10 Things You Need To Know About Kazuchika Okada

10. He Was Trained By Ultimo Dragon

Being trained by a legend doesn't guarantee success in pro wrestling, but it's certainly a good start to one's career. Kazuchika Okada came into the business with an advantage, as he was taught by none other than Ultimo Dragon.

Okada trained with Dragon's Toryumon school in Mexico, making his debut in August of 2004 - he hadn't even turned 17 yet. Breaking into the business in Mexico allowed him to incorporate the lucha libre style of wrestling into his ring package, and that's still visible in his work today - Okada is more agile, lithe, and acrobatic than most of the puro aces who have preceded him.

Okada took to wrestling quickly. Just a year after his debut, he won the Young Dragons Cup - the Toryumon equivalent of New Japan's Young Lion Cup, a tournament for up-and-coming talent. Okada would defeat future journeyman Hajime Ohara in the finals, proving that he had a bright future ahead of him.