Kazuchika Okada – “I Hated TNA”

Kazuchika Okada has not forgotten his stint in TNA.

When all the dust finally settles in years to come on The Rainmaker’s career, Kazuchika Okada will no doubt be regarded as one of the very best wrestlers – if not the best – to come out of Japan. Okada’s time in New Japan Pro Wrestling has seen him win two different versions of the IWGP World Championship on seven occasions.

However, success of that magnitude was a far cry from Okada’s time in excursion in TNA. In 2010 and 2011, Okada appeared in several matches for TNA but only picked up one televised victory during his time there. That was a disqualification win over D’Angelo Dinero using his Okato moniker.

Speaking ahead of taking on some of the stars of what is now known as IMPACT Wrestling in Alex Shelley, Chris Sabin, and Josh Alexander, Kazuchika Okada laid bare in a backstage interview just how he still feels about the promotion:

“IMPACT Wrestling? Give me a break. There’s not a promotion I hate more in this world! But I was a pretty big Motor City [Machine Gun] fan back in the day.

“A little while back, we faced them in a tag three-way. I know exactly how good they are, but this is a three-on-three NEVER six-man match, and we’re walking in champions. Being the face of NJPW, I can say that I hate…Actually, I don’t give a damn about IMPACT. Who I really hated was TNA.”

Kazuchika Okada no stranger to American TV

Kazuchika Okada has not been involved in the Multiverse United shows that have seen NJPW and IMPACT Wrestling work together in recent years. Okada has however been involved with AEW, appearing on both Forbidden Door shows in 2022 and 2023.

The Rainmaker is yet to pick up a victory at that event, having been part of a four-way in 2022 won by then-IWGP World Champion Jay White and being forced to tap out to Bryan Danielson in 2023.