New Japan’s Kazuchika Okada Is Dying To Wrestle The Rock

It’s good to have dreams, even when you’re not a child anymore. For Kazuchika Okada, his dream match is one that would have the entire free world captivated … and at the same time make a wrestling promotion a lot of cash.

Unless you’ve only been watching stateside wrestling, you likely know who Okada is — currently the IWGP Heavyweight Champion for New Japan Pro Wrestling, and widely considered as one of the best wrestlers — if not the best — on the planet. Okada has more classics on his resume at the moment than most wrestlers do in their entire careers, and likely can deliver more in the future, so when he’s dreaming about a match with a wrestler, you know out of the box it’s going to be at least four stars.

So when Cageside Seats sat down with the New Japan Heavyweight champ before their Strong Style Evolved show on Sunday, Okada named his dream opponent: The Rock. Obviously, this would be an awesome match whether in New Japan or whether Okada came stateside to work for WWE. When asked about why The Rock was his dream match opponent, he told Cageside Seats anything is possible.

“We just had Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega fight each other at Tokyo Dome,” said Okada. “In Long Beach, we were supposed to have Rey Mysterio versus Liger, and it’s not gonna happen. But there’s a possibility that I can fight against The Rock.”

Shortly after the interview, Okada posted a picture of himself outside of a Rock Bottom restaurant, pointing to the sign like a taller Ronda Rousey and specifically calling out The Brahma Bull.

Many fans’ eyes are already lighting up dreaming of two of the most charismatic and popular (and successful) wrestlers of all time — from very different circles — going at it. It’s not likely to happen soon (or ever), but we can dream. Just like Okada!

If we were talking about anyone other than “highest paid actor in the world” the Rock, the money behind this would be too good to ignore. But in a world where Chris Jericho is taking on Kenny Omega and Rey Mysterio is setting up storylines with Marty Scurll, Jushin Liger, and Will Ospreay … well hell, I guess anything is possible.