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Kazuchika Okada is the longest IWGP Heavyweight Champion in the history of NJPW, but many fans have asked if the promotion has run out of ideas for the top star. The AEW-NJPW forbidden door has been opened after the surprising arrival of Bullet Club's KENTA on Dynamite. Several fans have also questioned who will be next to arrive in All Elite Wrestling.
The exceptional AEW roster offers up a few familiar opponents for The Rainmaker. Okada has faced both Chris Jericho and Cody Rhodes for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in the past. There was also Kenny Omega, who had a revolutionary trilogy with the multi-time Wrestle Kingdom main eventer. However, there are also a handful of must-see dream matches for him on Wednesdays.
With a spectacular array of talent at the disposal of AEW, the dream matches are plentiful for The Rainmaker to make a huge impact on Dynamite. In this article, let's take a look at the top five Kazuchika Okada matches we most want to see in AEW.
#5 Kazuchika Okada vs. Kenny Omega
Kazuchika Okada vs. Kenny Omega was the rivalry that started the American expansion for NJPW and put both men on the map. This was the feud that broke the vaunted Dave Meltzer star rating system and caused the wrestling world to focus on the biggest promotion in Japan. Kazuchika Okada and Kenny Omega are two names that will be synonymous with one another and that equation shouldn't change in the future.
The only entry that has been done before is Okada reigniting his revolutionary rivalry with the current AEW World Champion Kenny Omega. There is definitely anticipation to watch these two men clash one more time. The reason why this encounter should happen in All Elite Wrestling is that they have never faced one-on-one in the United States.
Okada and Omega had a transcendent series of matches in 2017. They had another 69-minute classic in 2018 that truly made The Cleaner a mainstream star in the wrestling business. It also solidified The Rainmaker as one of the all-time greats in not just NJPW, but of this entire generation.
Putting these two competitors in the ring at Madison Square Garden or in Chicago would surely be an instant sell-out for any company. Using the history between Kazuchika Okada and Kenny Omega would make this an easy feud to build to. The fans that have seen them in the past will want to see it again, while others who have only heard about the legendary rivalry will want to witness their greatness together.
#4 Kazuchika Okada vs. Hangman Page
Besides his many accomplishments, Kazuchika Okada should be known for the concentrated effort that NJPW and it's booker Gedo put to elevate the star to the top of the promotion. Entering a career-defining feud with Hiroshi Tanahashi shortly after his return from excursion put Okada on a path that made him the legend that he is today.
AEW has done a pretty good effort in making new stars since its inception in 2019. From MJF and Darby Allin, the company has given opportunities to younger performers to make their mark on the wrestling industry. One star, in particular, has stood out for crafting a significant connection with the crowd. That star is Hangman Page.
Following his loss in the first AEW World Title Match at All Out 2019, Hangman Page has been on a journey to becoming a millennial cowboy. His consistent drinking and fiery comebacks in matches have made him one of the biggest fan favorites in AEW. This would present an interesting dynamic with the fans against Kazuchika Okada.
Okada is familiar with Page from their mutual time in NJPW. But the Hangman that he would meet in AEW is a fully developed character and has improved greatly from his time in New Japan two years ago. The crowd would be split with many fans being ecstatic to see Okada in All Elite Wrestling. Other fans would want to see Page defeat the NJPW legend.
With two extraordinary performers in the ring, the in-ring action promises to be sublime. Hangman Page has delivered great matches against the likes of Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi, so fans will have high expectations on what he can do against The Rainmaker. It would be a phenomenal match that really could go either way between Page and Okada.
#3 Kazuchika Okada vs. Rey Fenix
Kazuchika Okada has had a Hall of Fame quality work-rate throughout his run on top of NJPW. Watching him in the ring can be a fascinating experience. However, there is a man in AEW who leaves fans stunned and awe-inspired by his work. This man would be none other than Rey Fenix.
Fenix has been on another level with his high-risk style being showcased in a big way since the turn of the new year. Always a highlight in tag team competition as one half of the Lucha Brothers, Fenix has been given a chance to perform in singles competition to great success.
His New Year's Smash AEW World Title Match against Kenny Omega is in the short conversation for one of the greatest Dynamite matches in the show's history. The state of the art moves and sequences executed by both men was sensational and showed that Fenix should be a top star in the company. If you put him in there with Kazuchika Okada, fans would be in store for another stunning match.
The clash of styles between Fenix and Okada would be incredible. Okada moves so smoothly in the ring and executes everything perfectly in big match situations. Okada's dropkick has to be one of the best moves of all time, while his Rainmaker finisher is among the most protected finishers in NJPW history. Mixing Okada's style with Fenix's high-flying maneuvers would be insane.
These two men should give the crowd a compelling contest that would build excitement as the match went on. Okada might dig deep to keep up with the speed and athleticism of Fenix. Rey will have to come up with a gameplan to counteract Okada's ability to be unbeatable. This may be the most amazing of any encounter for The Rainmaker in AEW.
#2 Kazuchika Okada vs. PAC
Another dream match for Kazuchika Okada in AEW has to be Rey Fenix's stablemate in Death Triangle, PAC. The Bastard has been a crucial component in the AEW roster. Being able to compete with anyone in the ring and work anywhere in the card, PAC always seems on the cusp of breaking through to the AEW World title scene with ease.
PAC's versatile style of mixing strength, technical skills, agility, and an abundance of athleticism makes him a vastly compelling opponent for Okada. The Rainmaker most recently put on a tremendous Match of the Year candidate against Will Ospreay at NJPW's Wrestle Kingdom 15. If anyone could match Ospreay's style to have a terrific performance against Okada, it would be PAC.
This contest may stand out mostly for its pacing. PAC always does a magnificent job of pacing his bouts very well. Whether as the opener or the main event, PAC's matches always seem to peak at the right point. On the other hand, Okada is an expert at pacing. Okada hits his signature moves at just the right point and always ends his matches to an amazing crescendo.
Both men also excel at storytelling and drama. Just look at their awesome matches with Kenny Omega. The Iron Man Match between Omega and PAC last year is among the best AEW Dynamite matches ever. The drama built up perfectly throughout the match's 30-minute duration. Okada and Omega always had blistering finishes and superb storytelling. Putting Okada and PAC together in an AEW ring would give fans much of the same.
#1 Kazuchika Okada vs. Jon Moxley
With so much crossover between AEW and NJPW, Kazuchika Okada has encountered several stars in All Elite Wrestling. The Rainmaker has crossed paths with Christopher Daniels and Frankie Kazarian from his time in TNA. However, the one man who has been in NJPW that hasn't faced him is Jon Moxley.
The current IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion has had a great run in NJPW so far. Debuting in 2019 as The Death Rider, Moxley defeated Juice Robinson in his debut to become the IWGP U.S. Champion for the first time. The former AEW World Champion has fought in incredible contests against Tomohiro Ishii and Minoru Suzuki as well.
Due to the global pandemic, Jon Moxley was unable to return to NJPW for almost a full year. Now with the forbidden door being opened, Moxley is set to appear on NJPW Strong against KENTA for his gold. But this could just be the first of many matches for Mox against NJPW stars. Okada presents a different type of challenge for Moxley.
The Purveyor of Violence has his history with NJPW and Okada's legendary rival, Kenny Omega. However, he has not crossed paths with The Rainmaker yet. Moxley would be challenged by a completely different competitor than he has faced in either AEW or NJPW.
Okada has the ability to capitalize on any mistakes that his opponent makes. He has also shown himself to have ridiculous stamina that has seen Okada compete for over an hour more than once. Moxley would have to rely on his unpredictable nature and insane violence to overcome the four-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion.
This is an intriguing matchup for many different reasons, but most of all it is because of the star power. There might not be a bigger first-time encounter for Kazuchika Okada in AEW than Jon Moxley. These are two former world champions and top stars of their promotions. Moxley and Okada are greatly protected and predicting the winner would be difficult.
Kazuchika Okada coming to All Elite Wrestling would present so many different options for both AEW and NJPW to explore. The dream matches are plentiful and rematches would still have plenty of juice behind them. However, because of the star power and varying skills of both men, Moxley vs. Okada is the match fans most want to see in AEW.
