Kazuchika Okada

[10.0] "Like, it's Okada. What else should I say. Although he has not often had the opportunity to show himself On the microphone, but from the point of view of working in the ring, he is one of the best. The incredible aura that emanated from him in NJPW and in AEW right now. I don't know what would have happened to Okada if he had signed a contract with WWE in 2024. But the most important thing is that now, he continues to delight us with high-quality wrestling and funny moments. The GOAT."

[10.0] "One of the indisputable best of his era, a wonderful storyteller with peak stamina and manueverability within the ring. He is what many would create if ever they devised a way to "Mad Science" the perfect wrestler. Just an absolute phenom."

[10.0] "Okada manages to be not only a person you go out to see as you know his performances will be great, but also works as the perfect reflection of the opponent he faces. He brings the best out of his opponents and always manages to perfectly uplift anybody he faces."

[10.0] "Even in a Place like the US where talking is important, Okada showed he could still get over with the people. You can sense he gets what a pro wrestler should be. Funny outside the ring, serious inside. He's not like modern wrestlers who all make their matches a copy/paste job, he is an amazing worker"

[10.0] "I remember on Twitter someone saying that people don't watch Okada matches for Okada but for the opponents Okada is facing. That could be an insult but that just tells how flexible and great of a wrestler Okada is. More often than not having a classic with just about anyone you're paired with sounds crazy to me. Even if leave out his rivalry with Kenny Omega of Hiroshi Tanahashi which, in my opinion, is enough to get a 10 out of me, he's had countless bangers. Matches of his with Ospreay, Shibata, Ishii, Naito, Danielson. You name it. One of the greatest all-rounders of all time."

[10.0] "Okada is unmatched and always brings the best out of his opponent. From classics in New Japan to revitalizing his style in AEW. He has kept consistently fresh throughout his career."

[9.0] "A slow period with a title does nothing to dampen my opinion that Kazuchika Okada may in fact be the most complete professional wrestler on Earth. Even when he "phones it in" he brings the energy to a match that I've not seen any other wrestler can. And when he locks in - we get to see pro wrestling as the art form it truly was."

[7.0] "Man, there's something I hate about Okada. When he's on his game and motivated, sure, I'll bite, he absolutely lives up to his name as one of the best in the world, but often times he just feels so unmotivated to put out a classic match and it makes him so inconsistent as a wrestler. Especially in AEW, even with some fun character work, so I can't give him more than just being an overall... GOOD wrestler, which is a real shame, in my opinion."

[8.0] "Get his whole demeanour, he's like the uber confident villain in a Takeshi Mike film, which fits his methodical ring general style. Best turd munching grin in the game too. His underwhelming moveset is the next thing to notice. A solid dropkick but he's hardly Paul London, a sub Macho Man elbow drop with the odd Flapjack and Tombstone. Papa Shango was doing shoulderbreakers 35 years ago and his Rainmaker is Jake Roberts' setup with a few bells on. Purely on his AEW performances, he's often coasting, is poor with the smaller guys and must have been miles better in Japan."

[10.0] "This guy is the complete package, charisma, technical skill, strong strikes that look legit, I really don't see how Okada could have anything less than a 10. This guy along with Kenny Omega brought NJPW to new heights of popularity and showed that a story could be told inside the ring without even needing to touch a microphone. His NJPW work is literally the stuff of legends and his AEW work is on the way to becoming that, face or heel Kazuchika Okada always delivers."

[10.0] "wow man, there are not many complete wrestlers like Okada, from the exceptional in ring ability and story telling, to having the ability to be the ace of one of thee most prominent wrestling companies in the world during a golden age, but the ability to flip and become a comedy character in AEW has been amazing for me."

[10.0] "Mythical GOAT of New Japan. His matches with Omega changed my life and entire view of wrestling as an art form. Slowed down in AEW and not always presented well or seemingly fully invested, but he's doing career best, genuinely hilarious character work and can still go when he chooses. That dropkick is still incredible."

[10.0] "One of the best wrestlers ever. A master of the epic and the personification of greatness. Just by taking a look at him you know he is the top guy. You can't have a worker like him in your roster and not want to give him all the titles and success. He is made for the main event and the glory."

[10.0] "Okada is up there with the greatest to ever do it. I don't think he's THE greatest. But I've never seen anybody make wrestling look so effortless. I would compare him to Anderson Silva for those who enjoy MMA."

[10.0] "Okada is not my favorite wrestler, but I respect him and I think he deserves a 10 rating at least for the fact that their matches with Omega have become a global trend and I may not like it, you may not like it, but when I look at other Japanese, British, European, American nowadays show, 100% someone will hold a match according to the patterns of these two. Many people's favorite times of NXT Black&Gold are replete with matches of this kind, and it was Okada and Omega who once made this popular, and also made NJPW more famous not only in Japan, but also abroad. You can hope for a long time that Okada is the project of Dave or someone else, but this man carried the Olympic flame and countless young wrestlers in Japan want to be like him. Many organizations have tried to find their Okada, but there is only one Kazuchika and he is really a child prodigy. He is constantly accused of having an extremely boring set of techniques, but in my opinion Kazuchika is just another proof that it doesn't matter what you do in wrestling, but how. It's just that the high dropkick has become his calling card and mainstream, which reminds me of the situation with Misawa and elbows. This guy doesn't do too much or even just a lot, he does as much as he needs to, and besides, Okada has something that many modern wrestlers like Will Osprey, MJF, etc. lack. He knows how to be second. There have always been a lot of egoists in wrestling, after all, you're not fighting each other, but for the love of the crowd. There are many great egoists in wrestling, just think of Shawn Michaels, but even such wrestlers know the secret of Ric Flair, as one of my friends says. The secret of Ric Flair is that sometimes you need to let others shine. Flair could make the most average wrestlers look like a million dollars and their equals, Okada could make people believe that SANADA and Ibushi were future stars. Many people often single out Kazuchiki's rivals in a match with him, not realizing that it is Okada who gives them the time and place to become the stars of their match, but at the right moment Okada knows that he needs to shine and we get Omega-Okada or one of the greatest confrontations in the history of Tanahashi-Okada. The only negative about Kazuchika for me is that he hung around the main belt too often, although greatness is forged not only in main events and battles for 30+ minutes, and the period of his matches for the titles of the trio made the situation even sadder, because it became clear to me that Okada would have pulled it all and his legacy would be even bigger and better. Kazuchika is just resting and relaxing at AEW right now. Sometimes I'm even pleased to see him fooling around, because in recent years in NJPW he looked uninterested and played big matches without fiction, but this year in the match with Tanahashi he once again showed how great he is, he just needs to want, it's a shame that over the years he wants it less and less."

[6.0] "Okada was such a prodigy, but he has kind of fizzled out. I understand he is nearing 40, but it seems like he just doesn't care anymore. He is a New Japan legend and deserves every single accolade or praise that his given for that run. I'm just so disappointed that he is coasting by that legacy in AEW. He should be filling AEW's struggling main event scene, but he is constantly doing comedy and delivering half hearted matches.He could so easily be such a bigger deal. He is a 10 out of 10 New Japan star, but a 4 out of 10 AEW star."

[7.0] "I havent watched his NJPW work so this rating is purely on his AEW work. That has been massively underwhelming. Its undeniable that Okada has a lot of talent and charisma, and the aew audience being auite literally the same one that watches njpw in america helps in him getting crowd reactions because he certainly has been boring otherwise to generate them. Mostly slow and plodding matches but a massive upgrade during some particular ppv matches. I am willing to still wait and see what Kazuchika Okada really can provide to AEW, hopefully it comes soon."

[10.0] "RAINNNMAKEEEEEER. I don't care how much of a lame piece of shit he "became" at AEW, I don't care about how his never pull out an outstanding exhibition when it is an TV match, that guy, when they NEED him, he delivers. It is pretty simple, he is THE greatest main event wrestler of all time. We need someone to put legendary matches with Tanahashi, specially his final one? Okada. The guy to be able to translate the entire current pro wrestling with Kenny Omega? Okada. An main event for WK? Okada. His moveset is pretty simple, his persona was always something pretty obvious, but he is THE guy. One of the most well protected wrestlers of all time with one of the most well protected finishers of all time, and no one protest against him, we know, even currently, when it is necessary, he step up, he pulls the trigger, he shows how good as a wrestler he is. His peak at NJPW, specially that 2017 year, might be the best individual performance a wrestler ever had."

[9.0] "If this were 2019 I would give Okada a 10 undoubtedly. However in AEW he just straight up has not been very good, he seems like a lazy worker and looks like he is constantly bored. Hes funny, but a big part of his character is just living off how good his old NJPW self used to be. He was responsible for the greatest title reign of all time, and has been in the two best matches of all time, but his recent work in AEW has taken off a point for me. I don't know if he's just lost his passion for wrestling or if his opponent always carried him in in countless great New Japan matches, but I hope he gets it together because he's still somewhat young and was a beast from 2016-2020"

[4.0] "I genuinely have never figured out the hype. His matches are so overrated. I feel like he is loved by the crowd that equates the number of kick outs of finishes to match quality. The more finishers they kick out of the better the match. That ain't it. He's also on the boring side as far as character work goes. I don't find him very charismatic at all. One of the more severely overrated pro wrestlers of all time."

[7.0] "Kazuchika Okada is good, but I think people overhype him. Since he's been in AEW, he's had only probably 4 great matches, the rest aren't good and are horrible. He just looks bored and doesn't wanna be there. However, what saves him from getting lower is his NJPW matches, those are bangers. Not the best on the mic, but he's also unintentionally funny"

[9.0] "A great wrestler but over the years drops lower and lower for me in terms of all time greats. One of the wrestlers with the highest amount of 5 star matches for me (although some probably need rewatches) but I think okada is one of those guys that is very good at a very specific style but isnt all that flexible. His aew run has been okay but he only seems to click with guys he was already wrestling in new japan. I hate that im being sort of negative for a 9/10 review but oh well. Extremely important wrestler that will get talked about for many many years but I find many of his contemporaries to be more exciting. Still though his best matches are truly some of the greats, and it isnt one of those cases where he got lucky with an incredible opponent, he always steps up when its time and gives great performances"

[10.0] "I don't really like the idea of ever picking a definitive best wrestler of all time, but if I'm put on the spot I usually say Okada. He's responsible for the best championship reign of all time, and he's had too many classics to name. Even now in AEW he's still capable of true greatness every now and then."

[8.0] "One of the best in the history of New Japan Pro Wrestling and Puroresu in general, but in my opinion, he is not the absolute best wrestler in any kind. His matches with Tanahashi, Styles, Omega, Naito and others are the stuff of legend, the second best IWGP Heavyweight Champion in my books."

[10.0] "One of the greatest to ever do it. From that incredible series with Tanahashi, to the equally as incredible series with Omega. His AEW run has been great to me, with his in-ring work always being in form to exceptional."

[6.0] "In my opinion, Okada is quite overhyped. His current run in AEW hasn't been impressive at all, and it really doesn't showcase the level of performance people claim he consistently delivers. Sure, he's a good wrestler with solid in-ring skills and undeniable presence, but based on what we've seen lately, I don't think he deserves to be considered one of the best in the world."

[3.0] "I can say that Okada isn't as bad as Nakamura. At least, unlike the second one, Okada doesn't seem to give a damn about his career, and it's clear that he's at least interested in his path--probably because of his arrogance. As a character and wrestler, those are all cons. What I just wrote might sound like whining in the style of "why do they give titles in bunches to Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar, but not Ricochet, since the latter pulls off sick flips, " but honestly, it irritates me that top-tier wrestlers are booked against Okada: Mascara Dorada and Bandido. And yeah, Reigns is better than Okada. I hate the four-year Reigns reign, but he's genuinely good now--he's progressed, and the aura of that wrestler is undeniable. Meanwhile, Okada, over all these years of his career, has only learned to flip the bird and say "bitch." As a wrestler, he's very scripted, boring in the ring; his match with Omega in NJPW is even hard to rate above 4 stars. That match is just a Memezer's propaganda stunt. And speaking of their last match, only Omega really tried. Okada showed nothing interesting in that match, yet somehow he got the win. Just DDTs and dropkicks. I wouldn't have any complaints about him if he weren't being rated as the best wrestler on the planet, but rather as a comedic character, and if he weren't being fed to wrestlers who truly work hard. (And the Rainmaker in his execution looks terrible--given his size, he doesn't look like a powerful finisher."

[10.0] "I don't believe I've handed out a 10 on a wrestler but Okada will be my first. An absolutely unreal performer, with the only truly bad work of his career coming in his TNA run which was hilariously bad. However, since 2012 everything has been pretty much gold. His run in New Japan is the stuff of legend and for good reason. His later work in AEW has been a bit shaky at times, however I see him turning it up a notch when his feud with Takeshita boils over. I think my favorite thing about Okada is his general presentation, it's other worldly and he's one of the few modern wrestlers that feels like a genuine final boss. Also the fact that he will retire both Tanahashi and Tenryu is beast as fuck."

[10.0] "A once in a lifetime level wrestler. An unmotivated Okada has proven to still be a step ahead of most wrestlers, and when the lights are bright - few rise to the occassion like Okada can. So many of the best matches of the past decade have included Okada, his NJPW resume by the time he left was already the stuff of legend, and now he's well on his way to being the first Japanese born AEW Men's World Champion. Okada is an unstoppable force of wrestling, and shows no signs of stopping anytime soon."

[6.0] "His work in Japan was genuinely admirable, but he never quite hit that mythic gear in AEW, and his TNA run was, frankly, disappointing. Still at full potential, few can match his ceiling. If he can reset, stay healthy, and land with the right creative, he absolutely has the tools to recapture that level. I'm hopeful he finds that spark again, even if my optimism is cautious."

"I have seen very little of his work outside of AEW, so to me Okada is a very interesting wrestler. Simply put, he wants to be the funniest wrestler ever, but he is forced to be the greatest wrestler ever. For someone paid so highly, I am impressed at how often he wrestles. The majority of his matches on weekly tv episodes are sort of repetitive semi-squash matches (him trying to be funny) but when he is requested to lock in, for certain matches on ppv he will genuinely turn into the greatest wrestler on the planet and will put on a never before seen level of godly performance. Its like he has a switch in his brain that he can flip at will, allowing him to be the best in the world, but he chooses to keep it turned off most of the time."

[10.0] "what this man has achieved throughout his career is simply unique, i think Okada is one of those dudes that were born for wrestling and embodied it the whole way, and it shows .. what a legend, hopefully the next generations will speak of him as such"

[8.0] "Okada is a great talent with a very cool moveset and has amazing ring psychology. He is also taller than most Japanese wrestlers and is a good story teller. He reminds me a lot of Randy Orton in more than one ways. However despite being a successful star in multiple promotions, I feel his style can on occasions not bring out the best in an opponent. His in ring chemistry must be met with someone who understands psychology on his level and then we get a true Okada classic"

[10.0] "I recently started watching AJ Styles run in NJPW as he was someone who I was familiar with. I had almost no knowledge of most other wrestlers in NJPW but I had heard some of their names. Okada was one of them. I was told that he is the best wrestler in the world during his prime in the mid-2010s and is in the conversation for the greatest ever. I can't say that I have watched every PPV match of his but I can definitely tell you that this guy is really a top tier wrestler. Everything about him, from his entrance and his RAINMAKER persona to his in ring ability and undisputed wrestling psychology, it's all iconic. The guy was money for NJPW and was IWGP Heavyweight Champion for two years in one of his reigns. Nowadays, he resides in AEW and yes I know its not the same like it was before but I think he is just enjoying his time there and I can't blame him at all for it. He will go down as one of the best ever in my eyes atleast"

[4.0] "I'm extremely disappointed with Okada. I only used to watch WWE before but then somewhere around 2019 I started to look out for other promotions like AEW or NJPW. I found out about him and omega and Ospreay. At that point I used to think Okada was in best in the world conversations. When he signed with aew I was so happy. However if I am being honest, his run in this company has nothing but a disaster. Very terrible matches except for a few ones where he was carried by his opponents. He isn't even old. He has no excuse. He just decides to phone it in. I am so disappointed by it. I was heart broken when that Okada VS omega match from all in didn't live up to its hype. It was barely even a 3 star match. I gave him chance after chance after chance. But I'm finally fed up. I don't believe in him anymore. What frustrates me is that he does bad matches on purpose. You can see how slowly he is moving in the ring on purpose I really want to give him a 0 because he's not taking this sport seriously and as a dir hard fan I am offended. But his matches with Omega, Shibata, and his other stuff in Japan saves him from being an absolute 0. I'll probably give him a 3 or 4."

[9.0] "At his peak he was one of the best wrestlers in the world, feeling like the most important one too, but he did have periods of not doing much. His AEW run hae been the oppitamy of this."

[10.0] "My Favorite Wrestler who had my favorite title reign of the 2010s, 3 generation defining rivalries with Tanahashi, Naito, Omega, as well as being a pivotal rival to Sanada, WIll Ospreay and Kota Ibushi. IMO he played the role of the Ace perfectly in NJPW and everyone he faced was elevated by their proximity to his championship. Still killing it right now as a highly anticipated wrestler on PPV, Okada is goated."

[9.0] "Well... Okada is there. Not the most skilled guy in the ring but he's a charismatic individual and he's one of the bests if we talk about in-ring psychology"

[9.0] "Kazuchika Okada is one of the best NJPW wrestlers of all time and noone can ever deny that. He's run as the Rainmaker and 2 year title reign are some of the greatest work you'll ever see. But it's been a few years since I last saw the legendary version of Okada. Sure, he works well and does still have great matches but something seems to be missing from it. I, unlike most have enjoyed his AEW run much more than his late NJPW one. While he's still missing something, his character explains him not being the top Tier athlete he was in the ring which is very smart. Okada is one of the best to ever do it, But hasn't been as good as he once was for a few years now"

[10.0] "I finally had the chance to see Okada live at DoN 2025, he is every bit as advertised! What a phenomenal wrestler Okada is!"

[6.0] "I am going to say this Okada is an Overrated, Overhyped, and down right just okay wrestler, I never got the hype of Okada i've seen his AEW stuff and his NJPW stuff and he was never more than just the other guy In my opinion. SERIOUSLY in every single one of his world famous feuds I have always found Okadas opponents more interesting than Okada, Naito, Ibushi, white, omega etc. he only has one thing and it's boring in 2025 and he is clearly just coasting through his AEW run and without all the glitter and gold he would just be seen as AVERAGE."

[10.0] "Now I must stress this rating is based purely on his New Japan run when the guy actually gave a fuck and tried. Kazuchika Okada might just be the best wrestler I've ever seen. He manages to bring out the absolute best in everyone he wrestles. An absolute master of pacing long matches. He had one of the best title reigns in wrestling history with his 4th reign as IWGP heavyweight champion. Had what I believe to be the greatest feud in history with Omega. Can have a 4 star match with Tanahashi in his sleep. Accomplished one of the greatest feats in human history by getting a good match out of Bad Luck Fale. He pulls off being arrogant while still being a face. Has generational G1 campaigns like it's nothing, as to him it's just a regular Tuesday. Just fucking incredible. My favourite wrestler ever."

[10.0] "Okada is not just an excellent wrestler, he's a phenomenon. He has produced countless classics. He revolutionized wrestling with Kenny Omega. These rivalries against Tanahashi, Naito and Omega are among the greatest in history. And he's responsible for the best world title reign in the history of the sport with those 720 days as IWGP World Heavyweight Champion in 2016-2018. Kazuchika Okada is one of the top 5 wrestlers in history, and I don't think he's fifth."

[10.0] "Kazuchika Okada is more than just a professional wrestler--he is a living legend and one of the greatest performers to ever step foot inside a wrestling ring. Known as "The Rainmaker, " Okada redefined what it means to be a main event star in New Japan Pro-Wrestling. With his unmatched athleticism, impeccable timing, and powerful presence, Okada has consistently delivered some of the most iconic matches in modern wrestling history. His rise to the top was meteoric, and once he got there, he elevated NJPW to global prominence. Okada's rivalry with stars like Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kenny Omega, and Tetsuya Naito has produced timeless classics that will be remembered for decades. He carries himself with a rare combination of grace and intensity, commanding respect whether he's in victory or defeat. What makes Okada truly special is not just his in-ring ability, but his storytelling. Every move he makes, every gesture, every Rainmaker lariat is packed with meaning and emotion. He knows how to draw the crowd in, take them on a journey, and leave them in awe by the final bell. His charisma is undeniable, his dedication to his craft is inspiring, and his legacy is already cemented as one of the all-time greats. Kazuchika Okada is not only the heart of NJPW--he is the soul of modern pro wrestling. Watching him perform is witnessing greatness in its purest form"

[10.0] "Without a doubt is a mainstream celebrity in his home country. Not only does Okada consistently give fans amazing matches, he's also been in ads, commercials, movies, TV shows, and news shows. In fact, last month I saw a Japanese advertisement that had Okada advertising wasabi KitKats. But, his wrestling is where you really see just how amazing he is. His 4 matches against Kenny Omega have been billed as best matches in both of their careers. Okada is even a hero to some non-Japanese fans who treat him almost like a folk hero, because his skill is on another level entirely. And now that he's in AEW along with his hilarious b**** gimmick, just how much MORE can we see? When he retires, he'll be a legend for sure."

[9.0] "One of the best of all time... That's cooled off in his later years. He is still very capable of 5 star matches, but he's settled into being happy putting in less of an effort. Still great! But just not as good as he was."

[9.0] "This would be a 10 but recently he hasn't been as good as he was other than a few matches against pac or Ospreay. But regardless he is still one of the best wrestlers of the past 10-15 years. He has so many 5* matches and him being able to wrestle 60 minutes any damn time he wants and take a beating he has to go up as at minimum a top 5 wrestler of the decade."

[8.0] "I had him at a 10 but i think im dropping my rating down. I like Okada i think he is one of the best but now i look at his matches back then and his character in general, i think i drop my rating. For some reason his matches just feel like you know he is going to win, even if its a big threat wrestler, and Okada in AEW is just not good nor entertaining, he doesnt shine like he did in NJPW, and even in NJPW he wasnt the greatest. His character is this sort of cocky guy who proclaims himself as the rainmaker but somehow in matches when he absorbs everything he still wins a match even if hes outmatched, i dont know i thought he was one of the greatest untill i really looked at his matches."

[10.0] "Even with him "taking it easy" in AEW, he's still better than almost anyone else on the planet. While he isn't going as hard in the ring as often as he used to, he still pulls out the fantastic 5+ star-worthy match when it matters. Him coming to AEW has really allowed for him to showcase a bit of his comedic personality, and I very much appreciate that. Nobody on the planet sells as better as he does, save for maybe Will Ospreay. Selling throughout a match and after a match is such a lost art this day in age, so I appreciate him keeping this in the back of his mind as he works. His closing sequences are always the best, and I can't get enough of this guy. Everything about this guy's stories is told via bell-to-bell. No need for promos or video packages. Just watch the matches, and you'll see he's one of the very best of all-time."

[7.0] "Had I done the rating of Okada before now, I would've gone higher than a seven. However, I don't know what it is, maybe it's the age factor kicking in, but it really doesn't feel like he's giving it his all like he used to. Still arguably one of the greatest of his time, but I feel like father time has caught up to him, and now he's just phoning it in."