodies his character’s shitty hearted determination that’s covering up golden hearted fighting spirit. how much he wants the crowd to love him and hates them for making him want it

[ID: two gifs side by side. In the first Kenny rakes Goto’s eyes, and in the second, which takes place immediately afterwards he blows a furious kiss to the booing crowd. End ID]

and then it’s all capped off with the lead up to the finish.

Kenny uses the finishers of three other wrestlers, two of Kota’s (golden bomb, phoenix splash)

[ID: two gifs side by side of Kenny doing Kota’s moves. End ID]

one of devitt’s (bloody sunday), and one of aj’s (styles clash)

he’s referencing them, these wrestlers who are such huge parts of his past (devitt was his first opponent in njpw and founded the bullet club that kenny now leads, aj was his leader who he betrayed, and kota is everything)

he references them and he surpasses them. all these men who left and went west, these past rivals, their moves can’t win this fight, only his can

[ID: in the first gif Kenny hits the one winged angel on Goto. in the second after the 3 count the audience jumps to their feet and cheers as Kenny collapses. End ID]

(after all, only one man has ever kicked out of the one winged angel, and he is an ocean away)

In his victory speech Kenny says that he hopes this match, and all his g1 matches, will be inspiration to his fellow wrestlers, especially those in Orlando (where Kota is, tho he is not the only one Kenny is speaking to) who he knows are watching

at the very end, briefly, furiously won over by the crowd’s overwhelming support he switches to Japanese and declares that: “Japan is my home. NJPW is my home. I will never go “there” [WWE]”

the next day, on his way to the airport NJPW’s translator Naomi interviews him in the car [LINK, unfortunately it’s not on youtube]

[ID: Kenny in a car saying: “It felt like magic, like I was in a magical world where wrestling felt good and there was no pain. It was new to me. And like I said, I still can't understand it. Maybe the only other time I felt that was when I was a tag team with an old partner of mine.”]

for a brief moment he is reminded that wrestling can be more than just pain and bottomless ambition, it can be about joy too. that’s what wrestling used to be like for him

[ID: gif from the G1 finals celebration. Kenny has his hands held up and he looks elated but also in pain. End ID]

And maybe some of that joy comes from his belief that finally, finally he has done it. Finally he has proved to Kota that he is good enough to come back for

[ID: Kenny is sitting in front of a white background, clearly on a zoom call. He’s looking at the camera and saying “After I won the G1, I felt for sure you would come back to me. End ID LINK]

but, whatever Kenny believes, Kota has never been waiting for Kenny to become “good enough”

AUGUST 15, 2016 - Tokyo Sports writes about Kenny’s incredible victory in the G1 Climax, noting Kenny’s use of Kota’s moves during the match. [LINK]

the article says that although the lovers have grown apart, “deep in his heart, Kenny always cares about Ibushi. Ibushi is currently competing in the WWE Cruiserweight Classic tournament. According to Michael Nakazawa, who is accompanying Ibushi in the US, Kenny asked him to "please protect Ibushi if he is about to sign a contract that would negatively affect Ibushi."” [translation by my friend Takahiro]

the article even interviews Kota and he tells them:

“I've two messages for him. First, about New Japan being the best company in the world, well I'm still evolving, and I'm still giving it my all. Second, I kind of get you. You're... lonely, aren't you. Well I'm right here waiting.” -Kota Ibushi [Chris Charlton translation - LINK]

Kenny responds August 28, 2016 (or at least, this is the date Chris Charlton translates it)

"There are precious few people that can change the face of pro wrestling. It may even just be the two of us. So I'm going to stay here in New Japan, doing my best and waiting for him. (At the G1 finals) I finally surpassed him. I was chasing Ibushi for eight years and finally outgrew him. I hope that's inspiration for him, right? It's not like I could go to WWE and be a junior, there's no point in that." - Kenny Omega [Chris Charlton translation - LINK]

Kota loses the CWC in the semi-finals, but he decides to stick around WWE for a little while longer, taking part in the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic (Oct-Nov 2016)

[ID: Kota and TJ Perkins are getting interviewed backstage at NXT. In the first gif TJ says “Kota Ibushi’s elite.” in the second we see Kota’s reaction, his eyebrows go up and he fights off a smile. End ID]

(look at Kota trying not to smile)

and Kenny is clearly paying close attention to Kota’s activities

a fan asks (Oct 26, 2016) Kenny what he thinks about his ex dabbing (it used to be TJ’s thing, who he was tagging with) and Kenny replies “embarrassing.”

and then in September we get this:

[ID: two screenshots from twitter. Kenny tweets: “My moves, my image, my ex, and now my music...? Was it something I said?” with a smirk emoji. naaahmooste replies “...did you just refer to Kota as your ex?” and kenny replies “don’t say his name...” End ID]

Around this time Kenny, the Bucks, and Adam Cole also have a live Q&A on their BTE channel [LINK (thank you nonie!)

Kota is brought up a few times

Someone asks if Kenny will ever reunite with Kota, and he says “Look, I don’t even know that guy anymore, okay?” though he admits to following the CWC to see how he would do. Nick suggests that Kenny still has a connection with Kota (”obviously”) and Kenny says he doesn’t want to talk about it.

and then again later:

[ID: three gifs. Kenny, the bucks. and Adam are in a hotel room looking at the computer/camera. Matt says: “People love asking about Ibushi! Someone [asked about adding Ibushi to the Elite]. Ibushi is-” Nick interrupts saying “He’s an elite guy.” Matt says: “-an elite wrestler.” He looks at Kenny ans says “I’ll leave it at that.” He and Kenny laugh and Kenny shakes his head. End ID]

and Nick mentions that his dream match is Young Bucks vs the Golden Lovers

[ID: two gifs from the same place. Nick says “Oh I’ve got one. Young Bucks vs Ibushi and Kenny. Which might never happen.” the others oooh appreciatively. Nicks says “It might.” End ID]

(nick i have good news and i have bad news...)

[PART 8] [ALL PARTS]

#goldenloverstimeline #the golden lovers #kenny omega #kota ibushi #the young bucks #this is the one where they pine EXTREMELY PUBLICLY #matt jackson #nick jackson #did i ask my japanese business man friend to translate a tokyo sports article about the gls? yes #he read it through once and went 'kenny and kota are REALLY close aren't they' #mestuff #myomegagifs #mykotagifs #myglgifs #piningera #myyoungbucksgifs #i genuinely GENUINELY have beard blindness when it comes to kenny #like unless i am actively looking at his face i cannot tell you if he has a beard or if he has EVER had a beard #sometimes i'll be watching a match and there'll be a shot of his face and im like 'omg kenny has a beard' like NEWSFLASH hes had a beard #the whole damn match!!!!!! #and yet!!!! it is a constant CONSTANT surprise to me idk what is wrong with my brain but kenny's beard status refuses to register #my trash husband #(naito's tag sjlkfdas;lkf)

[mitchtheficus]

A Golden Lovers Timeline

PART 12: THE AMERICAN NIGHTMARE

[ID: gif of Cody leaning forward and saying: “Is the world ready for the American Nightmare?” End ID LINK]

Cody Rhodes joins Bullet Club December 10th, 2016 under the ring name: “the American Nightmare”

Kenny introduces him to us as a monster and oh boy is he right

[ID: two gifs of Kenny doing a promo in the ring, talking to the camera. He says: “The next member of the Bullet Club is a monster. Rest assured, things round here will change.” End ID LINK]

Cody is wrestling royalty, recently escaped from under the thumb of Vince McMahon, striking out on his own for the first time, and the bucks have kind of adopted him and taken him under their wing. he starts showing up in BTE and their hotel Q&As in February 2017, part of the gang already

[ID: gif of Matt hugging Cody while Nick (who is holding the camera) gives them a Too Sweet gesture. End ID LINK]

in his first njpw interview he gets asked about tension within the bullet club and he assures us that the BC is like Camelot, a round table of equals 

[ID: picture of Cody in a blue suit. he has brown hair and his left eye has an American flag contact that makes him look just slightly off. He’s saying: “Think of it this way: it’s Camelot, if that makes any sense. It’s a round table. Everybody’s an equal.” End ID LINK]

(the fact that camelot famously had a king seems to slip his mind)

But the cracks in Cody’s Team Player facade start to show pretty quickly

Cody is the one who ties to throw in the towel on Kenny’s behalf at Dominion (June 11, 2017) claiming he’s worried about Kenny’s well-being. but the bucks stop him. After the match Cody shows up at Okada’s post-match comments, calls him “stud” and issues his own title challenge [LINK]

[ID: picture of Cody leaning towards a sweaty and tired looking Okada and yelling: “You’re AFRAID to measure yourself against a goddamn SUPERSTAR like myself!” Okada looks unimpressed. End ID]

He gets his chance at the G1 Special (July 1-2, 2017), but no one seems to take his challenge particularly seriously (it’s clear from Kenny’s OnTheRoad videos from this time, that he assumes Cody will lose)

During Cody’s match, Kenny mirrors Cody’s actions at Dominion with his own towel and is also stopped by the bucks. and after the match their conflict almost becomes physical

[ID: gif of Kenny yelling at an irate Cody while the bucks push the two apart. end ID LINK]

but once again the bucks keep the pot from boiling over

Kenny and Cody promise that it’s water under the bridge, but neither is being particularly honest

The thing you need to know about Cody is that he’s a snake. In some ways he and Kenny are alike, both are incredibly ambitious and neither is interested in being second to anyone. but they’re ambitious in different ways. Kenny’s ambition has a goal, he’s ambitious because he wants to be a legend, he wants to change the world, he wants to be loved, he wants to be worthy. Cody is ambitious because there is no other way of existing that has meaning to him.

[ID: Cody with blond hair in backstage comments, clearly upset. He says: “He said I’m not the leader. Great. Great. Then who am I? Then who am I?” End ID LINK]

If you took away his *personal* ambition, there would still be things inside Kenny. he would still have motivations and desires. If you pulled out Cody’s ambition, rooted deep into the earth of his very soul like a weed, it would kill him dead. it would transform him utterly. The best you can hope for with Cody are some strong fcking breaks.

But unlike the recently murdered Adam Cole, Cody is smart enough to see that direct confrontation with Kenny won’t get him what he wants, at least not yet, not while the bucks are still resolutely in Kenny’s corner.

So he bides his time. He observes.

he doesn’t get anywhere right away but he keeps his eyes open, and it doesn’t take him long to notices something that no one else in the bullet club seems to:

Kota Ibushi

Kenny’s open wound. the way Kenny is always, always talking about Kota Ibushi but barely able to hear his name or look him in the face. The guilt and hurt and love that Kenny is just bleeding out everywhere he goes, where anyone can see but no one seems to look. And when Cody makes some innocuous comment about looking for a Wrestle Kingdom opponent, Kenny tells him he can pick anyone he wants, but to stay away from Kota Ibushi. And Cody tastes blood in the water.

So he starts poking.

When Kota loses his emotional IC title match against Tanahashi (Nov. 5, 2017 - LINK), Cody comes to his post-match comments and issues a challenge.

[ID: two gifs of Kota sitting on the ground in post-match comments, and Cody standing above him in a red suit, holding the ROH title. Cody says: “Kenny told me to leave you alone. Kenny told me to leave you alone, but I just couldn’t resist.” End ID.]

“Kenny told me to leave you alone but I just couldn’t resist. And I know you wanted that one! I know you wanted it, [faux sympathetic voice] so close! but it's not always about what we want. Sometimes, it's about what we need, right? See, I- I need you. I need you to stand across from me at the Tokyo Dome. I need you to be my opponent at Wrestle Kingdom. What do they say, always pick a fight that's big enough to matter but small enough for you to win? I'm already the biggest box office in the industry, and you- you're the small part. So get ready to kiss the ring and get ready to get down on your knees when you do it! Sleep on it, stud.”

- Cody Rhodes [LINK]

(i super did not clock the ‘get down on your knees’ bit back then lmao)

Kota doesn’t respond immediately but it’s announced later that he accepted the challenge

(one has to assume he was interested in Cody’s mention of Kenny if nothing else. Here Cody is after all, giving him a sliver of hope that maybe Kenny does still care about him, despite their failed touch in the hallway)

In their tag match leading up to WK12 [Dec 11, 2017 - LINK] Cody displays…

[ID: two gifs. in the first Cody holds up his hand with a ring on it, asking Kota to kiss the ring. Kota shoves his hand out of his face. In the second Cody holds Kota’s hand and showily kisses it, looking Kota in the eyes. End ID]

let’s call it a decidedly malicious, subtly amorous interest in Kota (that will become much less subtle pretty much immediately)

Because you see, Cody knows about the golden lovers.

He’s trying to get to Kenny through Kota, and these aren’t the taunts one would use to get to an old tag partner. Cody knows they’re not just old tag partners. He knows that “lovers” is not just a name.

He’s the only one in the bullet club who seems to.

And with this knowledge he is perfectly placed to cause maximum damage, to hurt Kenny and Kota like no one else knows how

and at WK12 he gets his first shot

[PART 13] [ALL PARTS]

#goldenloverstimeline #cody rhodes #kota ibushi #kenny omega #the golden lovers #mestuff #mycodygifs #mykotagifs #myomegagifs #myGLgifs #otp: like i love you

[mitchtheficus]

A Golden Lovers Timeline

PART 10: RETURN

[ID: twitter screenshot. Kenny tweeted: “So you’ve finally decided to come back... It’s a different world now, Ibutan, allow me to show you just how far behind you’ve fallen. #njpw” from June 20, 2017 End ID]

in his tweet Kenny combines “Ibushi” with “-tan” (a sort of a lisping baby-talk version of the “-chan” honorific) which is used to show intimacy and affection with close friends or lovers

(Kenny and Kota used -tan with each other back when they were a tag team...)

In his first interview after Dominion, Kenny is zooming in from his home in Canada and Naomi asks him about Kota’s return [LINK (it’s free so should be watchable for non-subscribers, Kota question is at 22:33)]

[ID: gif of the interview. Kenny is looking at the screen with a blank face and then starts to smile, looking away and rubs his hand over his eyes. Naomi says: “...your old buddy, I won’t say his name...” and Kenny goes: “Oh Jesus” End ID]

(I love the way that whenever Kenny is surprised by someone asking about this story or is placed in the same space with Kota unexpectedly, he always struggles so much to stay in character)

once he locks down his initial response he launches into this monologue that is just…

[ID: gif of Kenny speaking to the camera sometimes with his thumb against his lips. He says: “I want you to promise me...I want you to promise me and be a man of your word. Promise me, Ibushi.” End ID]

a lot. like it’s SO MUCH to have Kenny talking to Kota at you!! IN A ZOOM MEETING!!!

"It's been a while. I was waiting. And I wondered what it would take. See, having the best match of all time at the Tokyo Dome wasn't enough. After I won the G1, I thought for sure you would come back to me. After I had the greatest match of all time at the Tokyo Dome, something you could never do, I thought you'd come back. What makes you come back now? What makes you want to challenge the G1 after everything we've been through? Is it something that you're doing for yourself? Are you trying to challenge me? Are you trying to catch up to me after I surpassed you? These are the questions that are running through my head. You know, I still have your number. I still have your email. I could always call you. I could always contact you. But I wouldn't know what to say. So, Ibushi, if you're in my block, let's do our talking in the ring. And if you're not in my block, Ibushi, I want you to promise me... I want you to promise me and be a man of your word. Promise me, Ibushi, that you'll make it to the finals. It's the only way we can meet. So whether you're in my block, or whether we're in separate blocks, I want to see you in that ring. Show me how much you've grown. Show me what you've learned. Oppositely, I'll show you everything I've learned, and I'll show you how much I've grown. Things are different now. You're not The Man anymore. I'm so much more than what you are now. And I can't wait to show you the difference in our power.”

(the way he says ibushi every other sentence just like in his first promo all those years ago :((( )

so there’s a lot to unpack here.

all these years Kenny has consistently tried to interpret Kota’s behavior through a lens of his own values, falling into the classic trap of assuming that just because you are utterly driven by ambition and insecurity that those around you must be too. And now that Kota’s back it doesn’t even occur to Kenny that his return could be about anything else. Of course, the only reason Kota would come back is to one up Kenny. What else could he want? Not Kenny’s burned and blackened heart.

Also, can we talk for a second about the way Kenny admits that all this time he’s had Kota’s fucking phone number??? all those interviews and promos, doing his moves in all those big matches, all that work to get his attention and he could’ve just picked up the phone!!! but what would he say? he can’t bring himself to apologize, he can’t bear to make himself vulnerable to Kota, and so they have to meet in the ring instead.

Because if Kenny can beat Kota his pride will be assuage and he’ll be able to graciously extend his hand from a place of power. and if Kota beats him then maybe they’ll be even, reunion and penance in one, and he won’t have to say a word

Anyway it’s July 2017 and NJPW is in America for some shows (i’ll go back to this later) and Kenny is technically trying to win a title here but Kota is never far from his mind, even more so than usual.

He’s asked if he could pick any wrestler as his next opponent, who would it be and he says “Ibushi. Yeah. Of course.” [LINK]

in an interview of 100 Questions [LINK] he gives us this little moment:

[ID: gif of Kenny in a car being interviewed. He says “A date?” and the interview says “yes” and Kenny says “Like with a man or a woman?” End ID]

and this:

“Do you have any pain in your body right now?”

“Yeah, of course. My neck and my back. My knee. My shin... My broken heart.”

and just to prove that his infuriating behavior knows no bounds: he tries to recontextualize his destiny with Kota

[ID: screenshot of Kenny at the post US title victory comments saying: "Whether I finally have to accept my destiny and crush you, Ibushi...it shall be done" End ID LINK]

[ID: screenshot of Kenny in the Begin Japanology documentary saying “I felt like my destiny, if there is such a thing, was to come out here and fight Kota Ibushi.” End ID]

back then he believed their shared destiny was to meet, to fight (as opponents or as partners), and to make magic together in the ring. now he twists it into being just about beating Kota.

Around this time Kota has a short documentary video released before the G1 [free on NJPWWORLD LINK], it doesn’t have English subtitles, but he’s working out in his personal gym which is fun to watch

[ID: screenshot of Kota all sweaty laying on the mat with his arms above his head. End ID]

Kenny, heartsick fool that he is, watches it obviously and brings it up in an interview about the G1 when asked about Kota’s block

(Kenny and the translator both start smiling as soon as the host mentions A Block, it’s v cute)

[LINK - Kota stuff starts around 55:00]

“A Block? There’s only one. There’s only one. Look, I’ve fought all these guys. I know what they’re all about. I understand them. I have faith that I can beat any one of them. But there’s only one of them that I want to beat. There’s only one of them that I want to meet. And it’s you, Ibushi. Look, it’s a different world. And I saw your training video *smiles and shakes his head* you can’t just wake up one day and decide, “yeah, hell I’m gonna join the G1! I’m gonna win the G1!” The world isn’t that easy. But, Ibushi, somewhere in there…you have it in you. And if it’s still alive, and you have been training, and this really is your time, take it. Because I never stopped after you left. After you left me all alone…to fend for myself…I never stopped training. I never stopped sacrificing. I never stopped feeling the pain. I never ran away like you did. So if you can make it to the finals…that’s where I’ll be waiting. And then finally, I’ll make you feel the pain, Ibushi. And I’ll show you through my actions, everything that I felt while you were away - after you threw me away - to accomplish your own dream. Your own pipedream of becoming a World Famous CWC participant.”

Talk about rewriting history! Talk about rejecting personal responsibility for the consequences of your own choices!!

he’s so unwilling to look his own culpability in the face that he’s made all of this Kota’s fault. Kota abandoned him, threw him away because he couldn’t keep up, and now Kota is back, but only because he sees Kenny as competitively worth his time.

and you can see that hurt and anger that Kenny feels in moments like the G1 press conference [July 14, 2017 - LINK], where Kenny spends the entirety of Kota’s promo glowering covetously at the back of his head

[ID: screenshot of Kenny glowers at the back of Kota’s head during the press conference. End ID]

but Kenny’s perception is all off. Kota didn’t come back to fight him. He doesn’t even know if he wants to.

“I think obviously Kenny and Okada are the favourites in block B. That said, I do have my doubts over whether this is the right time to face Kenny, but then maybe facing Kenny in the finals and winning is a one of a kind of opportunity.”

“You have your doubts?”

"It’s very complicated, and I have a lot of conflicting emotions about it. But ultimately I think it’s not the right time right now. I’m more interested in getting my singles match revenge against Okada.. or maybe Michael Elgin.”

- Kota on njpw 1972 - LINK

As much as Kota thinks a singles match between them might be the best match ever, he’s worried about the likelihood of them hurting each other, especially given the person that Kenny has become [LINK - translation by Chris Charlton]. as we’ll see later, he’s not interested in the lovers doing their talking “in the ring.” and he’s not especially drawn in by Kenny’s taunts

He doesn’t get asked about it directly, but here he is reacting to Naito saying the same stuff:

[ID: screenshot of interview transcript. Interviewer: “Naito was always very mindful of you. When he felt that he’d surpassed you, it became a big theme for him, a big talking point.” Ibushi: “Ahhh, so in his mind he just thinks I’m beneath him (laughs)” LINK]

Kota’s not even particularly impressed by Kenny’s recent matches!

All the while that Kenny has been building his mythos in njpw, Kota has been healing from injury and trying to re-find his footing, exploring the world and how he feels about wrestling when he isn’t trapped under the yoke of an impossible schedule. And now that he’s back in Japan he’s faced with a former lover who has become almost unrecognizable. Is the man he knows still in there? Could he bear to make himself vulnerable enough to find out?

[PART 11] [ALL PARTS]

#kota ibushi #goldenloverstimeline #the golden lovers #kenny omega #returnera #myomegagifs #mykotagifs #myGLgifs #mestuff #'threw him away because he couldn’t keep up and now Kota is back but only because he sees Kenny as competitively worth his time' #kennys brain makes me sad :(((((((((( #KOTA LOVES YOUUUUUU

[mitchtheficus]

A Golden Lovers Timeline

PART 14: CRISIS

it’s new years dash again (the day after WK) and we hit a crisis point

it starts off normal enough, the Elite have a match tagging together and as you can see Kenny and Matt are still pretty beat up from last night [LINK]

[ID: picture of Kenny with a head and rib bandage. Gif of Matt wincing in pain while trying to do the bucks’ pose. the camera moves over to Nick who grins wildly and does the pose. End ID]

(Nick is gleefully just fine lol)

A little later, Kota and Cody have a tag match [Full match Official LINK] [free LINK for end of match]

it’s pretty light-hearted and silly

but the second the match ends, Cody goes for Kota

[ID: gif of Cody grabbing Kota by the foot and dragging him out of the ring and punching his back. End ID]

Chase (who should know better) and Hikuleo (who is new) get Kota down on his knees while Yujiro (who does know better) gesticulates his concern from the apron

[ID: gif of Chase and Hikuleo holding Kota on his knees. Cody walks around them holding a chair. in the corner of the screen Brandi Rhodes hits the mat in support. End ID]

for months now Cody has been targeting Kota to try to get Kenny to react

And finally, finally he does

when it becomes clear what Cody is going to do Kenny has to make a choice, and the speed with which he reacts suggests it was barely a choice at all. he’s already on his way before Cody even raises the chair

[ID: two gifs. in the first Kenny slides into the ring under the bottom rope right as Cody lifts the chair. Kenny rips the chair out of Cody’s hands and throws it. In the second Kenny is shouting and shoving Cody who starts to shout and shove him back. Chase and Hikuleo are uncertainly holding Kota by the hair this whole time. End ID]

I highly recommend watching the moment for yourself, there’s something so magical about the crowd reaction, the way they come alive when they see Kenny

the way they scream when he looks at Kota for the first time

[ID: a gif of Kenny pushing Chase and Hikuleo and walking towards Kota, who is rolling away towards the edge of the ring. He turns back around to Cody. the second is a picture of that moment with Kenny looking down at Kota, Kenny’s face is expressive, Kota’s is obscured. Chase looks on clearly confused. End ID]

the way they start chanting his name as he and Cody shout at each other, the only ones in this situation who are unequivocally on his side in this, wholeheartedly supporting his choice to protect Kota

It’s just a perfect moment, one of my favorites in this whole story. it’s the first moment of Kenny’s feelings for Kota being put out in front of everyone, finally unmasked for what they really are. everything he’s been telling us for years has been a lie, he doesn’t want to fight Kota at all. he can’t bear to see him hurt, can’t bear it to such an extent that he attacks one of his own friends, shoves his own stablemates, pushed into action without thought or plan by the power of his feelings for Kota

(and as a queer person it makes me emotional to see a gay love story so public, so central to the plot, with all these other characters involved and invested)

Kota ends up curled up by the edge of the ring, not looking. waiting.

[ID: gif of Kota curled over the apron, he’s perfectly still, hiding his face in his hand while the bullet club argues in the background. End ID]

But nothing else happens

Kenny doesn’t approach or look at Kota again.

[ID: Kenny shouting at Cody: “YOU LOST YESTERDAY! YOU LOST! IT’S OVER! LET IT GO! LET IT GO!” End ID]

eventually Kenny tells Cody that he is the leader here and Cody seems shocked, shocked! by this information. he leaves, and gives his ‘he said i’m not the leader, than who am i’ promo in the post-match comments [LINK]

Kota does post-match comments too, and when the reporters ask Kota what happened, he first tries interpreting their question to be about Cody

[ID: picture of Kota saying: “I guess he wanted some revenge.” End ID - LINK]

when the reporters make their meaning more explicit

[ID: picture of Kota as reporter says: “At the end, Kenny was there to save you.” End ID - LINK]

he lies (as he admits later)

[ID: three gifs of Kota saying: "I don't know what that means. I don't know why. I don't know if he was trying to save me." he keeps looking down. End ID - LINK]

and then he changes the subject

but before he leaves he tells them that he has something planned for this year, something that he’s gonna make happen

back in the ring Kenny takes this opportunity to give a speech

[ID: picture of Kenny in the ring with a mic and a BC shirt saying: “The Bullet Club hasn't been whole for a long time. We need unity! We need to be a team again! [...] No more fighting! [...] I know exactly what we need.” End ID]

Kenny’s Big Idea To Save The Bullet Club From Divorce is adopting a horrible garbage emo son who is just obsessed with knives

Jay White has just recently joined the heavyweight roster after his time on excursion following his training as a young lion, and last night at WK he challenged Tanahashi and lost

[ID: picture of Kenny speaking to Jay White in the ring saying: “I've always seen your potential...You remind me of the Cleaner Kenny Omega in 2015.” End ID]

unfortunately for Kenny, Jay isn’t actually very much like 2015!Kenny at all

he isn’t a deeply insecure, heartbroken loser so desperate to become something worthwhile that he’ll join a group he knows isn’t a good fit and make himself second to a man he doesn’t respect. he isn’t trying to bury a golden heart underneath grey hair and anime villain posturing, he’s genuinely garbage through and through.

and he knows the look of a man spinning wildly out of control when he sees one. he’s not hitching his horse to that wagon

[ID: Jay, wearing a BC shirt, poses in celebration with Kenny, then his expression changes and he drags his hand across his neck and attacks Kenny. End ID]

more than that, he knows Kenny.

[ID: gif of Jay from his post-match comments: ”Kenny, did you forget the time we spent together on tour when I was a young boy? I know what you’re like. I know what the Bullet Club is like.” End ID - LINK]

He’s been training in NJPW for quite a while now. in fact, he was one of the young lions who carried a weeping Kota to the back after Kenny’s betrayal in 2015.

[ID: gif of a young Jay White and Sho Tanaka carrying Kota away from the ring. End ID]

he hasn’t forgotten witnessing that act of betrayal. he even brings it up later (Feb 2018) to warn Kota against trusting Kenny again

[ID: three gifs of a future post-match comments where Jay says: “Don’t forget who your tag partner tonight is. Don’t forget Invasion Attack 2015... I remember. I was right there at ringside watching. He hopped up on the apron, distracted you for a split second, but that was more than enough. That’s on Kenny. Don’t forget what he’s like, or Ibushi your heart...your heart will be broken once more. End ID]

he tagged with Kota once a few months after that betrayal (Kota defended him when AJ Styles attacked him after their match), and then in 2016 he met Kenny in a singles match. Kenny was incredibly disrespectful during their match and he remembers that too. [LINK]

Jay recognizes this BC invitation as the admission of fear that it is, what better way of keeping a potential rival out of your way then bringing them into your stable? (stablemates fight at most once a year during the G1 climax)

his rejection is a shock to Kenny

[ID: Kenny, exhausted and laughing, in his post-match comments saying: “Well I can't say I expected that. Usually- Usually everyone is dying to be a member of the Bullet Club. I feel like an idiot.” End ID - LINK]

Kenny gave up everything to be a member of the bullet club

“One by one, as time went on, I lost everything. And in times when I had something that I enjoyed in life, I had to sacrifice it in order to become the best.”

- Kenny Omega, in an interview leading up to WK12 [LINK]

sacrificed his relationship with Kota

ID: picture of Kenny on a rooftop talking to Kevin Kelly and saying: “When I perform I give you of my heart and of my soul, and even tho that heart is black and that soul is mostly gone, it's still enough to be better than everyone else.” End ID - LINK]

corrupted and damaged his own heart and soul

and here’s Jay White, treating the honor of Bullet Club membership like it’s less than nothing.

I feel like 2016 and 2017 were the years of Kenny Omega getting everything he ever said he wanted and finding those victories empty

He won two heavyweight titles, became the first foreigner to ever win the G1, main-evented WK... but the closest he felt to happiness during that time was winning the G1, and he said: “Maybe the only other time I felt that was when I was a tag team with an old partner of mine.”

he used to feel that joy that all the time when he was with Kota, and now he only gets brief flashes of it

Even Kota’s return has been completely different to what Kenny said he wanted. No epic showdown where Kenny could finally prove himself better, instead Kota reached out and Kenny pulled away

and during this time his only solace has been the Young Bucks

but lately the bucks have been distracted with their youtube show and their new ROH friends (including Cody)

last night at WK Kenny had to stumble out alone, and today at NYD the bucks didn’t have his back yet again

after the show the the BTE guys go out to a restaurant together and shit finally hits the fan [LINK]

hilariously it starts off with Nick (holding the bucks’ single emotional intelligence brain cell as usual) noticing the tension between kenny and cody and being confused (proof that the bucks genuinely didn’t see what happened at NYD)

and Kenny let’s it all spill out

[ID: two gifs. Kenny at dinner with everyone saying: “five episodes later, where are my [BTE] appearances? Where are my vlogs?” and in the second: “What about me getting my ass kicked by Chris Jericho? Where were any of you?” End ID]

(we later learn that Cody has been interfering with the BTE editing, which is at least part of why the vlogs haven’t been included)

but those things are mild aggravations compared to the central issue here. and Kenny finally acknowledges it

[ID: four gifs of Kenny at dinner saying: And I said specifically to you, Cody: anyone but him. Anyone but him. So I have to ask you, Cody, now that we’re just out in the open addressing this. We might as well just tackle this right now. Why? Why?” End ID]

this is so heartbreaking to me. Kenny is finally pushed to the point of admitting that he has tried to protect Kota, and just as he gets there, Matt begins complaining that kenny is ruining their nice dinner, like kenny isn’t demanding an explanation for the love of his life getting jumped by a supposed friend

but the bucks don’t understand what this is really about. not only did they not see the events of NYD, they think the tension between kenny and cody is about Being The Leader (something they care nothing about), so they can’t recognize what is really at stake here or why Kenny is so deeply upset

and you almost can’t blame them, because Kenny has been lying so hard about it for so long

after NYD he gives an interview in Tokyo Sports and tries to pass off his reaction as annoyance at Cody for stepping out of line

(When he tried to attack Ibushi) Cody went into business for himself. That's the kind of thing Jericho would do, or Suzuki Gun. I don't want that from Bullet Club. I want us to be the best in ring bell to bell. I'll have to go back to Canada, take a break and think about this. Of course Kota and I have a lot of history but any more than that.. no comment.

- Kenny Omega, translation by Chris Charlton [LINK]

I really do think that if Kenny had, at this point, taken them aside and explained everything to the bucks, they’d have had his back. but he just isn’t capable of that admission right now. maybe he never was, but certainly not now when he’s feeling so embattled and alone

[ID: gif of Kenny standing up from the table saying: “You have purposefully excluded me from everything anyway [...] Whats another episode without Kenny Omega? Let’s make it number 6!]

Kenny leaves and cody tells the others not to follow him

he evil master plan is coming along nicely, he’s pushed Kenny nearly to the edge and started to fray the bond between him and the bucks

but he hasn’t fully considered the consequences of giving Kota Ibushi hope

[PART 15] [ALL PARTS]

#recognizing gay love is a superpower that only cody and jay white possess apparently #goldenloverstimeline #kota ibushi #kenny omega #the golden lovers #the young bucks #nick jackson #matt jackson #i like to picture the bucks sitting in medical like matt getting a back massage while nick edits bte on his phone with the tv screen on mute #behind them with the kenny vs cody thing happening on it while elevator music plays #cody rhodes #mestuff #myGLgifs #returnera #myomegagifs #mykotagifs #mycodygifs #myyoungbucksgifs #Hikuleo is new to kenny anyway he'd been in njpw before but not really overlapping with kenny at all #new years dash 2018

[mitchtheficus]

A Golden Lovers Timeline

PART 6: SEIZE THE THRONE

Welcome to the pining chapter(s) of this love story

New Years Dash is one of my favorite events in NJPW, it takes place the day after WK and it generally sets up new storylines for the year to come. you never really know what’s going to happen

this particular NYD (Jan 5th, 2016 - Official LINK, Unofficial LINK) is extremely good. Kenny and AJ have a tag match against Nakamura and YOSHI-HASHI, and Kenny (still a junior) pins Nakamura (the IC champion) winning the match. It’s the exact kind of Proving himself he set out to do by joining bullet club

and as they celebrate the victory Kenny looks over at AJ Styles

[ID: AJ stands on the second rope of the right turnbuckle, hands raised in victory. On the other side of the ring Kenny is prepared to do the same but he stops, puts his foot back on the mat and turns his head to look over at AJ. End ID]

and goes, i’ve had enough of this fuckin guy

[ID: Kenny gets AJ on his shoulders from where AJ was standing on the turnbuckle in the last gif. AJ flails and Kenny hits him with the one-winged angel. End ID]

The other members of bullet club rush out to intervene, but when it comes down to a question of Kenny vs anyone else (a question they are forced to face fairly often), the Young Bucks pick Kenny.

[ID: two gifs. in the first the young bucks crowd Kenny into the turnbuckle, speaking closely to him while the other bullet club members are huddled around AJ's prone body. in the second the other members of the bullet club have AJ standing up with their help and Kenny and the Bucks superkick him. End ID]

Always.

[ID: two screenshots from twitter, in the first Matt Jackson posts a collage, with photos of the bucks being buddies with Devitt, AJ and Adam Cole on the left, and on the right pictures of them kicking them out of the bullet club with the twitter caption: “We’ve had to make a couple executive decisions over the years.” Someone replied “When’s Kenny” and Matt quote retweets saying “Wherever Kenny goes, We go.” Kenny has liked the tweet. End ID]

(at least in this story)

Kenny didn't sell his soul, carve out his own heart, and get saddled with a ring name like “The Cleaner” just so he could be some lowly underling. Now that he’s had a chance to feel the full breadth and depth of his own ambition, he’s come to believe that he is The Best Wrestler in the World and he’s ready to prove it. Who the hell is AJ Styles anyway?

[ID: Screenshot from the documentary Second Home. Kenny is saying: "I can finally take my position as the rightful leader. And yes I say the rightful, I should have always been the leader" End ID]

Kenny was just holding himself back out of some kind of misplaced loyalty to AJ

[ID: Gif of Kenny's promo after betraying AJ, he says: "While I struggled! While I starved! Forcing myself to be a junior!" End ID]

Of course he’s been a True heavyweight all along, only faking being a junior to accommodate AJ’s ego. But no longer. He has to reach as far as possible and AJ’s in his way

This moment is also the birth of The Elite (a group comprised of Kenny and the Bucks, separate from and Above the rest of the bullet club, the rest of njpw and roh, and the rest of wrestlers generally)

[ID: picture of Kenny posing over AJ’s slumped body while the bucks do their pose on their side of him. I’m not sure it’s intentional but it mirrors the pose Devitt did when BC beat Kenny in the super juniors. End ID]

When we next see Kenny his gear has changed

until now heel!Kenny has been wearing black trunks with two golden wings on the back framing the bullet club logo

[ID: image of the trunks described above]

but heavyweight!Kenny’s got full length pants!

[ID: screenshots of Kenny’s entrance, his pants are swirly pinks and black, with blue fringe down the sides, Bucks are with him wearing colorful pants with fringe at the bottom. End ID]

and they are multi-purpose

1. Kenny irl wasn’t especially interested in the silent/cold/calculating “badass” character njpw gave him, these new pants are colorful and a bit silly, asserting his own interpretation of his character over the company’s (kind of like with the broom shtick)

2. they kind of match the Young Bucks’ gear (colorful and with fringe), signaling their connection

3. these pants become Kenny’s Not A Serious Match gear, he only wears them when he’s in matches that he sees as Unimportant, and for those matches he also keeps his shirt on. So they can be used to demonstrate his contempt for his opponents (wearing them even in title matches against those he sees as unworthy etc.)

[ID: two gifs of Kenny speaking to the camera in a ring. in the first he says: “No black tights today! We keepin’ this shirt on! Not a big match.” End ID]

We see his Serious Match pants for the first time a little later, in a tag match against Tanahashi. it’s his first match as a heavyweight against someone who matters, and it’s the lead up to their IC title match

On this new gear are two wings, one is complete and whole, made of silver and gold feathers

[ID: the wing described above. End ID]

the other is skeletal and almost completely bare except for a few lone feathers still clinging to the bones

[ID: the wing described above. End ID]

(how dramatic is that. to put your broken heart on your gear and only wear it to important events in your life)

Kenny and Tana’s IC title match is really, really fun (Feb 14, 2016 - Official LINK, Unofficial LINK) there is some ridiculous, elaborate cheating involving the bucks, it’s so funny that one of the japanese commentators actually bursts out laughing

(this isn’t important but Red Shoes DOES kick at the young bucks in this match and i love him)

[ID: gif from the match. Kenny is laying near the edge of the ring while the bucks spray Cold Spray on his knee. Red Shoes sees them and runs over, sticking his leg through the ropes to kick at them. End ID]

Kenny wins

it’s a huge moment, not only because it’s his first heavyweight title (something Kota was never able to achieve) but also because he wins it from Hiroshi Tanahashi, the Ace of NJPW, one of the Big Three wrestlers of NJPW, and Kota’s wrestling god

[ID: picture of Kenny’s post-match promo, saying “ You have a new valentine. You have a new hero. You have a new god! You will love me!” End ID]

NJPW makes a short documentary called Second Home [April 2016 - Official LINK, Unofficial LINK] about Kenny as new IC champ. In it they go to the location of his first match against Kota, and it’s clear that even now, in this moment of triumph, Kenny is still mourning Kota’s absence

[ID: two gifs of Kenny from the documentary Second Home. He says: “Back then [...] he was the real Golden Star, he had everythinggg in the palm of his hands, he was the future, and that day [their first match] I just wasn’t good enough. Boy, things have changed. Really changed.” he looks wistful. End ID]

He’s openly wondering where Kota could be, making little comments that seem to simultaneously plead for Kota to come back and dare him to

“I thought from then [their first match] I had found my arch-nemesis. My rival. And then...as time went on, we became friends. Best friends. But alas... It's a new day. It's a new year. Everything's completely different. I'm the intercontinental champion and Ibushi is nowhere to be found. Where is he? I don't know. So will there ever be a match? I don't know. Maybe not. Maybe he's not in my league anymore. He's just old feelings. You know, like when you miss your ex-girlfriend. It's kind of like that. Just something that stays with you in your heart.” - Kenny in Second Home

Kenny may not know where in the world Kota has gone off to, but he’s about to find out

during the last few months Kota has been enjoying his time being a freelancer on the indies, wrestling as a representative of “the Ibushi Pro Wrestling Research Institute” and now his wanderings have taken him all the way to WWE

[ID: Screenshot of WWE’s article with the headline “Kota Ibushi shows up at NXT TakeOver: Dallas” with a picture of Kota in the crowd. End ID]

in June 2016 Kota is announced as an entrant in WWE’s Cruiserweight Classic tournament

[ID: Kota stands in the middle of the CWC ring, wearing a CWC shirt (part of the parade of cruiserweights). End ID]

(Kenny is unimpressed)

“For him to do that, be a junior in WWE, isn't that embarrassing? I can do so much more here (in New Japan)." - Kenny (translation by Chris Charlton)

(wouldn’t you rather be here, Kota? In NJPW? With me? Being a heavyweight? With me?)

and while Kota tests out the waters in America, Kenny gets ready to participate in his first ever G1 Climax

[PART 7] [ALL PARTS]

#kenny omega #kota ibushi #the golden lovers #njpw #goldenloverstimeline #piningera #mestuff #myomegagifs #mykotagifs #myGLgifs #alternative title: wear your heart on your butt #the way i thought i could make it to the end of the g1 with this post... #kenny showing up in new pants: update on my heart guys its gotten worse