Wrestler Profile

Kazuchika Okada

Kazuchika Okada is the Rainmaker — the standard-bearer of New Japan's golden era and, by wide consensus, one of the greatest wrestlers who ever lived. He won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship five times, including a record 720-day reign with 12 defenses that produced a library of five-star classics.

His rivalry with Kenny Omega redefined the modern epic; his decade-long series with Hiroshi Tanahashi passed the torch of Japanese wrestling in real time; his G1 Climax performances made summer tournament wrestling appointment viewing worldwide. The Rainmaker lariat, the money-raining entrance and the sheer aura made Okada the complete package.

In 2024 he shocked wrestling by signing with AEW, where he immediately claimed the Continental Championship and joined the Elite. WrestleRanks voters rate him exactly as history will: a generational ace still adding chapters.

Promotions

Kazuchika Okada is associated with AEW (2023–2026) and NJPW.

Championship history

• AEW International Championship (AEW) — Current champion · 2 reigns · Current AEW International Champion; won a three-way over champion Kyle Fletcher and Konosuke Takeshita at All In London for his second reign.
• AEW Continental Championship (AEW) — Former champion · 1 reign
• AEW Unified Championship (AEW) — Former champion · 1 reign · Final AEW Unified Champion; the title became inactive after he lost the Continental Championship at Worlds End 2025.
• IWGP Heavyweight Championship (NJPW) — Former champion · 5 reigns
• IWGP World Heavyweight Championship (NJPW) — Former champion · 2 reigns

PWI rankings history

Kazuchika Okada has been ranked in the PWI 500 11 times, first at No. 40 in 2012 and most recently at No. 11 in 2025. The highest placement is No. 2, reached in 2022.

Placements by year: 2012 (No. 40), 2013 (No. 5), 2014 (No. 5), 2015 (No. 27), 2018 (No. 3), 2020 (No. 6), 2021 (No. 25), 2022 (No. 2), 2023 (No. 7), 2024 (No. 21), 2025 (No. 11).

Compiled from the annual rankings published by Pro Wrestling Illustrated. See the 2025 edition.

Kazuchika Okada in the WrestleRanks rankings

Kazuchika Okada is tracked as a professional wrestler on WrestleRanks. WrestleRanks standings are decided one week at a time, from fan voting and editor input. Read more about how our rankings work, or see the live, interactive profile with weekly rank history and voting on the Kazuchika Okada ranking page.

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