#227: Kazuchika Okada vs. Kenny Omega, NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 11 (1/4/2017).
Hello, readers!
Throughout the history of pro wrestling, there have been rivalries that stand the test of time. They are the kind of feuds that make people believe that wrestling is the greatest form of storytelling that there is. When I think of great rivalries, many come to mind – Flair vs. Steamboat, Austin vs. Rock, Misawa vs. Kawada, Toyota vs. Kong, and Michaels vs. Hart. They all feature matches that take our breath away, and feature an intensity between the competitors, both driven by one constant desire: to be the absolute best that the craft has ever seen.
All the ones I just listed are rivalries of the past, so what about the ones of the modern era? Well, for my money, there is one defining feud of the modern era of wrestling that stands head and shoulders above the rest. It’s a landmark feud in Japanese wrestling, it’s only happened on four occasions, and if 2025 is kind to us, we may get to see it once again inside of an AEW ring.
I’m talking about the legendary New Japan Pro Wrestling feud between Kazuchika Okada and Kenny Omega.
Over the course of four singles matches between 2017 and 2018, The Rainmaker and the Cleaner contested some of the most exciting and enthralling wrestling matches anyone had ever seen. They practically broke Dave Meltzer to the point that his rating system hardly makes sense any more. The matches also created conversation about international wrestling that hadn’t taken place to that level in quite some time.
For better and worse, it may also be the reason that so many fans fall into the tribalism category of fandom, as the defense and criticism of these matches is...well, it’s passionate for sure.
So, let’s begin with the one that started it all: the first singles meeting between Okada and Omega at the biggest event New Japan has all year.
New Japan’s popularity outside of the country couldn’t be denied anymore as 2016 rolled on. The promotion had been killing it with some of the best product it had ever put out in the previous four years. And for the first time in decades, fans in the United States were starting to take notice. So, the question became who should lead New Japan into this next phase of development? When newer fans in the West watch the company for the first time, who should be the leader?
On one side of that conversation, you had Kenny Omega. A long time foreign competitor in Japan, hailing from Winnipeg, Omega had honed his craft almost exclusively in Japan, and he had essentially become one of their own. He knew the language, he respected the culture, and he produced high quality work within the ropes. At the tail end of 2014, Omega was revealed as Bullet Club’s Junior Heavyweight Assassin. He quickly ascended up the ranks, and he won the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship on two occasions.
His fortune shot up in 2016, when it was revealed that Bullet Club leader AJ Styles was leaving for WWE. Omega took advantage, and he himself is the one who kicked Styles out of the group. He’d soon win both the IWGP Intercontinental Championship, as well as the NEVER Openweight 6 Man Tag Team Championships. Omega was determined to prove to the world that he was a Heavyweight to be taken seriously. He furthered that claim in the summer, when he won the G1 Climax 26, becoming not only the first man to win it on his first try, but also the first – and as of this writing the only – foreign winner of Japan’s most prestigious tournament.
On the other side of that conversation, you had Kazuchika Okada, the reigning IWGP Heavyweight Champion. He returned from excursion in 2012, and immediately set his sights on Hiroshi Tanahashi, and his status as the Ace of the company. Their rivalry is the stuff of legend, as it helped to cement both men as all time greats. Okada came out of that feud the winner, by defeating Tanahashi at Wrestle Kingdom 10 in 2016, and thus erasing all doubt that he was the new Ace.
In Okada’s mind, there was only one man who should lead New Japan into this new era. He believed that all his hard work against Tanahashi was enough to convince others of that claim. Of course, the old argument came up that Okada didn’t speak English. Omega spoke it, and he was fluent in Japanese. So, Omega saw himself as the man who could bridge both countries, and change wrestling forever. Okada simply thought his ability would be enough to carry the load.
This Wrestle Kingdom main event would be the first that Okada would wrestle in without Tanahashi, and it would be his first IWGP Heavyweight Title match without any doubt of his status, or any fan votes like his 2014 defense against Tetsuya Naito. Okada stood alone on the mountain top, and this was his chance to prove to the entire world why New Japan invested more in him than they had in some of their bigger stars from the 1990s.
Meanwhile, Omega saw this as a major opportunity. Even with all of his accomplishments in 2016, he was still considered by many an unproven commodity. This was his first Tokyo Dome main event. This was his first shot at IWGP Heavyweight gold. He was the first foreigner to main event Wrestle Kingdom. Some would crumble under that kind of weight. But Omega looked to thrive on it.
Some matches are so good that we remember them forever. Some matches are so good that they shatter expectations. Some matches are so impressive that it changes the perception of international wrestling forever. And some matches accomplish so much that it creates a massive amount of talk about what makes a pro wrestling match so damn good. This match did all of that, and more.
A video package plays of Kenny Omega as the Terminator. He speaks both English and Japanese, and kills three strangers. The real Omega enters the Tokyo Dome looking half man, half cyborg, and clad with a sawed off shotgun. No shortage of confidence on The Cleaner tonight. The Young Bucks are in his corner for this match.
Kazuchika Okada, along with Gedo, enters next. There’s a lot riding on this title defense for him tonight. No Tanahashi, no fan votes – there is no doubt that he is the Ace. And he looks to continue that trend here tonight.
Omega grabs one of the Okada dollars falling from the sky, and crumbles it in his hands. The bell sounds, and here we go. Tentative start thus far, as both men look for an opening. They lock up, and Omega takes the back first. He switches to the arm, and twists it in all directions. Okada escapes and takes control of the leg, and Omega quickly grabs the arm. Okada takes top position, and goes to the side headlock.
Both men are up, and Omega pulls on the hair to break that up. Hard strikes to the back by Omega, and he tosses Okada in the corner. The champion explodes out with elbows to the head, and Omega now takes the side headlock. Okada is up and nails a back suplex, but Omega continues to keep the hold locked in. Okada tries to free himself, but Omega holds onto the hair. Omega flips out of a back suplex, and he kicks the midsection. Now he comes off the second rope and looks for a sunset flip, but Okada counters into a jacknife pin attempt. Omega with a backslide pin for 2. Arm drags follow by Okada, and he locks in an armbar. Omega is quick to his feet, and he’s against the ropes. Okada fakes a strike to Omega, and kicks him in the gut.
Omega forces him into the ropes, and Okada counters with a shoulder tackle. He misses a big boot, and Omega kicks Okada from the turnbuckle. He goes for the One Winged Angel, and Okada counters into the Rainmaker, which Omega counters out of. He then spits in Okada’s face, then rolls out of the ring. Omega taunts him by teasing his return to the ring. Okada is on the chase, and both are back in the ring. Okada with a huge boot to the face.
Snap mare by Okada, followed by a running dropkick to the head. On the outside now, Okada irish whips Omega into the steel barricade, and then goes for the running boot, but Omega catches it and looks for a suplex. Okada counters and places Omega on the barricade, and drops him head first to the floor with a DDT. Okada looks under the ring and grabs a table. Omega rushes him with a strike. Okada rallies back and sends Omega over the barricade. Okada, the former track star, hits a running crossbody to Omega, flying right over the barricade!
Okada sends Omega back into the ring. In the corner now, Okada stomps at Omega’s chest. Scoop slam, followed by a senton from the apron into the ring. That gets a 1 count. Okada drives his knee into the back, and pulls back on Omega’s neck. Swinging neckbreaker follows, and that gets a 2 count. Both men exchange punches now, and Omega hits a quick dropkick to the knee, followed by a Famouser for a 2 count. He stomps on Okada now, and digs his boots into Okada’s face. Huge chop to the chest, followed by a hard elbow to the spine. Powerslam in the center of the ring by Omega. He misses an elbow, and Okada misses a standing senton. Another elbow to the kidney area gets a 2 count for Omega.
He goes for another, and Okada explodes off the ropes with forearms. He tries to build momentum, but Omega drives the knee into the midsection. Okada with a boot to the face, and Omega hits a hurricanrana that sends Okada to the floor. Omega rises up like the Terminator and runs the ropes. He hits a flying senton to the outside onto Okada! Omega lifts him up and hits a powerslam against the ring apron!
He rolls the champion back into the ring, and he goes to the top rope. Omega comes down with a nasty missile dropkick to the back of the head of Okada, and he just barely grabs the ropes to break the pin. Omega locks in a half Camel Clutch, and Okada gets to the bottom rope. Omega tries for a powerbomb next, but Okada is able to shift his weight to prevent it. Omega with hard strikes to the midsection, but Okada lifts him up and hits the Heavy Rain.
Okada with rushing forearms to Omega, and he comes off the ropes with a running elbow. Diving back elbow in the corner, followed by a spike DDT. Okada with the running uppercut for a 2 count. Okada hits a high flapjack, and then goes for the Red Ink submission. Omega crawls and gets to the rope to break it up. Okada goes to the top, and misses a dive. Omega with a kick out of the corner, and he runs into Okada, who grabs him and hits the neckbreaker across the knee.
He goes back to the top rope and goes for the Elbow Drop, but Omega gets his knees up and avoids it. Omega with a pumphandle backbreaker next, and Okada rolls to the outside. A running baseball slide sends Okada over the barricade, right in front of the Japanese commentary table. Omega runs to the corner and jumps right to the top rope, and hits a moonsault to Okada, right over the barricade! Commentary brings up how familiar that moonsault looked. Almost like Kota Ibushi’s?
Omega breaks the count, and places the table across Okada’s body. Then, he goes to the apron, and runs off with a double stomp, sending the table into his abdomen! Ouch. Omega tosses Okada back into the ring, and drops him with a powerbomb for a close 2 count. Gut wrench sit out powerbomb connects for Omega, and Okada kicks out again. On the outside, the Young Bucks set the table up properly. He drags Okada to the apron, and Red Shoes stops him before he does something crazy.
Omega drives his knees into the midsection, and comes down hard with elbows and forearms to the back. He irish whips Okada into the corner, and he falls immediately. Omega runs at him, and Okada connects with a boot to the face twice. He explodes out of the corner with forearms, but Omega catches him and hits the You Can’t Escape combo, and that gets a 2 count. Omega looks for the Snap Dragon Suplex, but Okada fights it off. He goes for the diving elbow in the corner, and Omega escapes. He goes for another attack, but Okada grabs him and places him on the top rope, and hits a dropkick that sends him to the floor.
On the apron, Okada brings Omega up and he looks for Heavy Rain, and Omega slips out. He goes for the One Winged Angel on the apron, but Okada escapes and returns to the ring. Omega looks for a springboard attack, and Okada catches him. Omega with a chop to the chest, and another. He runs the ropes, and Okada grabs him and sends him flying over the top rope with a back drop, and Omega crashes hard through the table! Red Shoes begins the count, and Okada breaks the count to drag Omega back into the ring.
Okada goes to the top rope and hits a high shotgun dropkick to a prone Omega, and that gets a nearfall. Okada goes to the top again, and hits the flying elbow to the chest. Okada is up, and he busts out the Rainmaker pose. Okada goes for the Rainmaker, but Omega rushes to the ropes to avoid it. Huge forearm to the back from Okada, and a kick. He goes for it again, and Omega forces him into the corner back first. Okada fights back with forearms, and Omega slaps the shit out of him. He places Okada on the top rope, and he looks for a high back suplex. Okada drives him back to the mat, but the challenger is back to his feet, and back to the top. Omega brings Okada to the mat below with a nasty looking Dragon Suplex that dumps Okada right on his head! How did he not break his neck? Omega makes the cover, and Okada somehow kicks out. The replay shows that Okada indeed landed on his head. My God.
Omega lifts Okada up for a neckbreaker across his knee. Omega looks for the V Trigger now, but Okada avoids it and hits a high German Suplex instead! He holds on to the waist, and tries for the Rainmaker again, but Omega avoids and hits the V Trigger into the ropes. He runs the ropes and Okada hits the dropkick out of nowhere! Okada goes for the Rainmaker, but Omega counters with a kick to the arm, then a knee, and then a V Trigger to the face. Poisonrana drops Okada! Omega sets him up and hits a running V Trigger into the ropes! The crowd is progressively getting louder. Omega goes for One Winged Angel, but Okada flips out of it and hits an uppercut! Okada with the Tombstone in the middle of the ring! He shouts to the heavens!
Okada brings Omega up and hits the Rainmaker, turning Omega inside out! Red Shoes counts, and Omega kicks out at 2! Hiroshi Tanahashi and Tetsuya Naito were the only ones to do that before, and now Omega is added to this list! Omega is fighting to get back to his feet, and Okada just towers over him. Omega with weak punches to the midsection, and Okada just takes it. Omega with the rake of the eyes, and Okada explodes with a shotgun dropkick that sends Omega flying into the corner!
Okada goes for the Tombstone again, but Omega reverses it and turns it into a Bastard Driver, and Okada is able to kick out! Both men are on their knees, right in the middle of the ring. They exchange slow forearm shots to the face. The crowd is cheering along with every single shot. The shots get faster, and both men slowly return to their feet. Japanese commentary is sitting in stunned silence at what they are seeing. Both men hit even faster, and Omega slips through and hits a Snap Dragon Suplex, followed by a running V Trigger! He makes the cover, and Okada kicks out!
He sets him up against the ropes, and hits another V Trigger! He tries for the One Winged Angel again, and Okada is able to fight it off again! He hops off of Omega’s shoulders and hits the Rainmaker! He maintains wrist control on the way down! Back up, Okada drags Omega to his feet, and eats several boots to the face, followed by three knees to the jaw! But Okada won’t let go, and he hits the Rainmaker again! Okada goes for it one more time, and Omega counters into a Rainmaker attempt of his own. Okada slips out and he tries for the Tombstone, but Omega counters into a dropkick!
Omega lifts Okada up and rip cords him into a V Trigger! Omega tries for One Winged Angel again, but Okada is able to counter into a jumping Tombstone! Okada hits the Rainmaker again, and makes the cover, and Red Shoes counts the three! The crowd explodes with its approval. Some fans are even crying at the result!
Absolutely incredible. Beyond words. It’s everything you’ve heard about, and more. If you’ve never heard of this match, let me tell you something: it’s one of the greatest title matches in pro wrestling history. It’s groundbreaking, it’s a watershed moment for New Japan, and it changed the modern perception of international wrestling going forward. This match is more proof that Kazuchika Okada is the greatest wrestler who ever lived – in my opinion. But what this match accomplished more than anything was that it elevated Kenny Omega to legendary status.
He came into this match as the ultimate underdog. He’d never been in this position before, but New Japan showed enough confidence in his ability and they put him here for a reason. Omega erased any doubt anyone had about him as a Tokyo Dome main eventer with this performance. He was simply magical here. He stood toe to toe with New Japan’s Ace, and gave him the fight of his life. He wrecked the back of Okada throughout, all for setting up his One Winged Angel finisher. He blitzed throughout with his offense, such as the moonsault over the barricade, or the double stomp into the table. Some said that Omega wrestled like his life depended on it. Hard to argue with a performance like this!
Okada, of course, was his usual self. A ring general, the young man who New Japan put the crown on came into this with a point to prove. This was his main event spotlight, and he was the selling point for the show. Did he deliver? That’s an understatement. Okada was brilliant, as he fought against Omega’s wild offense with confidence and poise. He wasn’t about to let the Bullet Club leader end his reign atop the promotion.
After the back body drop through the table, this match really intensified, and it made for one of the most exciting closing stretches to a match you will ever see. Every move, no matter how basic, felt huge. And the continued tease of the One Winged Angel added so much to this, as did Omega kicking out of the Rainmaker, which is something that was reserved for Tanahashi and Naito. That alone made Omega a main man. The only two men to kick out of Okada’s finisher are two of his greatest rivals. Omega doing it made him a huge deal in the eyes of the fans.
The big story of this match is the fact that Omega survived Okada’s finisher at least once, and it took multiple Rainmakers to finally put him away. But, Omega never once connected with the One Winged Angel on Okada. If he hit it, he may have walked away the champion. But, we’ll never know, due to Okada’s sheer will and determination to leave as champion. It made for captivating viewing – one that even had the Japanese commentary team that featured the always cool Masahiro Chono stunned to the point that they stopped talking.
This match did huge things for New Japan. It put more international eyes on the promotion than ever before. New fans got to watch as New Japan was in the midst of its greatest in ring era since the 1990s. It introduced fans to Okada, who at the ripe age of 29, had already put together a resume that would make Ricky Steamboat blush. And it put Omega firmly in the spotlight like never before. The momentum coming from this match – the hype surrounding its praise, the fact that Dave Meltzer gave it 6 stars, which was the first time he’d officially done that since 1994 – caused so much commotion that when Omega announced on January 6th that he’d be stepping away briefly, it caused many to believe that Omega was WWE bound, and was set for a Royal Rumble debut later in the month.
That didn’t happen. But the rumors were huge for that. Hell, fans thought Okada was coming to WWE after Wrestle Kingdom 7 in 2013. What the fuck! Either way, this match got everyone talking. Wrestling luminaries like Bryan Danielson, Mick Foley & Steve Austin all gave the match huge praise on social media. On the contrary, Jim Cornette – who hasn’t been relevant in decades – stated that the match made him want to slash his own wrists. Really, you could point to Cornette’s comments about this match that kicked off the era of irrelevant older wrestling figures hosting podcasts to complain about a modern wrestling world that has moved on from them. Thanks, Jim, please take the others and go away!
There is obviously a lot to say about this match. It’s certainly one of the most divisive big time matches of the modern era. Some praise it, and some absolutely hate it. Personally, I love it. It’s incredibly structured, and it tells a great story of one champion looking to prove his greatness, and a challenger who is willing to push himself to the limit in order to achieve victory. It builds and builds, like a classic King’s Road style match. Job well done. Can you believe this was only the first in a series of four matches?