Backstage Update On Status Of Former NJPW Free Agent Kazuchika Okada
With January 2024 now in the rearview mirror, former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada is officially a free agent. The Rainmaker announced on January 19 that he would not be renewing his contract with NJPW, which expired on January 31. Given his success in NJPW and his international acclaim from fans and critics, it's only natural both WWE and AEW are interested in signing Okada to a full-time deal. The question now is where could he possibly go? Dave Meltzer weighed up Okada's options on Wrestling Observer Radio, citing reasons why he would sign for WWE or AEW. The impression that Meltzer got was that AEW would be able to offer Okada more money, but if he wanted to join WWE then it would almost be a certainty that's where he would end up.
Meltzer claimed that it all comes down to what Okada wants to do with his life, and what his personal goals are in wrestling having achieved virtually everything there is to achieve in NJPW. "If his goal is to have the most worldwide exposure at this point in his career, then WWE's the place to go. To build up a name, WWE's the place to go. To make the most money possible, AEW's the place to go. If it's to have the best matches possible, AEW's the place to go. If it's to have the best schedule, AEW's the place to go. It's whatever he wants." Meltzer also claimed that if he wants to choose fame, WWE would be his best bet, but if he wants a better push and a lighter schedule then AEW would be the choice to make.
Okada still has unfinished business in NJPW despite technically being a free agent. He will wrestle longtime rival Hiroshi Tanahashi on February 11 in Osaka, before working two final dates for NJPW on February 23 and 24 in Sapporo.
It's coming down to the wire for another former NJPW star
"The Rainmaker" isn't the only former IWGP champion that AEW have their eye on right now, as Mercedes Mone, formerly known as Sasha Banks in WWE, is expected to debut for AEW at any moment. However, according to Meltzer, the deal is coming down to the wire, as the company has believed they have had the former IWGP Women's Champion all-but locked-in for some time.
So much so that Meltzer claimed an announcement relating to Mone's arrival was supposed to happen already, but major news got in the way. "They were originally going to make the announcement on Saturday," Meltzer said. "Then they realized that was probably not the best day to make the announcement, because with the Vince stuff, it was like, no-one's going to be talking about this." Vince McMahon dominated the headlines over Royal Rumble weekend following the lawsuit filed against him by former WWE employee Janel Grant alleging sex trafficking.
Meltzer noted the company has decided to wait for an opportunity to announce Mone's arrival (or something relating to it) when it wouldn't get lost in the shuffle of other news. AEW President Tony Khan is set to make a big announcement on the February 6 "AEW Dynamite," with fans around the world expecting something that could point to the inevitable arrival of the CEO of professional wrestling.
Please credit "Wrestling Observer Radio" when using quotes from this article, and give a H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.