RAINMAKER: The Greatest IWGP Champion in History
by Mike Killam Follow @MikeKillam
One year ago today, Kazuchika Okada defeated Testuya Naito to win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship for the fourth time, embarking on a journey that would cement his place among the pantheon of New Japan Pro Wrestling's greatest legends.
Over the course of 365 days, the Rainmaker would endure hard-fought battles one after another, against some of the most gifted men to ever challenge for the gold. Names like Naomichi Marufuji, Katsuyori Shibata and Minoru Suzuki. Names like Kenny Omega.
Phrases like "instant classic" and "five star match" are thrown around far too carelessly in the modern era of professional wrestling. To some degree it's a justifiable response to the overall workrate of the industry hitting an all-time high, and in this writer's humble opinion it has become undeniable that the global state of in-ring competition has never been greater. Men like Kazuchika Okada are a substantial part of that success, raising the bar and setting the tone for everyone else to follow. In an age where flash often trumps substance his work shines through as an art form, decorating a 20-by-20 canvas with stories that will stand the test of time.
Okada's first six months as champion would be enough to call his reign great. His performance in the 2016 G1 yielded must-see bouts night after night, opening the tournament with a near perfect collision against the Ace of Pro Wrestling NOAH Naomichi Marufuji. His match against the "Stone Pitbull" Tomohiro Ishii was a brutal, hard-hitting war appropriately awarded five stars by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. But it was the Rainmaker's final match of the G1 that fans may ultimately remember for years to come, battling his greatest rival Hiroshi Tanahashi to a draw in a nail-bitting, edge-of-your-seat finish that would ultimately seal the fate of the tournament finals.
It was clear within just a few months of him winning the IWGP title that fans were in for a satisfying reign full of incredible matches. From his stellar bouts in the G1 to the subsequent championship defense against Marufuji, he had already done more to showcase the prestige of the IWGP title than perhaps any other champion in the world; then-WWE Champion AJ Styles not withstanding.
Enter "The Cleaner", Kenny Omega.
Photo Credit: NJPW/TV Asahi
When the Bullet Club leader ultimately won the G1 Climax last year it was an emotional moment, setting the stage for what many believed would be Omega's coronation at Wrestle Kingdom. The story was beautifully and organically crafted, not by the drama of wrestling angles, but by very real conditions in the careers of both men. Okada needed to retain his title in the Tokyo Dome to get out of Hiroshi Tanahashi's massive shadow; to prove that he could carry the company in the same manner. Omega had dedicated his life to wrestling in Japan, had risen slowly up the ranks to finally be accepted as more than a foreigner in a strange land. He wanted to carry New Japan to the west, to establish himself as the greatest wrestler in the world by beating the absolute best in his own recently inherited temple. There were real stakes, and the result they produced together was nothing short of magnificent.
Okada-Omega has been called many things: the first legitimate six star match; an instant classic; some have called it the greatest championship match of the modern era. Over time it's massive popularity has brought out neigh-sayers and skeptics, and that's part of the beauty of pro wrestling. Any time you reach a level where people are calling your work the "greatest of all time" it's going to see backlash from internet trolls and intentionally divisive people, many of whom didn't even bother to watch it. And of course, there are also genuine people who simply didn't enjoy the match as much for what it was - again, that's the beauty of pro wrestling.
And so Okada's reign continued. With no time to recover from the grueling effects of the Tokyo Dome, he stepped into the ring with the maniacal Minoru Suzuki in one of the most punishing, cerebral assaults I've ever seen - and retained. He faced one of the best wrestlers in the world Kota Ibushi, under the guise of the Tiger Mask W anime character, and the two put on a main event clinic. He fought the winner of the 2017 New Japan Cup Katsuyori Shibata in an unbelievably physical strong-style battle of attrition; a match that would earn another deserved five star rating, but very nearly cost The Wrestler his life. And one month later, despite his body being put through unimaginable brutality in a very short window of time, Okada would elevate the "Underboss" of the Bullet Club, Bad Luck Fale, to arguably the single greatest match of the big man's career.
Credit: NJPW/TV Asahi
When the rematch with Omega was announced for Dominion, the expectation for many was that the championship was changing hands. With New Japan heading to the United States in July, and with Okada having profoundly cemented his title reign as one of the all-time best, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to move on. And then they fought... for sixty minutes.
It seemed impossible that two men could go out and live up to the expectations of a match that was pegged as the sure-fire "Match of the Year" just four days into 2017. Even for Kenny Omega and Kazuchika Okada, two of the absolute elite performers in the business this side of the 21st century, to do that would be a feat of pure godlike ability. But they did it. Both men pushed each other past the point the human body should go, until the Cleaner literally couldn't even stay on his feet long enough to take another Rainmaker. They battled back and forth in an epic, engaging, story-driven sequel the likes of Bret Hart and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin at WrestleMania 13.
The end result was a sixty minute time limit draw. While it is perhaps as divisive as the rivalry itself, there is something almost poetic about two warriors who are so undeniably excellent at their craft, that their original encounter elevated both to such a level that they simply cannot defeat each other. It is the classic wrestling story told to perfection.
Whether or not you agree with the outcome of Okada-Omega II, we stand at an interesting period in history for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. In a span of just one year the champion has secured four of the greatest matches of this generation and several others that rank very, very close to that level. There is no doubt now that his reign will be debated as the greatest of all time.
Credit: NJPW/TV Asahi
Okada has one remaining defense before the start of this year's G1, against Cody Rhodes on July 1st. Should Okada retain, which many expect him to do, he will enter the G1 as the champion for the second year in a row. More importantly, he will enter having defeated every single top star in New Japan Pro Wrestling that can lay any kind of legitimate claim to his title. Every main event wrestler, and every leader of every faction in the promotion has stepped up and fallen.
It's important to recognize that throughout all of this, Okada has remained the gold standard and a beloved champion in the eyes of the Japanese fans. Despite not being a "relatable" western star, New Japan has also grown its western audience to the biggest point in its history with him as champion. Live event numbers are way up from previous years. Dominion sold out Osaka-Jo Hall faster than any event before. The U.S. specials in Long Beach sold out in two hours with zero matches announced, and the reserve tickets sold out in just minutes. Seats for the G1 shows in Japan are selling at record speeds, and it's expected that all 19 events of the series will be complete, legitimate sell-outs.
With the promotion in its best financial position in years, New Japan has decisively created a mega star that will undoubtedly go down in the history books as one of the greatest champions of all time. And that reign may not come to an end any time soon.
Should he retain in Long Beach, it is a statistical probability that Okada will carry the title all the way to January and defend against the G1 winner at Wrestle Kingdom. Then again, given his unprecedented run over the past year, perhaps the only real accolade left for him to chase is winning the G1 as champion, an extremely rare feat that he has expressed interest in accomplishing many times before. The next major accolade would be breaking the all-time IWGP Heavyweight record, which would take place on October 22nd.
Looking to the future, we may see the conclusion to the Omega Trilogy at Wrestle Kingdom 13. We may see New Japan try to create an old school multi-year champion in the vein of Hulk Hogan or Bruno Sammartino. Whatever happens, the future of the company is ultimately in extremely capable hands, and the prestige of the IWGP Heavyweight Championship has never looked so bright.
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So what's next? How do you feel about Okada's year-long championship reign? Do you want to see Cody Rhodes win the title in Long Beach? Who should be next in line and what do you think the main event of Wrestle Kingdom 13 will look like in six months? Sound off in the comments section!
