January 22, 2024 Observer Newsletter: Kazuchika Okada leaving NJPW
Kazuchika Okada, the biggest star in Japanese wrestling for the past decade, announced on 1/19 that he was leaving New Japan Pro Wrestling after three more shows.
In doing so, he will become the first No. 1 star in history in Japan, who has left for a full-time gig for a foreign company.
Okada, 36. has been the signature star of New Japan Pro Wrestling, a known celebrity who has been in commercials and other mainstream crossover including having an actress wife. He is also one of the greatest in-ring wrestlers who has ever lived.
As the top star in the business there, he follows a list that goes from Rikidozan to Toyonobori, to Giant Baba, to Antonio Inoki, to Jumbo Tsuruta, Genichiro Tenryu, Mitsuharu Misawa, Kenta Kobashi, Hiroshi Tanahashi and Okada. While all appeared for U.S. companies, none ever left Japan for a full-time U.S. gig. The closest was Shinsuke Nakamura, who was part of New Japan’s big four when he left, but he was clearly behind Okada and Tanahashi when he signed with WWE.
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Dave Meltzer is the founder and lead writer on the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the weekly constant when it comes to news and reviews in pro wrestling and mixed martial arts for more than 40 years. Dave also co-hosts Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and had had bylines for The National, Yahoo Sports, MMA Fighting and others.