Kazuchika Okada might have lost his IWGP Heavyweight Championship on January 5th, but he remains the ace of New Japan Pro Wrestling. Hiroshi Tanahashi might still hold the title, but it’s clear to everyone that Okada is the top guy in the company.
Having won the MVP award from Tokyo Sports, he sat down and had an interview with the publication. New Japan published an English translation on njpw1972.com. In that interview, he spoke on losing the championship, winning the award again, and much more. Most interesting of all, he spoke on who he wants to face outside of his world of New Japan Pro Wrestling.
Kazuchika Okada Wants Kento Miyaharu & Kaito Kiyomiya
While Okada is the top wrestler in NJPW, he has felt the wrath of the leaders of other prominent promotions in Japan in the past. He has a loss in his record book to Naomichi Marufuji of NOAH, when he faced him in the G1 Climax. While All Japan & NOAH aren’t as prominent as NJPW these days, they have equally skilled rosters. Kento Miyaharu of AJPW & Kaito Kiyomiya of NOAH both are the top of the last as far as people who Okada wishes to face.
Okada had the following to say when asked about this. “Hmm… I haven’t faced any of the champions from other promotions. Who is there? I wrestled Ibushi when he was in a different company, (Naomichi) Marufuji from NOAH, Suwama from All Japan, Shuji Kondo from WRESTLE-1…
I’d really like to face the younger guys from other promotions. People like Kento Miyahara from All Japan, or Kaito Kiyomiya from NOAH. That would be great if we could pull it off. It’d be great if we could create something that blows the Olympics out of the water when it comes to the fans’ reception.”
Both of those potential matches would be absolute show stealers. It’s not impossible that we could see both enter the G1 Climax, as NJPW has never been shy about having small partnerships with other promotions. If you had Miyaharu & Kiyomiya in the G1 Climax to represent their companies on a bigger stage, it could help them raise the stock of AJPW & NOAH. Having two more strong companies there would be a net positive for wresting as a whole.
Would you want to see Okada face the aces of AJPW & NOAH? Let us know what you think in the comments down below, and stay tuned for more news from the pro wrestling world of Japan.
