Kazuchika Okada Thinks He & Hiroshi Tanahashi Should Main Event Wrestle Kingdom

As previously reported, Hiroshi Tanahashi’s final opponent will be arguably his greatest through the years, Kazuchika Okada. Okada & Tanahashi had several classic matches during the 2010s that helped establish Okada as one of Japan’s top box office attractions.

Tanahashi & Okada are currently making the media rounds promoting the match, with Okada stopping by Tokyo Sports to discuss the match coming up at Wrestle Kingdom 20. (h/t Fightful)

Kazuchika Okada on where his match with Tanahashi should be on the card:

“Well, the main event, of course. I’ve always said the IWGP should be the main event, but this is different. If it’s me, it’s gotta be the main event, right?”

Okada & Tanahashi have previously main evented Wrestle Kingdom on three separate occasions: 2013, 2015 & 2016. Tanahashi & Okada have each main evented the show ten times.

Kazuchika Okada on why his match with Tanahashi should main event Wrestle Kingdom 20:

“Mr. Tanahashi is also a veteran of New Japan, and I feel it would be unfair for other wrestlers to compete after him. Experiencing a main event where you don’t get much reaction afterward, or experiencing an IWGP title match not being the main event—both are valuable experiences. I think that will be a valuable experience for both (Konosuke) Takeshita and (Yota) Tsuji. (Fans) could even vote on it.”

Takeshita, the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, and Tsuji, the IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion, will both be defending their titles against each other on Wrestle Kingdom 20. It will be interesting to see whether the match for all the gold or the match with the biggest NJPW stars over the past two decades will get the spotlight one more time. Okada & Tanahashi have been teasing tension on AEW television while both are members of the Don Callis Family.