Following this weekend’s Wrestling Dontaku special IWGP World Heavyweight champion Kazuchika Okada spoke with the NJPW press about this summer’s highly-anticipated Forbidden Door pay-per-view, which will feature talents from both NJPW and AEW. Check out what the Rainmaker had to say on the subject in the highlights below.
Says there is no point in having a supershow with AEW if he can’t be part of it:
“I don’t know what shape that event will take, but the fact that we’re having this combined event at all means I should absolutely be a part of it. There wouldn’t be much point in having a supershow like that if I’m not there. I think that we’ll create some more NJPW fans in the process, just like some NJPW fans in Japan will be discovering AEW as well. I think it’s definitely fitting for this 50th year. in January we wrestled with NOAH, recently it was NJPW and AJPW in the Korakuen Anniversary so this continues that spirit, absolutely.”
Says he is aware of AEW, adding that they have world class talent:
“Well, AEW is on a different level to NOAH, so yes, I’m aware (laughs). They definitely have world class talent, but no matter how many great wrestlers they may have, I’m sure there are a lot of people who have never heard of them. And it goes both ways- there are AEW fans who only watch AEW and will be seeing Kazuchika Okada for the first time. But whatever happens, I’m fully confident that those people will be leaving knowing how good I am. No matter who it might be, I think that a lot of people will get fired up, draw on that energy. There’ll be fans counting the days, not sleeping the night before, and that’s great. But anything more specific, I can’t really say at this point.”
(H/T and transcribed by Fightful)