Kazuchika Okada's 10 Best Wrestling Matches

8. Vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi - Wrestle Kingdom 9

Kazuchika Okada Hiroshi Tanahashi Wrestle Kingdom 9
NJPW.co.jp

This writer has no qualms with saying that Kazuchika Okada vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi is the greatest pro wrestling rivalry of the modern era. Pretty much every single singles match the two have had deserves a spot on this list, but then that wouldn't make for a very interesting read. Still, there's plenty of Tana/Okada battles to read about yet.

Many New Japan fans reacted with shock and anger when Hiroshi Tanahashi managed to defeat Kazuchika Okada in the main event of Wrestle Kingdom 9. This was supposed to be their final battle, right? Okada defeats Tanahashi and becomes the ace, ending the rivalry and cementing The Rainmaker as the biggest thing since since sliced bread.

What happened was better than anyone imagined, despite the initial anger. Tanahashi became the first man to kick out of the Rainmaker without time passing or interference, taking everything Okada had and putting him away after a barrage of High Fly Flows. I counted eight Frog Splashes. EIGHT. And every single one of them made sense.

Okada lost his crowning moment and was helped up the aisle by Gedo, tears streaming from his eyes as Tanahashi taunted him from the ring. An incredible match with incredible long-term storytelling.

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Born in the middle of Wales in the middle of the 1980's, John can't quite remember when he started watching wrestling but he has a terrible feeling that Dino Bravo was involved. Now living in Prague, John spends most of his time trying to work out how Tomohiro Ishii still stands upright. His favourite wrestler of all time is Dean Malenko, but really it is Repo Man. He is the author of 'An Illustrated History of Slavic Misery', the best book about the Slavic people that you haven't yet read. You can get that and others from www.poshlostbooks.com.