10 Things You Need To Know About Kazuchika Okada
8. He Made A Name For Himself Fighting Against NOAH Wrestlers
When Okada finally returned from his leg injury (and New Japan Dojo training), he was ready to take on the best of the best in NJPW. What he probably didn't expect, though, is that he'd be part of an interpromotional war.
In 2009, a rivalry between New Japan and chief competitor Pro Wrestling NOAH grew to include Okada, and it was in these matches that he'd first start to break out as a star. Okada took on the likes of Takashi Sugiura and Atsushi Aoki, and he and Hiroyoshi Tenzan even appeared on a NOAH show to take on Akihiko Ito and the legendary Kenta Kobashi.
Okada was still a young lion, and he lost all of these matches. Still, his talent was clear (as it was in matches with New Japan stars like Shinsuke Nakamura and Koji Kanemoto), so by the time he left the company to go on excursion, he had developed a reputation as a future star.