According to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, NJPW megastar Kazuchika Okada will be appearing on AEW and IMPACT Wrestling in the near future.
Speaking on the relationship between AEW, IMPACT and NJPW, Meltzer stated:
“[AEW, NJPW and IMPACT] are all in business. It’s all open now. Okada is coming. I don’t know where or when, but he is officially coming… and others are coming too”.
This comes in the wake of IMPACT announcing that NJPW fan-favorites Finjuice will be appearing on their show next week.
This isn’t the first time NJPW and IMPACT have undergone a working relationship together. The two companies worked together between 2008 and 2011, but some disagreements put an abrupt end to the relationship.
Ironically, one of the reasons this relationship ended was due to IMPACT’s (then TNA) usage of Okada, who they assigned the moniker Okato. Their usage of Okada as a small-time, comedy character infuriated NJPW as they had high hopes for the then-Young Lion.
But now with IMPACT under different management, it appears NJPW are open to working with them again.
The potential arrival of Okada and other NJPW talent opens the door for a number of high profile matches, not to mention a continuation of previous rivalries.
In particular, Okada’s feud with Kenny Omega resulted in some of the most impressive matches in modern wrestling. Their bout at Dominion 6.9 remains the highest rated wrestling match in history. It seems a guarantee that the two would eventually meet again.
Additionally, there’s the opportunity for Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi to continue their long-term story.
Meltzer was also quick to point out that COVID-19 limitations means that Okada’s arrival could be a while away.
“When this pandemic is over and we can travel back and forth, that’s when we’ll be getting every dream match they think will sell. That’s not saying we’ll get every one of them, but we’ll be getting a lot of them. But, we’re not going to be able to get them right now.”
You can listen to the segment on Wrestling Observer Radio below:
