Kazuchika Okada
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese
professional wrestler
, currently signed to New Japan Pro Wrestling
. From February 2010 until October 2011, he was on a developmental tour, working for American
promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
under the name Okada.
and Canada
for promotions such as UWA Hardcore Wrestling and Chikara, before finding a home in New Japan Pro Wrestling
.
war against the likes of Takashi Sugiura
and Go Shiozaki
. He would also wrestle main eventers such as Shinsuke Nakamura
, Hirooki Goto
and TAJIRI
and despite losing all of his big matches, he was becoming a big crowd favorite. In January 2010, New Japan announced that they would be sending Okada to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
for a developmental tour in order for him to become the wrestler New Japan believes he can be. According to New Japan president Naoki Sugabayashi the tour could take up to two or three years. On January 31, 2010, Okada was defeated by former four-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi
in his New Japan farewell match.
, losing to Alex Shelley
in a dark match. At the March 9 tapings Okada was defeated by Jay Lethal
in another dark match. On March 20 Okada made his debut for Jersey All Pro Wrestling
at Wild Card VI, where he was defeated by fellow TNA wrestler Samoa Joe
. Okada's dark matches for TNA continued on March 23 with a loss against Daniels
. On April 6 Okada, using only his last name, competed in his first televised TNA match, when he and Homicide
were defeated by Generation Me (Jeremy and Max Buck)
in a tag team match, that was later broadcast on the Xplosion
television program and the company's official website and YouTube
channel. That week Okada also began wrestling at TNA's live events
. On May 4 Okada and Homicide were defeated in another Xplosion match by Ink Inc.
(Jesse Neal
and Shannon Moore
). On May 17 TNA X Division Champion
Douglas Williams
defeated Okada in a non-title Xplosion match. On July 15 Okada made his first appearance on Impact!, running out to the ring in an attempt to stop former ECW
wrestlers from taking over the show. At the August 9 tapings Okada picked up his first victory in TNA, defeating Kid Kash in a dark match. On the October 8 edition of Xplosion Okada formed a tag team with compatriot Kiyoshi
; the two of them were then defeated in their first match together by Ink Inc. On the November 26 edition of Xplosion Okada was defeated by Rob Terry
. On the December 17 edition of Xplosion Okada was defeated by Stevie Richards
. Okada and Kiyoshi had a rematch with Ink Inc. at the December 7 tapings of Xplosion, but were once again defeated. On January 20, 2011, Okada turned face
as he made his second appearance on Impact!, when he was revealed as the camera man, whom Samoa Joe had hired to follow D'Angelo Dinero
in order to expose his lies about helping the needy. During the appearance Okada debuted a new look, inspired by Kato
from The Green Hornet
series. Okada, now renamed Okato, made his first TNA pay-per-view
appearance at Against All Odds
on February 13, preventing Dinero from leaving the ring during his match with Joe. After losing the match, Dinero attacked both Okato and Joe. Okato made his Impact! in–ring debut on March 24, when he defeated Dinero via disqualification. The match concluded Okato's participation in the feud between Joe and Dinero; he has since returned to performing under his real surname. On the June 21 edition of Xplosion, Okada was defeated by Alex Shelley in the first round of the Xplosion Championship Challenge. On October 13, his profile was removed from TNA's roster page.
. On December 23 he made a surprise return to the promotion, performing a German suplex on the 130 kg (286.6 lb) Takayama, after a match, where he and Minoru Suzuki
had defeated Yuji Nagata
and Wataru Inoue
. At Wrestle Kingdom V in Tokyo Dome Takayama pinned Okada to win the match. After the event Okada returned to the United States and TNA Wrestling. Okada returned to New Japan during the promotion's first tour of the United States on May 13 in Rahway, New Jersey
, but was defeated by MVP in the first round of a tournament to determine the inaugural IWGP Intercontinental Champion
. At the following day's event in New York City
, Okada teamed with Ryusuke Taguchi
and Togi Makabe
in a six man tag team match, where they were defeated by Davey Richards
, Homicide and Rhino. On May 15, the final day of the tour, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Okada teamed with Charlie Haas
, Josh Daniels and Tiger Mask IV
in an eight man tag team match, where they were defeated by Chaos
(Shinsuke Nakamura, Gedo, Jado and Yujiro Takahashi
).
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
professional wrestler
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
, currently signed to New Japan Pro Wrestling
New Japan Pro Wrestling
is a major professional wrestling promotion in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in June 1972 and owned by Yuke's since 2005, when Inoki sold the promotion. Naoki Sugabayashi is the current President of the promotion and has held that position from 2007. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, it...
. From February 2010 until October 2011, he was on a developmental tour, working for American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
under the name Okada.
Training and debut
Trained by Último Dragón at his Toryumon professional wrestling school, Kazuchika Okada made his debut on August 29, 2004, and would spend the next couple of years wrestling primarily in Toryumon Mexico, while also making appearances in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
for promotions such as UWA Hardcore Wrestling and Chikara, before finding a home in New Japan Pro Wrestling
New Japan Pro Wrestling
is a major professional wrestling promotion in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in June 1972 and owned by Yuke's since 2005, when Inoki sold the promotion. Naoki Sugabayashi is the current President of the promotion and has held that position from 2007. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, it...
.
New Japan Pro Wrestling (2007–2010)
Upon joining New Japan Pro Wrestling, Okada entered the NJPW Dojo, where he went through further training. He would make his debut for the company on August 26, 2007, losing to Tetsuya Naito. An injury would sideline Okada for the next eight months and upon his return in April 2008 he would be billed as a heavyweight instead of a junior heavyweight. His career would start to pick up steam the following year with breakout performances in the NJPW vs. Pro Wrestling NoahPro Wrestling Noah
is a major Japanese professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2000 by former All Japan Pro Wrestling ace Mitsuharu Misawa. NOAH is broadcast weekly in Japan...
war against the likes of Takashi Sugiura
Takashi Sugiura
is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working for Pro Wrestling Noah. Sugiura, an accomplished amateur wrestler, joined NOAH's dojo in 2000, making his professional debut on December 23, 2000, and thus becoming the first wrestler to make his pro wrestling debut in NOAH. He has also...
and Go Shiozaki
Go Shiozaki
is a Japanese professional wrestler currently working for Pro Wrestling Noah, where he is the current GHC Heavyweight Champion. In addition to Noah, he has previously worked in the American-based promotion Ring of Honor and its former sister promotion Full Impact Pro, where he won the latter's...
. He would also wrestle main eventers such as Shinsuke Nakamura
Shinsuke Nakamura
is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist currently working for New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is a former three-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion.-Super Rookie :...
, Hirooki Goto
Hirooki Goto
is a Japanese professional wrestler. He has wrestled primarily for New Japan Pro Wrestling since his debut.-Career:Goto attended Kokushikan University, where he took part in freestyle wrestling and Greco-Roman wrestling. Upon graduating, Goto qualified to join New Japan Pro Wrestling, but left the...
and TAJIRI
Yoshihiro Tajiri
, is a Japanese professional wrestler, perhaps best known for his appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment. He is currently competing in SMASH as TAJIRI.-Early years :...
and despite losing all of his big matches, he was becoming a big crowd favorite. In January 2010, New Japan announced that they would be sending Okada to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
for a developmental tour in order for him to become the wrestler New Japan believes he can be. According to New Japan president Naoki Sugabayashi the tour could take up to two or three years. On January 31, 2010, Okada was defeated by former four-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi
Hiroshi Tanahashi
is a Japanese professional wrestler who works primarily for New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is the current IWGP Heavyweight Champion in his fifth reign.-Early life:...
in his New Japan farewell match.
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2010–2011)
Okada made his TNA debut at the February 16, 2010, tapings of Impact!TNA iMPACT!
Impact Wrestling is a professional wrestling television program for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling that currently airs in the United States and Canada on Spike...
, losing to Alex Shelley
Alex Shelley
Patrick Martin , is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Alex Shelley. He wrestles for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he currently teams with Chris Sabin as The Motor City Machine Guns. He previously gained fame on the independent circuit, working most notably for...
in a dark match. At the March 9 tapings Okada was defeated by Jay Lethal
Jay Lethal
Jamar "Jay" Shipman better known by his ring name Jay Lethal, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to Ring of Honor , where he is the ROH World Television Champion...
in another dark match. On March 20 Okada made his debut for Jersey All Pro Wrestling
Jersey All Pro Wrestling
Jersey All Pro Wrestling is an independent wrestling promotion based in New Jersey.-1997:Jersey All Pro Wrestling is an independent wrestling promotion that was founded by "Fat" Frank Iadeavia on April 19, 1997. This promotion was born out of a dream of "Fat" Frank. He wanted to take the promotion...
at Wild Card VI, where he was defeated by fellow TNA wrestler Samoa Joe
Samoa Joe
Nuufolau Joel "Joe" Seanoa is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Samoa Joe. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling....
. Okada's dark matches for TNA continued on March 23 with a loss against Daniels
Christopher Daniels
Daniel Christopher Covell is an American professional wrestler, best known in the United States by his ring name "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels. He is also known for performing under the ring name Curry Man. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , while also...
. On April 6 Okada, using only his last name, competed in his first televised TNA match, when he and Homicide
Nelson Erazo
Nelson Rodriguez Erazo is an American professional wrestler of Puerto Rican descent, better known by his ring name, Homicide...
were defeated by Generation Me (Jeremy and Max Buck)
The Young Bucks
The Young Bucks is an American professional wrestling tag team, consisting of real life brothers Matt and Nick Massie from Southern California...
in a tag team match, that was later broadcast on the Xplosion
TNA Xplosion
TNA Xplosion is a television program produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , featuring both highlights from Impact Wrestling and exclusive taped matches. It is now produced only for international markets, no longer airing in the United States...
television program and the company's official website and YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
channel. That week Okada also began wrestling at TNA's live events
House show
A house show is a professional wrestling show run by a major promotion that is not televised, though they can be recorded. Promotions use house shows mainly to cash in on the exposure that they and their wrestlers receive during televised events, as well as test reactions to matches, wrestlers, and...
. On May 4 Okada and Homicide were defeated in another Xplosion match by Ink Inc.
Ink Inc.
Ink Inc. is a professional wrestling stable, consisting of Jesse Neal, Shannon Moore and their valet Toxxin, in the professional wrestling promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling .-Total Nonstop Action Wrestling :...
(Jesse Neal
Jesse Neal
Jesse Neal is an American professional wrestler and a former member of the U.S. military. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where he is one half of the tag team Ink Inc., with his partner Shannon Moore....
and Shannon Moore
Shannon Moore
Shannon Moore is an American professional wrestler, who is signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling . He is best known for his work with World Championship Wrestling between 1999 and 2001 and with World Wrestling Entertainment for several years in the 2000s.Moore befriended Matt and Jeff Hardy...
). On May 17 TNA X Division Champion
TNA X Division Championship
The TNA X Division Championship is a professional wrestling championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is primarily defended in TNA's X Division—a style based on a fast-paced, daredevil type of wrestling...
Douglas Williams
Doug Williams (wrestler)
Douglas Clayton Durdle is an English professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Doug Williams. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Douglas Williams...
defeated Okada in a non-title Xplosion match. On July 15 Okada made his first appearance on Impact!, running out to the ring in an attempt to stop former ECW
Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
wrestlers from taking over the show. At the August 9 tapings Okada picked up his first victory in TNA, defeating Kid Kash in a dark match. On the October 8 edition of Xplosion Okada formed a tag team with compatriot Kiyoshi
Akira Raijin
is a Japanese professional wrestler, who formerly competed in North America for the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion under the ring name Kiyoshi and previously worked under a mask as Suicide...
; the two of them were then defeated in their first match together by Ink Inc. On the November 26 edition of Xplosion Okada was defeated by Rob Terry
Rob Terry
Robert "Rob" Terry is a Welsh professional wrestler and bodybuilder. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling . Before signing with TNA, he was under contract with World Wrestling Entertainment and competed in the company's developmental territory, Florida Championship...
. On the December 17 edition of Xplosion Okada was defeated by Stevie Richards
Stevie Richards
Michael Manna is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Stevie Richards. Also known by his ring names, Steven Richards and Dr...
. Okada and Kiyoshi had a rematch with Ink Inc. at the December 7 tapings of Xplosion, but were once again defeated. On January 20, 2011, Okada turned face
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
as he made his second appearance on Impact!, when he was revealed as the camera man, whom Samoa Joe had hired to follow D'Angelo Dinero
Elijah Burke
Elijah Samuel Burke is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the name of "The Pope" D'Angelo Dinero; a gimmick in which he portrays a Harlem street preacher...
in order to expose his lies about helping the needy. During the appearance Okada debuted a new look, inspired by Kato
Kato (The Green Hornet)
Kato is a fictional character from The Green Hornet series. This character has also appeared with the Green Hornet in film, television, book and comic book versions. Kato was the Hornet's assistant and has been played by a number of actors...
from The Green Hornet
The Green Hornet
The Green Hornet is an American radio and television masked vigilante created by George W. Trendle and Fran Striker, with input from radio director James Jewell, in 1936. Since his radio debut in the 1930s, the Green Hornet has appeared in numerous serialized dramas in a wide variety of media...
series. Okada, now renamed Okato, made his first TNA pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
appearance at Against All Odds
Against All Odds (2011)
Against All Odds was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on February 13, 2011 at TNA Impact! Zone in Universal Studios Florida...
on February 13, preventing Dinero from leaving the ring during his match with Joe. After losing the match, Dinero attacked both Okato and Joe. Okato made his Impact! in–ring debut on March 24, when he defeated Dinero via disqualification. The match concluded Okato's participation in the feud between Joe and Dinero; he has since returned to performing under his real surname. On the June 21 edition of Xplosion, Okada was defeated by Alex Shelley in the first round of the Xplosion Championship Challenge. On October 13, his profile was removed from TNA's roster page.
Return to New Japan (2010–2011)
On December 14, 2010, New Japan Pro Wrestling announced that Okada would be returning to the promotion on January 4, 2011, at Wrestle Kingdom V in Tokyo Dome, where he would team with Hirooki Goto against Pro Wrestling Noah representatives Takashi Sugiura and Yoshihiro TakayamaYoshihiro Takayama
is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. Takayama is well known for his ability to endure massive amounts of punishment, especially after his fight at PRIDE 21 against Don Frye...
. On December 23 he made a surprise return to the promotion, performing a German suplex on the 130 kg (286.6 lb) Takayama, after a match, where he and Minoru Suzuki
Minoru Suzuki
is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. Suzuki was the co-founder of Pancrase, one of the first mixed martial arts organizations in the world. During the 1990s he was known as one of the best fighters in the Pancrase promotion and was the second King of Pancrase world champion...
had defeated Yuji Nagata
Yuji Nagata
is a Japanese professional wrestler. He was known for his perennial tweener status, currently a solid fan favorite, and his stiff, shoot style wrestling technique....
and Wataru Inoue
Wataru Inoue
is a Japanese professional wrestler currently working for New Japan Pro Wrestling.-Professional wrestling career:Inoue made his debut in 1999 on the Japanese independent circuit, then climbed the ladder to get to New Japan Pro Wrestling in 2004...
. At Wrestle Kingdom V in Tokyo Dome Takayama pinned Okada to win the match. After the event Okada returned to the United States and TNA Wrestling. Okada returned to New Japan during the promotion's first tour of the United States on May 13 in Rahway, New Jersey
Rahway, New Jersey
Rahway is a city in southern Union County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the New York metropolitan area, being 15 miles southwest of Manhattan and five miles west of Staten Island...
, but was defeated by MVP in the first round of a tournament to determine the inaugural IWGP Intercontinental Champion
IWGP Intercontinental Championship
-Title history:-External links:*...
. At the following day's event in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Okada teamed with Ryusuke Taguchi
Ryusuke Taguchi
is a Japanese professional wrestler, trained by and currently performing for New Japan Pro Wrestling , where he is a former one-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion and a four-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion....
and Togi Makabe
Togi Makabe
, better known by his ring name is a Japanese professional wrestler, trained by and currently performing for New Japan Pro Wrestling , where he is a former IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Tag Team Champion....
in a six man tag team match, where they were defeated by Davey Richards
Davey Richards
Wesley David Richards is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Davey Richards.Richards is currently under contract with Ring of Honor, where he is the current ROH World Champion, but also wrestles for several companies on the independent circuit, including Pro Wrestling...
, Homicide and Rhino. On May 15, the final day of the tour, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Okada teamed with Charlie Haas
Charlie Haas
Charles "Charlie" Doyle Haas II is an American professional wrestler and former collegiate amateur wrestler. He competes on the independent circuit, and is signed to Ring of Honor , where he is one-half of the reigning ROH World Tag Team Champions with Shelton Benjamin...
, Josh Daniels and Tiger Mask IV
Tiger Mask IV
Yoshihiro Yamazaki , best known by his ring name Tiger Mask , is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for New Japan Pro Wrestling. Yamazaki is the fourth wrestler to portray the Tiger Mask image / persona; having used it since 1995...
in an eight man tag team match, where they were defeated by Chaos
Chaos (professional wrestling)
CHAOS is a Japanese professional wrestling stable formed by Shinsuke Nakamura and Toru Yano in New Japan Pro Wrestling.-Formation:In April 2009, Toru Yano turned on Togi Makabe, costing Makabe the match against Shinsuke Nakamura. As Nakamura continued the attack on Makabe, Tomoaki Honma tried to...
(Shinsuke Nakamura, Gedo, Jado and Yujiro Takahashi
Yujiro Takahashi
, also known by his shortened ring name is a Japanese professional wrestler trained by and currently performing for New Japan Pro Wrestling , where he is a former IWGP Tag Team and IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion with former partner Tetsuya Naitō, with whom he teamed as No...
).
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Bridging German suplex
- Signature moves
- Belly to back suplex
- Missile dropkick
Championships and accomplishments
- Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- PWI ranked him #230 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2010
- Toryumon Mexico
- Young Dragons Cup (2005)