WWE or AEW – What next for departing New Japan star Kazuchika Okada

Kazuchika Okada turned the wrestling industry on its head last week with the shock announcement that he would be leaving New Japan Pro Wrestling after his current contract expires. But it’s still not known if his next move will be to WWE or AEW.

Okada’s decision to leave New Japan, a company he has been signed to since 2007 and where he established himself as one of the best wrestler’s on the planet, has immediately made him the hottest free agent in the business.

New Japan revealed the shocking news last Friday in a statement which confirmed Okada’s contract expires on January 31. However, the seven-time world champion will still honour dates on the New Beginning series on February 11 in Osaka, and February 23 and 24 in Sapporo.

Afterwards, the ‘Rainmaker’ will be free to take the next step in his glittering career. One of the big two – WWE or AEW – is bound to be his next destination but which one will he choose?

AEW

Despite WWE’s roaring success and AEW’s comparative struggles creatively, in the television ratings and in domestic ticket sales in 2023, AEW remains an obvious pick for Okada for a multitude of different reasons.

First and foremost, AEW already has a working relationship with New Japan meaning the door would be left open for Okada to still wrestle for the company, especially on the biggest events of the year such as Wrestle Kingdom.

As a result of that working relationship, Okada already has a familiarity with AEW as a company and has wrestled under the umbrella multiple times. The 36-year-old has competed on both Forbidden Doors – In a four-way against Adam Cole, ‘Hangman’ Adam Page and Jay White in 2022 and against Bryan Danielson in 2023 – as well as having wrestled on Dynamite teaming alongside Orange Cassidy.

With the crossover between the two companies very high, Okada will already be intimately familiar with much of the AEW staff, both inside the ring and out. Which could prove attractive for such a big move.

Though Okada has wrestled many members of the AEW roster, there remains several dream matches on the table such as with Adam Copeland, Darby Allin, Samoa Joe, MJF and many more. Of course, there is also the tantalising prospect of a new addition to the genre defining series with Kenny Omega.

AEW’s light schedule due to a lack of house shows could be a massive factor. With Okada only having to work two nights a week at a maximum – and that only on PPV weeks – he would still be able to live in his native Japan and not have to move his entire family to the United States, which would likely be difficult to do in WWE.

Okada is married to famous actress and singer Suzuko Mimori, who is so beloved that she actually trended above her husband on X on the day his departure was announced as her fans expressed their fears over the prospect of Mimori leaving Japan. The couple also have a young child.

Naturally, money will also play a major factor and billionaire owner Tony Khan will no doubt spare no expense in trying to secure such a massive star. Wrestling expert Dave Meltzer reported in the latest eddition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that it’s believed AEW has made the stronger first offer.

WWE

Though there are many factors that make AEW an attractive proposition, WWE have plenty as well. The natural allure of working for the biggest wrestling company in the world being one.

While the highest offer will likely win the prize, the chance of performing on the grandest stage of them all, Wrestlemania, can not be discounted. Should Okada make the jump to WWE at the end of February, the timing would be perfect for him to be inserted in to a strong feud to compete at Mania in Philadelphia in early April.

Meltzer added: “I know people in WWE who hope they’re gonna get him and who beige that – he wants the legacy and it’s like they’re, ‘well maybe we can pay him less but you can have your Wrestlemania moment.'”

WWE has been incredibly hot over the last year, drawing 10,000+ attendances on a near weekly basis for even just house shows. Those big and exciting crowds in a promotion that is heading in a positive direction under the creative control of Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque could be a major draw.

If there was any concern about how WWE has treated and represented Japanese talent in the past, especially under Vince McMahon’s regime, Levesque has taken great pains to change that perception. Iyo Sky is currently the WWE Women’s Champion while Kairi Sane, Asuka and, Okada’s former Chaos stablemate, Shinsuke Nakamura are all enjoying strong pushes.

The creative presentation of Nakamura’s promos especially, which have been in his native Japanese and subtitled, suggests that Okada will still be treated as a star even if his English is not the strongest.

In contrast to AEW where there is a sense of familiarity with a lot of potential opponents, Okada has only ever locked up with less than 10 current WWE stars. There is a great opportunity for fresh and thrilling dream matches with the likes of Gunther, Cody Rhodes, Brock Lesnar, Drew McIntyre, Roman Reigns and CM Punk.

Additionally, the path to the top of the card is much clearer in WWE than AEW. Both companies are blessed with a wealth of talent – do either need Okada really? – but AEW is especially clogged at the top .

World champion Samoa Joe is currently being hunted by Swerve Strickland and ‘Hangman’ Page while the likes of Copeland, Allin, Cassidy, Danielson, White, Jon Moxley, Eddie Kingston and Konosuke Takeshita are all circling the top of the card. That’s without even considering the injured trio of Omega, MJF and Adam Cole or Will Ospreay, who is already making the jump from New Japan.

It’s much easier to see Okada joining WWE and be challenging for the world titles rather soon after his debut than it would in AEW.

So where will Okada go? Both options have their positive and negatives but either move would be incredible exciting to see.