Kazuchika Okada Could Make History If He Joins WWE

WWE believes there is a better chance than ever that they could sign Kazuchika Okada and the NJPW star could make history if he does the deal.

Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer discussed the chances of Kazuchika Okada leaving Japan for WWE and says there’s a belief in WWE that they could be closer than ever to sealing a deal for The Rainmaker:

I think it’s kind of overplayed in some ways. I mean, at the same time when I wrote about it, it’s true. You know, WWE obviously wants Okada. They’ve wanted Okada for how many years, right? But they do believe that maybe there’s a better chance of getting him now than before. And maybe there is.

Every year everyone’s contract [in NJPW] is up, for the most part. I mean, there are exceptions but for the most part, the way the Japanese structure their businesses is that everyone’s contract is up at the end of January, February 1, in January, you negotiate the new deal.

So, yes, of course, Okada’s deal is up January 31, as is probably every single wrestler on that roster that doesn’t have a long-term deal, which is most of them. So they’re all up. And, the key things are number one, you know, his wife’s an actress who makes her money there, so I don’t know, does he really want to leave Japan?

He listened to offers, he should. Is there more money in the United States? Yes. Some people don’t want to go to the United States and some people do. The one thing is that in the history if Okada goes, he will be – in the history of Japanese wrestling which goes back 70 years – he would be the first top guy to leave Japan to go to an American promotion full-time.

Will WWE Miss Out On Kazuchika Okada?

WWE failed to sign Will Ospreay after AEW offered him a substantially better deal. Ospreay signed his contract with his new promotion at Full Gear and looks to continue his career there following a very successful stint in New Japan Pro Wrestling.

Okada is familiar to AEW audiences through the company’s partnership with NJPW and The Rainmaker will clash with AEW star Bryan Danielson at Wrestle Kingdom. If Danielson is successful in the Continental Classic, there is every chance that match will be for the new American Triple Crown.

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