Kazuchika Okada wird New Japan Pro-Wrestling verlassen!

[CJ]

Wie NJPW gerade auf ihrer Homepage verriet, wird ihr langjähriges Aushängeschild Kazuchika Okada mit Ablauf seines Vertrages New Japan am 31.01.2024 verlassen.

Kazuchika Okada will be leaving New Japan Pro-Wrestling after the conclusion of his contract on January 31 2024.

We apologise to fans for the abrupt nature of this announcement, but join them in wishing Okada the very best in his future.

As the New Beginning series begins this weekend, Okada will appear on February dates on February 11 in Osaka, and February 23 and 24 in Sapporo. Changes will be made to forthcoming cards with an announcement to follow.

We appreciate your understanding and continued support.

Kazuchika Okada statement:

"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. 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."

Quelle: njpw1972.com

[CJ]

Ein Kommentar hierzu von Bryan Alvarez (WON):

"People today were like, [Okada] is the most underpaid greatest wrestler of all-time, ever.

Whatever he was making, if you compare to what the top stars are making in America today, I mean he's grossly underpaid in New Japan."

[CJ]

"Although we’re unable to verify with The Rainmaker himself, one source close to NJPW’s top talent has indicated to Monthly Puroresu that it appears Okada is WWE bound, potentially starting in NXT first."

- Quelle: Monthly Puroresu

Wie sagt man so schön? Solange er glücklich ist, sollte man diese Entscheidung respektieren. Aber noch steht es ja nicht endgültig fest.

[CJ]

Und es geht weiter. Nachdem Monthly Puroresu ja heute Morgen berichtete, dass Okada bereits WWE bound sei, weiß Fightful jetzt zu berichten, dass ihre Kontakte, welche nah an NJPW und Okada dran sind, dass an diesen Gerüchten nichts dran sei, soweit sie es jedenfalls wissen. Es wurde berichtet, dass Okada noch ziemlich am Anfang des Prozesses sei, wo er sich für eine neue Liga entscheiden würde. Auch bei der WWE war man über diese News überrascht.

One WWE higher up said "that would be news to us at this point," and multiple sources on the NXT staff said they've heard nothing of the sort at this point. In addition, numerous people that Fightful has talked to within AEW believed they're very much in the running to land Kazuchika Okada.

- Quelle: Fightful-Select

Das Rennen um Okada scheint also weiterhin offen zu sein. AEW oder WWE? ALL IN 2024 oder Wrestlemania 40? Wohin wird Okada wechseln?