One-third of the AEW World Trios Champions, Katsuyori Shibata, was not on last night’s episode of AEW Dynamite. His partners in The Opps, Samoa Joe and Powerhouse Hobbs, were involved in an in-ring confrontation with HOOK. A new report has now confirmed the reason for Shibata’s absence from the show.

According to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, Shibata was not at the Dynamite taping because he was in his home country of Japan to be a part of the “Takayamania” benefit show. The event is held to support the legendary Japanese wrestler, Yoshihiro Takayama.

Meltzer said, “Shibata was not there because he was in Japan for the Takayamania show. It’s the benefit show for Yoshihiro Takayama and that’s why he was not on the show tonight.”

Yoshihiro Takayama, a former IWGP Heavyweight C

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