While they are now miles apart in different companies, Kenny Omega and Kazuchika Okada had one of the greatest rivalries in modern wrestling history. Together over three matches, they changed the world of wrestling, and raised the bar for a wrestling classic. Over that trilogy, Omega gained a lifetime of respect for his greatest rival. He recognizes the true greatness of Okada better than anyone not named Hiroshi Tanahashi, and is not afraid to make bold claims on his behalf.
Kazuchika Okada Is The Next Ric Flair?
“A lot of wrestling historians and purists will go to bat and say that [Ric] Flair was the greatest of all time because he was so successful for a period of years,” Omega says. “The same goes for [Kazuchika] Okada, who’s almost the modern-day Ric Flair. They have a very patterned main event style, but it’s very successful. They bring out the best in almost every opponent.”
The comparison is fair. Okada has that same image of a champion Flair cultivated. He is one of the best in the world, and potentially is just hitting his prime now. It truly comes together with the last part of that quote.
“They bring out the best in almost every opponent.” is what truly links Okada & Flair. It takes a truly great wrestler to force an opponent to step up to the highest possible level for a match, and Okada does that anytime he steps in the ring for a singles match.
The Best Could Be Yet To Come For Okada
The scariest part of Kazuchika Okada is that while he is already proclaimed as the best wrestler in the world by many, he only gets better. At only 32 years old, he has already cemented his legacy yet we could still see some of his best years coming.
As New Japan expands, so does the influence of Okada. He could be one smart AEW appearance from being as big a star in North America as he is in Japan, and at that point he will be undeniable.
Do you feel Okada has earned the right to be spoken of like this in the same sentence as Ric Flair, or is he not there yet? Let us know what you think in the comments down below.
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