Bryan Danielson Issues Challenge to Kazuchika Okada for Wrestle Kingdom 18, Okada Accepts

– During today’s NJPW Power Struggle event, AEW star Bryan Danielson made an appearance in a video to issue a challenge to Never Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Champion and former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada. Following Okada’s title defense with Hiroshi Tanahashi and Tomohiro Isshii, the lights went out, and Danielson appeared in a video.

With his eye still damaged from his recent broken orbital bone injury, Danielson addressed how Okada had broken both his arm and orbital bone, and now he wants revenge. Danielson stated in the video, “I am going to break your right arm, and you will never be able to do the Rainmaker ever again.”

After the video, Okada pointed out that he is the one who wants revenge against Danielson due to his loss to the former WWE Champion at AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door II earlier in the summer in Toronto. Okada dared Danielson to attempt to break his arm at Wrestle Kingdom and responded to the challenge with a simple “yes.”

Later on, Okada warned Danielson during his backstage interview, “Make sure you’re rested and you’re fully healed. Are you going to make it time?” Okada added, “If you’re too scared, just say how much it hurts, I won’t mind. I’ll pay you back at Forbidden Door.”

As previously noted, Bryan Danielson appeared to suffer an injury on the October 25 edition of AEW Dynamite where he teamed with Claudio Castagnoli against Orange Cassidy and Okada. It was later announced that Danielson suffered a broken orbital bone, but it’s rumored he originally suffered the injury during his match against Andrade El Idolo several days earlier.

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 18 is scheduled for January 4, 2024 at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan. It will be streamed live on NJPW World.

Challenge made- challenge accepted!

Danielson vs Okada II is set for Wrestle Kingdom 18!#njpst report, backstage comment:https://t.co/2s3EliwN4g

Watch the Power Struggle replay!https://t.co/JZO8L0XLTJ#njpw #njwk18 pic.twitter.com/LiDtBMnA2y

— NJPW Global (@njpwglobal) November 4, 2023

An eye for an eye, an arm for an arm on the mind of the American Dragon!@bryandanielson has challenged Kazuchika Okada for Wrestle Kingdom 18!

International tickets: https://t.co/eRt6rYrRMe#njpw #njwk18 pic.twitter.com/UXhe2RlCvu

— NJPW Global (@njpwglobal) November 4, 2023