Two weeks ago, it was reported in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that WWE was interested in signing New Japan’s Kazuchika Okada when legally permitted. And now, it has been noted by Sports Illustrated that the 36-year-old’s contract actually expires at the end of January 2024, with the Japanese star “seriously entertaining the possibility of wrestling for a different promotion.” However, it is far from guaranteed that he is WWE-bound, with the article also revealing his visit to the US in October to wrestle on Dynamite wasn’t just to help build up his upcoming match with Bryan Danielson At Wrestle Kingdom 18 but also to “acquire a better sense of AEW.”
While highly respected in Japan as an elite worker, Okada was hardly known in the United States by casual wrestling fans until he began working with AEW. This is because his 2010 to 2011 run in the US was with TNA, where he competed under the name Okato with a gimmick inspired by Kato from The Green Hornet. This use of him was cited as one of the main reasons New Japan ended its working relationship with TNA. Yet, it should be noted that he credits his time working for the promotion with teaching him about character, which led to him becoming the Rainmaker upon his return to New Japan.
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