Will the Biggest Free Agent of 2024 Kazuchika Okada Sign With WWE or AEW?

We're only three weeks into 2024, and it has already been an eventful year as Kazuchika Okada announced that he plans to leave New Japan Pro-Wrestling at the end of January.

The high-profile Japanese star stood at the forefront of the company during its rise to popularity in 2017, becoming one of the most dominant champions of the modern era.

The Rainmaker was also instrumental in its expansion into the Western market two years later and an essential part of its partnership with All Elite Wrestling.

As such, it's difficult to overstate how important the 36-year-old has been to NJPW for the last 14 years. Okada has been its preeminent flagbearer for so long that it's hard to imagine what the promotion will look like without him.

Nevertheless, free agency in professional wrestling is possibly more active than ever, and he will quickly become one of the most sought-after names in the industry.

Fans are still waiting to see where Mercedes Moné will land after Tony Khan swooped for Will Ospreay before his contract expired in March.

However, the unexpected exit of Okada will add a new coveted acquisition to the arms race between the two largest wrestling companies in the United States.

A Legendary Run With New Japan

As a product of the NJPW Dojo, Okada showed promise in 2009, but everything changed after he returned from his excursion at Wrestle Kingdom VI.

At the end of the night, he challenged Hiroshi Tanahashi to a match for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship after he retained his title against Minoru Suzuki, and the rest is history.

At The New Beginning 2012, the newest member of Chaos pulled off a stunning upset over The Ace in his first attempt. This career-defining win, which was later dubbed The Rainmaker Shock, ignited an iconic run with New Japan and one of its formative rivalries.

The two went on to have several classic matches, and Okada became a prolific top star. The seven-time world champion achieved many accolades, but his fifth reign with the IWGP heavyweight title was the most impressive.

The Rainmaker held the prestigious belt for a staggering 720 days, the longest consecutive tenure to date. During this monster run, he set a new record for the most defenses with 12 and competed in an incredible trilogy of matches with Kenny Omega.

The first Japanese wrestler to top the PWI 500 has headlined Wrestle Kingdom eight times, and he's a five-time G1 Climax and two-time New Japan Cup winner. His resume of highly acclaimed matches, his trademark dropkick and his electrifying entrance put him in most conversations for the greatest wrestler of all time.

Some may argue that he's too niche to belong in such rarified air, but the fact that so many top-tier wrestlers saw him as a standard to overcome says otherwise.

When AJ Styles went to Japan, it was a big deal when he beat Okada. Tetsuya Naito spent years trying to get out of the shadow he cast over the main event scene. It took Omega four matches to dethrone him, and he cemented himself as The Best Bout Machine in the process.

Most recently, Bryan Danielson faced him for bragging rights at Forbidden Door and Wrestle Kingdom 18 for this very reason. The American Dragon has made it to the top of the biggest wrestling company in the world, and he still felt like he had to test himself against The Rainmaker to call himself the best.

What's The Best Fit

If you've never seen Okada wrestle, it's impossible to summarize 12 years of greatness and properly contextualize his value to WWE or AEW. It's just going to seem like hype to some mainstream fans who've seen so many imports from NJPW at this point.

However, neither of the big two companies really needs him right now, and that's what makes this so interesting. The 36-year-old is a game-changing talent, but WWE's revenue reached a record high in 2023.

The global juggernaut also has a loaded roster with some of its hottest protagonists in a long time. Potential matches with CM Punk, Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton and The Rock will ensure Roman Reigns has a busy schedule this year.

So, where does someone of Okada's stature factor into the most intriguing WrestleMania build in recent memory? Sure, it would be surreal to see him show up after the Royal Rumble and compete on The Grandest Stage of Them All, but where does he fit?

Likewise, AEW just crowned a new world champion in Samoa Joe, and there are seemingly plans for Swerve Strickland to follow up on a phenomenal year. As stated earlier, Ospreay will also join the company after he wraps up his time with NJPW.

There's more of a void to fill with AEW since Omega will be out indefinitely and CM Punk's controversial exit. Nonetheless, it's still a jam-packed roster full of talented performers trying to move up the card.

Jay White and Adam Copeland haven't been with the company for a full year yet. It's hard to justify another major signing when it could disrupt storylines that were already in place for 2024.

Even more, it could create fatigue among viewers when it seems like a constant pursuit of the next big pop as opposed to a consistent and sustained push for fan favorites.

The Verdict

Losing Okada will be a huge blow to NJPW and Japanese wrestling. It's a bit distressing to see one of its top stars leaving and so many rumors of uncertainty coming into 2024.

The promotion currently needs him more than the big two in America. At the very least, it would've been nice to see him anoint his successor on the way out as opposed to such an abrupt end to his time as the face of the company.

Still, there are exciting reasons for him to join either of the top competitors. No matter how troubling this seems, neither of them will turn down the opportunity to acquire such a high-caliber talent.

Although it would be interesting to see how WWE would utilize him, AEW is the best for him. The Rainmaker has ties to the company, more specifically The Elite, going all the way back to All In, where he lent his star power to help bolster the card.

The generational star is also good friends with The Young Bucks and has many ready-made feuds in place with familiar opponents. It's unclear when Omega will be able to return to the ring, but this immediately presents Khan with the best chance to host Omega vs. Okada V on American soil.

Frankly, AEW could use the signing to balance the scales following a year marred by so many negative headlines. Okada, Ospreay, White and Kota Ibushi on national television in the U.S. is what many longtime fans envisioned since its inception. A lot has changed over the past four years, but this could restore the feeling.