AEW made a significant investment to sign Kazuchika Okada this year. His addition has brought a major player to the companys roster, and AEW is determined to establish him as one of wrestlings top talents while educating the fan base on his previous accomplishments, even if they have to stretch the truth a bit.
Okadas contract with AEW is for three years and is valued at around 2 billion yen, or approximately $13.5 million. With this commitment, AEW has built its Continental Classic tournament around Okada this year.
According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, AEWs storyline centers on Kazuchika Okadas goal to become the greatest tournament wrestler of all time. His four G-1 wins place him just one win away from tying Masahiro Chonos record. This has set the stage for a dramatic narrative, but in reality, Okada isnt really on top of the records chart.
AEW has created a video package with Jim Ross, with the narrative saying that Okada is a legendary figure in pro wrestling. In the video, Okada emphasizes his international fame, asserting hes a bigger global star than Chono, a claim they are using to enhance his overall value to the entire pro wrestling world.
However, in terms of major tournament wins, Giant Baba actually holds the highest record with 13, followed by Antonio Inoki with nine. Despite these records, AEWs storyline is trying to proclaim that Okada is the top tournament wrestler in pro wrestling history. It appears that this is a direction that they are fully committed to.
It remains to be seen if Kazuchika Okada can pull down another major tournament win with AEW. Only time will tell if Okada can win enough tournaments in AEW where they wont need to fudge the numbers at all.
The company appears ready to maximize Okadas presence, making their high investment in the former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion worth every penny that Tony Khan is paying for him to be in the Land of All Elite. Keep checking back with us here at Ringside News for more on this story and everything else going on in AEW.
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