Katsuyori Shibata noted during an appearance at the opening of the New Japan Pro Wrestling dojo in the United States over the weekend that he does not consider himself retired from being a professional wrestler.

Shibata, who has been appointed the Head Coach of the dojo in Los Angeles, said that while he is focused on training and training others, he still has plans to step inside the ring once again, despite being originally told that was not possible.

38-year-old Shibata has been inactive since the Sakura Genesis 2017 event last year, an event where he challenged Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight Title.

During the match, Okada and Shibata clashed heads, which caused Shibata to develop swelling. Following the match, it was reported that Shibata collapsed backstage and was rushed to a nearby hospital, where it was discovered that he had a subdural hematoma, which required emergency surgery. The injury, combined with him being dehydrated, caused Shibata to also experience some paralysis on his right side, with the feeling that he would never be cleared to wrestle again.