Kazuchika Okada vs. Tetsuya Naito From Wrestle Kingdom 14 Named Tokyo Sports Match of the Year

Tokyo Sports has awarded its 2020 Match of the Year honor, and it went to a Kazuchika Okada bout for the seventh straight year. The outlet has announced that Okada’s match with Tetsuya Naito from Wrestle Kingdom 14 is their match of the year. The match was for the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships and saw Naito come out victorious on the second night of January’s event.

Okada has now been involved in the winning match for seven straight years and has eight total years where he’s been involved in the match. He’s tied for second place with Kenta Kobashi for most wins, behind only Genichiro Tenryu with nine awards.

Okada said in the announcement (translated by Google as my Japanese is very rusty), “I’m glad if you can feel the enthusiasm that this game will attract attention again and that you want to return like this time. It was a battle that felt great growth as a wrestler. As a result, I lost, but I felt like I was done with the promotion for the dome. I was confident by gathering 70,000 people. Also, the match that is said to be the best bout at the overcrowded venue. I want to do it. “