KAZUCHIKA OKADA:
HISTORY IN THE MAKING
By Jasmine Olan
He is considered by many to be one of the most prolific figures of professional wrestling’s modern era. At just thirty years of age, the Rainmaker, Kazuchika Okada has managed to accomplish things most wrestlers who are much older don’t get to. From his historic nearly two year reign as IWGP Heavyweight Champion to his legendary feuds with Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kenny Omega, he has evolved into one of the most critically acclaimed in ring performers of his generation. Along the way, fans around the world have been able to witness his meteoric rise to the top of New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s Heavyweight division. Throughout his career Okada has proven himself more than capable of bearing the weight of responsibility that comes with holding the most prestigious and respected championship in all of professional wrestling despite his very young age. His talent is nothing short of awe inspiring, and his passion has helped make him one of the greatest of all time.
Okada made his wrestling debut in the summer of 2004 when he was just sixteen years old in a match against Negro Navarro in Mexico where he was originally trained by Último Dragon. In 2005, he won the Young Dragons Cup. During this time Okada also competed in the United States and Canada. After graduating from Último Dragon’s school in the summer of 2007, the talented nineteen year old returned home to Japan, having joined New Japan Pro-Wrestling where he was trained by Yuji Nagata at the NJPW Dojo.
In 2007, Okada made his in ring debut for New Japan in a losing effort against future Los Ingobernables de Japon leader, Tetsuya Naito. 2008 would see Okada sidelined for eight months due to injury. His career truly began to gain momentum after his breakout performances in the NJPW vs. Pro Wrestling Noah war the following year. Okada would later return stateside in 2010 for his learning excursion with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling which lasted about a year. He continued to make sporadic appearances for NJPW upon his return from excursion in 2011.
Okada would make his full redebut in 2012 as the Rainmaker at WRESTLE KINGDOM 6. That night, he defeated YOSHIHASHI in his return match. WRESTLE KINGDOM 6 also marked the beginning of one of NJPW’s greatest rivalries when the rainmaker challenged the Ace Of The Universe, Hiroshi Tanahashi to a match for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship after the main event. A month later, Okada went on to defeat Tanahashi for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at NEW BEGINNING in Osaka. That year, he also broke Masahiro Chono’s record for youngest ever G1 winner. In 2014, Okada found himself embroiled in a feud with the Phenomenal AJ Styles upon his debut at INVASION ATTACK as the newest member of the Bullet Club.
WRESTLE KINGDOM 9 in 2015 would end in a loss for Okada and see him leave the ring in tears. Okada would redeem himself a year later at WRESTLE KINGDOM 10 defeating the Ace. The iconic “wrist control” moment from that match is now the stuff of legend, viewed by many as a passing of the torch. Their feud would last about six years with both men battling for supremacy. The coming years would also see Okada engage in feuds with the likes of Tetsuya Naito among other major NJPW stars. He would also go on to win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship three more times. In 2017, another legendary rivalry began.
This one between Okada and the leader of the Bullet Club, the Cleaner, Kenny Omega. After making history as the first gaijin to win the prestigious G1 Climax tournament in the summer of 2016, Kenny earned the opportunity to challenge for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at Wrestle Kingdom 11. Their battle at WRESTLE KINGDOM 11 would win match of the year. It cemented Kenny Omega’s status as a main event star and Kazuchika Okada’s status as one of professional wrestling’s greatest. In his fourth reign as IWGP Heavyweight Champion at the time, Okada was on his way to breaking Shinya Hashimoto’s record for longest title reign. His critically acclaimed rivalry with Kenny Omega would continue that summer at DOMINION where they went to a sixty minute time limit draw. They would also after face each other during the block competition stage of G1 Climax 27 where Kenny Omega would emerge victorious after successfully hitting Okada with his finisher, the One Winged Angel.
Okada’s classic feud with Hiroshi Tanahashi would be revisited in 2018 when they went to war at WRESTLING DONTAKU. That night Ace Of The Universe was fighting to defend his record for most successful title defenses which stood at eleven. Despite Tanahashi’s best efforts, Okada would get the win and break his record. After that match, Okada called Kenny Omega out to the ring and challenged him to a match at DOMINION 6.9 for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. Kenny would accept the challenge and add a stipulation. Their next match would be two out of three falls with no time limit.
The main event of DOMINION 6.9 was truly one for the ages as Okada and Kenny Omega went over an hour as they fought tooth and nail to prove who truly was the best. That night Okada’s historic nearly two year title reign would come to an end when Kenny got the final pin fall. This would be Kenny’s crowning moment when he became the 66th IWGP Heavyweight Champion. While he may have left Osaka no longer champion, Okada left with the continued love and respect of wrestling fans the world over. It was now time to start figuring out who Kazuchika Okada is with out that iconic black and gold belt.
Not many wrestlers can say they’ve achieved near legendary status at only thirty years old, but Kazuchika Okada can. His is an amazing coming of age story with accomplishments and lessons learned. No matter the highs and lows, the Rainmaker’s legacy will always be one of honor and prestige with so many memories made along the way. Throughout his highly decorated career, fans have been there to watch him grow from a teenage wrestling prodigy into adulthood as one of the international wrestling scene’s most iconic stars. With many wondering what the next step for him will be, all that can be said is that the best is yet to come. “Kane no ame ga furuzo,” means exactly what it says. He’s going to make it rain, and he’ll be sure to make history along the way.
