Former IWGP World Champion Kazuchika Okada Parting Ways With New Japan Pro-Wrestling

The free agency market will soon welcome in a new addition.

Last month, reports indicated that the NJPW contract of former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada was set to expire at the end of January. With this expiration fastly approaching, New Japan Pro-Wrestling has now confirmed that Okada will be departing from the promotion upon the conclusion of his deal on January 31.

In the wake of this announcement, NJPW has also provided Okada's official statement about his upcoming exit from NJPW. "I have nothing but gratitude for having been a part of New Japan Pro-Wrestling since 2007, and for NJPW bringing me from a 19 year old kid off the plane in Mexico to the Rainmaker I am today," Okada said. "Thank you to the best of companies in NJPW, to the best of opponents that I've been able to face here, and to the best of fans that have cheered and booed over the years. I promise to make it rain in every match I have left, so keep watching."

Despite his impending entry into the free agency market, Okada is still scheduled to be present at a trio of NJPW shows next month. After he completes his appearance at The New Beginning event in Osaka on February 11, "The Rainmaker" will head to Sapporo as The New Beginning series continues on February 23 and 24.

Okada's most recent NJPW match took place at Battle in the Valley on January 13, where he defeated another IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, Will Ospreay. The next day, Okada made his way to Las Vegas for TNA Snake Eyes.