10 Best Non-WWE Wrestlers Of 2018 (So Far)
2. Kazuchika Okada
His IWGP Heavyweight Title reign might be over, but Kazuchika Okada's place in history is guaranteed. In 720 days on top, 'The Rainmaker' not only became the longest-reigning champion in history, but also bested long-term rival Hiroshi Tanahashi's record for the most defences in a single reign (by pinning the 'High Flying Star' himself, no less).
A controversial victory over Tetsuya Naito at Wrestle Kingdom 12 was vindicated months later. Business remained steady, the much-fancied challenger's incredible popularity endured, and Naito's victory would've robbed fans of the emotional peak of Kenny Omega's rise to the top. Like him or not, 'Godpants' Okada has been a complete objective success.
Of course, the matches have been excellent. Wrestle Kingdom was a masterpiece of storytelling, and Okada followed it with a startlingly dramatic exhibition against unfancied SANADA. In April, 'The Rainmaker' renewed his star-making rivalry with Hiroshi Tanahashi, yielding yet another classic in their pantheon of greatness, and the Omega bout, which may just be the greatest of all time, just became the first in history to pull a ******* rating from Dave Meltzer.
Okada has already become a transcendent star. Match quality is subjective, but for those buying into his work, his big bout record speaks for itself.