Former New Japan Pro Wrestling star Kazuchika Okada made an appearance on All Elite Wrestling (AEW) on the March 6 episode of AEW Dynamite. Okada had announced that he would be leaving (New Japan Pro-Wrestling) NJPW in January.
The Rainmaker scripted a surprise appearance on the AEW Dynamite and sided with Matthew and Nicholas Jackson against Eddie Kingston. As per Tokyo Sports, sources close to Okada informed that the 36-year-old signed a three-year deal with AEW and the contract is valued at an estimated two billion Yen which roughly equates to around $13.5 million.
This means that Okada will be earning around $4.5 million per year at AEW. As per reports, Okada will feature with Matthew and Jackson as The Elite on AEW Collision on Saturday.
According to Tokyo Sports, Kazuchika Okada signed a 3 year deal with AEW for about 2 Billion Yen.That equates to about $13.5 Million Dollars.
Resulting in about $4.5 Million Dollars per year. pic.twitter.com/qInHXKryGi
— Wrestle Ops (@WrestleOps) March 7, 2024
AEW confirmed Kazuchika Okada’s arrival by sharing a post on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter. “”Rainmaker” Kazuchika Okada has become a member of AEW. Let’s take a look back at his journey in AEW so far,” read the post.
.@rainmakerXokada is not just All Elite… he’s replaced Kenny Omega IN the EliteWatch #AEWDynamite on-demand via TBS pic.twitter.com/XfsTzTNY6H
— AEW on TV (@AEWonTV) March 7, 2024
As per Wrestling INC, Fightful Select claimed that Kazuchika Okada will work a full-time schedule with AEW. Okada was previously rumoured to join WWE. According to Wrestling INC, Okada had even reached out to some WWE performers while exploring other options.
Star wrestler Samoa Joe recently talked about a potential rivalry with Kazuchika Okada. “That’s another first-time, fresh matchup you won’t see anywhere else. He can come get it, too. That’s for anyone. If someone feels like they want it, then show up–and we’ll see what you’ve got. But if you come up lame, I will laugh in your face,” Joe said during an interaction with Sports Illustrated.
Kazuchika Okada was unveiled as the newest member of The Elite, replacing Kenny Omega who was fired by The Young Bucks. Okada wrapped up his stint with NJPW at “The New Beginning In Sapporo” last month. Okada had previously been part of AEW thrice in 2022 and 2023. Okada left NJPW as a seven-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, a NEVER Openweight 6-man Tag Team Champion (along with Hiroshi Tanahashi and Tomohiro Ishii), a four-time winner of the G1 Climax tournament and winner of the New Japan Cup on two occasions.
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