AEW Are HEAVILY Teasing Kazuchika Okada's Debut At The Moment

From Best Friends joining CHAOS to Tony Khan's name-drops, the breadcrumb trail grows...

Kazuchika Okada AEW
AEW/NJPW

Whether or not this is leading to anything remains to be seen, but All Elite Wrestling appear to be foreshadowing working with NJPW's Kazuchikada Okada at the moment.

The breadcrumb trail began with last week's announcement that Bryan Danielson would wrestle Rocky Romero (a member of the Okada-led CHAOS faction in NJPW) on last night's episode of Dynamite. Tony Schiavone then name-dropped Okada and CHAOS stablemate Tomohiro Ishii on an Event Center video uploaded on Wednesday, before AEW president Tony Khan, in his regular Busted Open Radio appearance, suggested Orange Cassidy and Best Friends could join CHAOS, dropping Okada and Ishii's names at the same time.

By the time Dynamite hit the airwaves, Romero had already relayed Okada's invitation for Best Friends to join CHAOS to the group. The Rainmaker was then referenced several times throughout the night.

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The schedules align perfectly, too. Okada and Ishii will soon be in the United States (if they aren't already) for NJPW's Battle in the Valley event on 13 November. In addition, neither man is currently booked for the Japan-based World Tag League tour, which commences on Sunday.

Okada, the record-breaking former IWGP Champion, would comfortably be the biggest name to step through the Forbidden Door Yet. NJPW and AEW have been in this working relationship since 2021's first quarter, when KENTA attacked Jon Moxley to kickstart the collaboration.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.