Kazuchika Okada ‘The Rainmaker’ is one of the greatest wrestlers that originates from New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). A few months ago, Okada announced that he would depart from the Japan-based promotion and embark on a new journey.
Right after Okada left NJPW, it was reported that he would soon be signed by Tony Khan’s AEW. According to recent reports, Okada’s AEW salary dwarfs Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes’ payday by a mile.
Astonishing Kazuchika Okada payday comes to the surface
Kazuchika Okada, who was supposed to join WWE, surprised fans with his unexpected appearance on the recent edition of AEW Dynamite. ‘The Rainmaker’ was observed aligning with ‘The Young Bucks’ on the March 6 episode of Dynamite, assisting them in taking out Eddie Kingston. Okada’s first official match is scheduled for March 9 on this week’s Collision.
The upcoming lineup will feature Kazuchika Okada and ‘The Young Bucks’ in trios action this week. After it was officially confirmed that Kazuchika is now part of All Elite Wrestling (AEW), reports began circulating regarding his annual salary and contract details with the Florida-based company.
One report asserted that Okada signed his contract for a substantial amount of 13.5 million dollars. This amount is higher than some WWE superstars like Seth Rollins and ‘The American Nightmare’ Cody Rhodes.
Wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer later confirmed that the news about Okada’s supposed salary “is not accurate at all.” He then stated, “The real number is considerably lower, but it was still a very large number that he signed for.”
According to Tokyo Sports, Kazuchika Okada signed a 3 year deal with AEW for about 2 Billion Yen.
— Wrestle Ops (@WrestleOps) March 7, 2024
That equates to about $13.5 Million Dollars.
Resulting in about $4.5 Million Dollars per year. pic.twitter.com/qInHXKryGi
Backstage details on Kazuchika Okada joining the Elite
Kazuchika Okada has aligned himself with Matthew and Nicholas Jackson (The Young Bucks). Some reports claim that the 36-year-old will replace Kenny Omega in the new faction. Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio confirmed that this team of trios was made by Tony Khan, who had the idea for months before even Okada signed the contract.
Meltzer said, “The Young Bucks segment with Okada, that has been known by the Young Bucks and Okada and Tony Khan for literally months. Or, I mean, it was Tony Khan’s idea to do this, a long time ago, the show after Revolution.”
Backstage News On Kazuchika Okada’s AEW Deal https://t.co/PBGc9bSaBx
— PWMania.com – Wrestling News (@PWMania) March 7, 2024
AEW fans are thrilled with Kazuchika joining the promotion, and some fans are anticipating what the new combination of Okada, Matthew, and Nicholas Jackson will achieve in the future. A lot of fans have pointed out that Kenny Omega, who was been out of action due to Diverticulitis, will likely feud with ‘The Rainmaker’ after he recovers from his illness.
Interestingly, this will not be the first time that Okada and Omega clashed, as back in June 2018 they had their match and got the highest rating in the wrestling industry to date. The match was for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and is regarded as the greatest storyline as well as the best rivalry in NJPW.
What do you think about Kazuchika Okada’s reported AEW salary dwarfing WWE wrestlers? Let us know your thoughts on it in the comment section below!
