Golden☆Lovers

**Golden☆Lovers** (ゴールデン☆ラヴァーズ, *Gōruden☆Ravāzu*) was a professional wrestling tag team of Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi. The team was formed in January 2009 in the Japanese DDT Pro-Wrestling promotion, where, over the next five years, they won the KO-D Tag Team Championship on two occasions. The team also made appearances for New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), where they won the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship once. The team disbanded when Omega left DDT in October 2014.

Omega and Ibushi reunited at The New Beginning in Sapporo in January 2018. During their reunion Omega held the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, while Ibushi held the NEVER Openweight Championship. The team disbanded on January 4, 2019, when Omega made his last appearance for NJPW.

## History

### DDT Pro-Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling (2009-2014)

In July 2008, Canadian wrestler Kenny Omega started his first Japanese tour with the DDT Pro-Wrestling promotion, where he quickly became friends with Kota Ibushi, with the two forming a tag team named "Golden☆Lovers" in January 2009. On January 24, Ibushi and Omega defeated HARASHIMA and Toru Owashi to win the KO-D Tag Team Championship for the first time. After one successful defense, they lost the title to Francesco Togo and Piza Michinoku on May 10. In the summer of 2009, Ibushi won King of DDT 2009 and went on to win KO-D Openweight Championship from HARASHIMA. During his time as champion he also won the Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship and would lose the Openweight Championship to Shuji Ishikawa. Over the following years, Omega and Ibushi established themselves as one of the top tag teams on the Japanese independent circuit.

On January 31, 2010, the Golden☆Lovers made their debut for New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), defeating Gedo and Jado by referee stoppage, when Jado was legitimately injured. On October 11 at NJPW's Destruction '10 event, the Golden☆Lovers defeated Apollo 55 (Prince Devitt and Ryusuke Taguchi) to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship. The match was later named the 2009 Match of the Year by *Tokyo Sports*, becoming the first junior heavyweight tag team match in history to win the award. After making successful title defenses against Apollo 55 and the team of Gedo and Jado, with both matches taking place back in DDT, Ibushi and Omega lost the title back to Apollo 55 on January 23, 2011, during NJPW's *Fantastica Mania 2011* weekend. The Golden☆Lovers received a rematch for the title on August 14, but were again defeated by Apollo 55. On May 26, Ibushi entered New Japan's 2011 Best of the Super Juniors tournament. After losing his first two round robin stage matches, Ibushi came back with a six match win streak to finish first in his block and advance to the semifinals of the tournament. On June 10, Ibushi first defeated Davey Richards in the semifinals and then Ryusuke Taguchi in the finals to win the 2011 Best of the Super Juniors tournament and earn a shot at Prince Devitt's IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship. On June 18 at Dominion 6.18, Ibushi defeated Prince Devitt to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship for the first time. On August 14, the Golden☆Lovers failed in their attempt to regain the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship from Apollo 55. On October 23, Omega defeated KAI to become the new AJPW's World Junior Heavyweight Champion. Omega lost the title back to KAI on May 27, 2012. On June 24, Ibushi defeated Yuji Hino to win DDT's KO-D Openweight Championship for the second time. On July 8, Omega defeated Danshoku Dino to win the 2012 King of DDT tournament and earn a shot at his tag team partner Kota Ibushi's KO-D Openweight Championship. On July 29, Ibushi defeated Low Ki to also win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship. On August 18, Ibushi defeated Omega in the main event of DDT's 15th anniversary event in Nippon Budokan to retain the KO-D Openweight Championship. On September 30, Ibushi lost the title to El Generico. On October 3, Ibushi won the third annual DDT48 general election and, as a result, earned an immediate rematch with El Generico. Ibushi received his rematch on October 21, but was again defeated by El Generico. On December 23, 2012, Omega defeated El Generico to win the KO-D Openweight Championship. On January 27, 2013, Omega defeated Isami Kodaka in a title vs. title match to retain the KO-D Openweight Championship and win the DDT Extreme Division Championship. Omega lost the KO-D Openweight Championship to Shigehiro Irie on March 20, 2013.

Meanwhile in DDT, Ibushi and Omega came together with Gota Ihashi to form the Golden☆Rendezvous～ stable, with the three holding the KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Championship from May 26 to June 23, 2013. On August 25, Omega lost the DDT Extreme Division Championship to Danshoku Dino. On January 4, 2014, at Wrestle Kingdom 8 in Tokyo Dome, Ibushi defeated Prince Devitt to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship. On January 26, the Golden☆Lovers won the KO-D Tag Team Championship for the second time by defeating reigning champions Yankii Nichokenju (Isami Kodaka and Yuko Miyamoto) and the team of Konosuke Takeshita and Tetsuya Endo in a three-way match. On April 12, Ibushi and Omega became double champions, when the two, along with the newest member of the Golden☆Rendezvous～ stable, Daisuke Sasaki, defeated Team Drift (Keisuke Ishii, Shigehiro Irie and Soma Takao) for the KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Championship. The trio's reign lasted until May 4, when they were defeated by Shuten-dōji (Kudo, Masa Takanashi and Yukio Sakaguchi) in their second defense. On July 4, Ibushi lost the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship to KUSHIDA. Ibushi and Omega continued holding the KO-D Tag Team Championship until September 28, 2014, when they were defeated by Konosuke Takeshita and Tetsuya Endo.

On October 3, 2014, Omega announced he was leaving DDT and signing with NJPW, where Ibushi was already a semi-regular. However, with Ibushi having recently moved to NJPW's heavyweight division, Omega stated that the Golden☆Lovers were done as a tag team due to him wanting to remain in the junior heavyweight division. The Golden☆Lovers wrestled their final match together on October 26, 2014, when they defeated Danshoku Dino and Konosuke Takeshita in Omega's DDT farewell match.

### Return (2018-2019)

    On August 13, 2017, at G1 Climax finals after Kenny Omega was being carried out of the arena by Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson, Ibushi appeared to congratulate Omega for his effort at G1 Climax finals, teasing a reunion of the Golden☆Lovers, but Omega pushed away Ibushi. On January 5, 2018, at New Year Dash, a Bullet Club group led by Cody won a tag team match over a group including Omega's former tag team partner Kota Ibushi, who had defeated Cody at Wrestle Kingdom 12. Cody had teased Ibushi about his history with Omega during the Wrestle Kingdom match and went to attack Ibushi, but was stopped by an enraged Omega. The tension would come to a head at The New Beginning in Sapporo on January 28, when Jay White defeated Omega to win the IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion. Immediately after the match, Hangman Page would confront White, but Omega stopped him and handed White his newly-won championship. More members of Bullet Club came to the ring, including Cody. Cody berated Omega for not letting Page have his moment to challenge White, leading to Omega inadvertently shoving down Matt Jackson. The remaining Bullet Club members decided to leave the ringside area to let Cody and Omega discuss their differences, but Cody instead hit Omega with his Cross Rhodes finishing move. When Page went to assist Cody to further attack Omega, Kota Ibushi returned to the ring to save his former tag team partner. Omega and Ibushi then embraced in the ring, presumably reuniting the Golden☆Lovers team and leaving the status of Bullet Club in question. On February 24 at Honor Rising: Japan, the Golden☆Lovers made their tag team return defeating Cody and Marty Scurll with their new finishing move the *Golden Trigger*. After the match, Omega claimed that Golden☆Lovers were the best tag team in the world. This led, The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) moving to the heavyweight tag team division and challenging the Golden☆Lovers to a match. On March 25, at Strong Style Evolved the Golden☆Lovers defeated The Young Bucks. After the match, Omega offered a handshake to The Young Bucks, but Matt refused. Matt, however, reconciled with Omega, and the Golden☆Lovers continued to feuding with Cody and Hangman Page, facing them at Sakura Genesis in a losing effort.

On May 4 at Wrestling Dontaku, Omega was nominated by Kazuchika Okada as his next challenger for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. Since the match between the two at Dominion 6.11 in Osaka-jo Hall ended in a time limit draw, the two agreed to a two-out-three falls match with no time-limit at Dominion 6.9 in Osaka-jo Hall. This led to Omega defeating Okada to win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, ending Okada's 720 days as IWGP Heavyweight Champion. From July 14 until August 11, Omega and Ibushi took part in the 2018 G1 Climax on block B. Both Omega and Ibushi finished the tournament with a record of six wins and three losses, but Ibushi advanced to the finals of the tournament after defeating Omega in their head-to-head match. On August 12, Ibushi was defeated by Hiroshi Tanahashi in the finals. On September 30, at Fighting Spirit Unleashed, Omega decided that Ibushi would be his next opponent for the title due to Ibushi having defeated him in the G1 Climax; however, Cody got in the middle and proposed a three-way match for the title at King of Pro-Wrestling, which Omega accepted. At King of Pro Wrestling, Omega would defeat Cody and Ibushi to retain the IWGP Heavyweight Champion, by pinning Ibushi for the win. On December 9, Ibushi defeated Hirooki Goto to win the NEVER Openweight Championship. On January 4 at Wrestle Kingdom 13 in Tokyo Dome, Ibushi lost the NEVER Openweight Championship to Will Ospreay. In the main event, Omega lost the IWGP Heavyweight Championship to Hiroshi Tanahashi. The event was notable for being the last appearance of Golden☆Lovers in NJPW.

## In wrestling

* **Finishing moves**
	+ *Golden Shower* (Simultaneous 450° splashes from the same turnbuckle)
	+ *PK Kokoro Ω* (Aided piledriver)
	+ *Golden Trigger* (Simultaneous wrist-locks into knee strikes)
* **Signatures moves**
	+ *Cross Slash* (Simultaneous over the corner slingshot into springboard moonsaults to the outside)
	+ Electric chair by Omega into a Roundhouse kick by Ibushi
	+ *Golden Armaggedon* (Aided avalanche sitout powerbomb)
	+ *Golden Apocalypse* (Aided avalanche sitout piledriver)
	+ *Hadouken* by Omega followed by a Bridging German suplex by Ibushi
	+ *You Can't Escape* (Rolling fireman's carry slam followed by Stading shooting star press by Ibushi into a springboard moonsault by Omega followed by springboard moonsault by Ibushi)
* **Entrance themes**
	+ "Air Man Ga Taosenai" by Team.Nekokan (DDT/NJPW)
	+ "Golden☆Lovers" by Yonosuke Kitamura (NJPW)

## Championships and accomplishments

* **All Japan Pro Wrestling**
	+ World Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time) – Omega
* **DDT Pro-Wrestling**
	+ DDT Extreme Division Championship (1 time) – Omega
	+ Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship (1 time) – Ibushi
	+ KO-D Openweight Championship (3 times) – Ibushi (2) and Omega (1)
	+ KO-D 6-Man Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Gota Ihashi (1) and Daisuke Sasaki (1)
	+ KO-D Tag Team Championship (2 times)
	+ DDT48/Dramatic Sousenkyo (2012, 2014) – Ibushi
	+ King of DDT (2009) – Ibushi
	+ King of DDT (2012) – Omega
	+ Go-1 Climax (2014) – Ibushi
* ***Japan Indie Awards***
	+ Best Bout Award (2014) vs. Konosuke Takeshita and Tetsuya Endo on October 28
* **New Japan Pro Wrestling**
	+ IWGP Heavyweight Championship (1 time) – Omega
	+ IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship (3 times) – Ibushi
	+ IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship (1 time)
	+ NEVER Openweight Championship (1 time) – Ibushi
	+ Best of the Super Juniors (2011) – Ibushi
* ***Tokyo Sports***
	+ Best Bout Award (2010) vs. Prince Devitt and Ryusuke Taguchi on October 11
	+ Best Bout Award (2018) Kenny Omega vs. Kazuchika Okada on June 9

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 *ja:ＤＤＴから新日移籍…オメガが日本を愛する理由* (in Japanese). *Tokyo Sports* (2014-10-27). Retrieved on 2016-07-22.
2. ↑ *ja:ケニー・オメガ* (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2016-07-22.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Dramatic 2009 Special  (in Japanese). *DDT Pro-Wrestling*. Archived from the original on 2011-07-06. Retrieved on 2016-07-22.
4. ↑ ja:レスリングとんこつ2009 (in Japanese). *DDT Pro-Wrestling*. Archived from the original on 2011-07-06. Retrieved on 2016-07-22.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 *ja:宮本がＶ３戦にＧＬを指名* (in Japanese). *Tokyo Sports* (2013-11-07). Retrieved on 2016-07-22.
6. ↑ Circuit2010 New Japan Ism  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2016-07-22.
7. ↑ ja:新日本プロレス「Destruction'10」 (in Japanese). *Nikkan Sports* (2010-10-11). Archived from the original on 2010-10-15. Retrieved on 2016-07-22.
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 *ja:2010年プロレス大賞* (in Japanese). *Tokyo Sports*. Retrieved on 2016-07-22.
9. ↑ ja:第27代 飯伏幸太＆ケニー・オメガ (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro Wrestling*. Archived from the original on 2016-07-22. Retrieved on 2016-07-22.
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Boutwell, Josh 2011-01-29. Viva La Raza! Lucha Weekly . *Wrestleview*. Retrieved on 2016-07-22.
11. ↑ ja:新日本プロレス「G1 Climax XXI ～The Invincible Fighter～」最終日 (in Japanese). *Sports Navi*. Yahoo! (2011-08-14). Archived from the original on 2011-08-24. Retrieved on 2016-07-22.
12. ↑ Charlton, Christopher 2011-08-14. 8/14 NJPW results in Tokyo: Finals of G1 Climax tournament - MVP, Bernard (A-Train), Hoyt, Anderson, top New Japan heavyweights . *Pro Wrestling Torch*. Retrieved on 2016-07-22.
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 *ja:Road to Ryogoku 2days in Hiroshima～ドラマティック・ドリーム・とうかさん～* (in Japanese). *DDT Pro-Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2016-07-22.
14. ↑ *ja:石井、佐々木にKO-D王座を連続防衛した入江は、名古屋で高木と防衛戦へ！8月の両国大会に向け色々決定！衝撃発表！* (in Japanese). *Battle News* (2013-06-23). Retrieved on 2016-07-22.
15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 *ja:飯伏が華麗にＫＯ―Ｄタッグ王座奪取* (in Japanese). *Tokyo Sports* (2014-01-27). Retrieved on 2016-07-22.
16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 *ja:【DDT】三大タイトルマッチ、インフォマーシャルマッチ* (in Japanese). *Battle News* (2014-04-12). Retrieved on 2016-07-22.
17. ↑ *ja:Road to Ryogoku in Sendai〜ドラマティック・ドリーム・タン〜* (in Japanese). *DDT Pro-Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2016-07-22.
18. ↑ *ja:竹下、遠藤組大金星！飯伏組破りＫＯ―Ｄタッグ王座奪取* (in Japanese). *Tokyo Sports* (2014-09-29). Retrieved on 2016-07-22.
19. ↑ *ja:竹下組が飯伏組を破りKO-Dタッグ奪取 ディーノ、チームドリフがまさかの王座陥落* (in Japanese). *Sports Navi*. Yahoo! (2014-09-28). Retrieved on 2016-07-22.
20. ↑ *ja:「新日本に100パーセント集中したい」ケニー・オメガが10月でDDTとの契約終了、"主戦場"を新日本プロレスへ！【会見全文】* (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro Wrestling* (2014-10-03). Retrieved on 2016-07-22.
21. ↑ *ja:オメガ有終星「新日本行き応援して」* (in Japanese). *Daily Sports Online*. Kobe Shimbun (2014-10-27). Retrieved on 2016-07-22.
22. ↑ *ja:ハチャメチャ“墨汁マッチ”飯伏組が狂気の防衛* (in Japanese). *Tokyo Sports* (2014-02-24). Retrieved on 2016-07-22.
23. ↑ *ja:飯伏＆ケニーの名コンビが復活！ＫＯ―Ｄタッグ王座Ｖ６* (in Japanese). *Tokyo Sports* (2014-08-25). Retrieved on 2016-07-22.
24. ↑ *ja:【後楽園リポート】トーナメント決勝戦は宮本裕向&木高イサミvs火野裕士&岡林裕二!!／インディー大賞MVPはHarashima／Takaのパートナーは小鹿* (in Japanese). *DDT Pro-Wrestling* (2014-12-31). Retrieved on 2016-07-22.
25. ↑ Jr. Heavy tag weight class  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2015-05-05.