Kenny Omega vs Kazuchika Okada: The Reckoning

The news has broken, Kenny Omega versus Kazuchika Okada, the fourth installment. No time limit. The Internet Wrestling Community rejoices, the New Japan fans change their pants, and finally we get a storyline with tangible weight. However, my good buddy (and publisher of this very website) Greg DeMarco posed a question to me a few days ago along the lines of:

“Why would Okada pick a fight with Omega, when he’s been the closest to dethroning him?”

This question, I found to be wholly baffling since the answer should be obvious. Alas, since most are still WWE fans first and merely intrigued by Japanese wrestling, I figured an article could be necessary to explain the dynamic.

The Beginnings

G1 2016 Winner Kenny Omega, challenges IWGP Champion Kazuchika Okada at Wrestle Kingdom 11. The match puts New Japan on the collective map, as it goes down as a Meltzer scale breaking 6 Star bout (I also gave it 6 Snowflakes for anyone keeping count), as Okada retains over the Gaijin sensation. But it was from that point forward, that the internet found a company to champion since the match quality and production values were something not seen since the early years of TNA.

This brings us to Wrestling Dontaku 2017, after dispatching the New Japan Cup runner-up Bad Luck Fale, Kazuchika Okada’s pride gets the best of him and he challenges Kenny Omega to a rematch. Claiming that since the Wrestle Kingdom bout, the buzz has been more about Kenny, and somehow the dominant champion was overshadowed, even though he won the match. When the rematch happens, we get a 60 minute Broadway (a draw for those unaware) and still Omega’s star continues to rise.

Since the outcome was a draw, this shows the first wrinkle in this storyline, where Okada went out of his way to make the challenge…and failed. Sure he retained his title, but a draw proves nothing.

Fast forward to the 2017 G1 tournament, and a very banged up Kazuchika Okada, started off 6-0, then gets injured by EVIL, which also gives him his first loss of the tournament. After EVIL, he fights Minoru Suzuki to a draw, which just further injures the champion since Suzuki’s main goal in matches is to cripple, not to win. Setting up Kenny Omega, who needs the win to make the finals, to finally get the win in this long standing rivalry. Yes, it can be argued that Okada wasn’t at 100 percent, but that doesn’t change the scorecard.

Now, most people know that, since Okada and Omega are two of the more visible stars from outside of the United States, but people may not have noticed the significance.

Since the 6 Star Trilogy

Starting with his defense against Cody, Gedo and Okada started to make reference to this “Okada Level”, which plays into super human booking and his historic reign. However, it’s also bringing out more of the old arrogant Rainmaker. He resorts to more demeaning tactics and mannerisms in and out of the ring, as well as having less desire to placate the crowd.

As the crowd grows more hungry for a new champion, Okada grows more malicious and prideful that he’s so much better than everyone else, as he wins against all hopes and desires. Naito is easily the most popular wrestler in Japan, and he dispatched him and his entire stable with ease. Zack Sabre rose to prominence with a great New Japan Cup run, and Okada changed his style and fought off the Submission Master.

Tanahashi, the former Ace, is the most recent challenger to try and stop the rampaging Rainmaker. Historically, Tanahashi and Okada are very even. In 10 previous matches, they were 4-4-2, so breaking the 11 defenses record, would also come with the win to tip the scales in the favor of Okada. And as the Ace falls, Okada proves to have completed his ascent beyond everyone and everything…except one person.

1-1-1, three matches, three different results and nothing that makes Okada exactly happy. To go back to the initial question of “Why would he want this”, because why the hell not? When you are proving that you are better than the entire company, you need to definitively prove this fact. There can be no asterisks, and when there’s one man in your way from completely lapping the field, you run the risk, because pride is a dangerous thing. Also as an addition to pride, since Okada lost to Omega in the G1, it’s usually a point of pride for any champions who lost during the tournament, try to reconcile that loss at a future date.

The Weight of Reckoning Day

If Kenny Omega can defeat Kazuchika Okada in a best 2 out of 3 falls match, this year at Dominion, the 1 year anniversary of their epic Broadway, then the arrogance of the Rainmaker is for naught. Unlike the way writing is in many American companies, where the champion would try to avoid the biggest threat, Japan is a different animal. The concepts of Strong Style and Fighting Spirit are to never relent and give as good as you get.

To expunge any and all doubt, Okada needs to defeat Omega. A nearly two year reign as a champion would feel invalidated to him, if Omega pulls the upset. Two years as being the champion, overshadowed by everything the Bullet Club was doing, who Chris Jericho wanted to fight, and the Golden Lovers joining back together.

Okada needs this more than Omega, and if he fails, the spiral could take some time for Okada to bounce back from.