#1.) vs Kazuchika Okada – Sakura Genesis 2018
This match took place in the final months of Kazuchika Okada’s historic IWGP Heavyweight title reign. Obviously, no one expected Zack Sabre Jr. to win, but that’s the power of an amazing story – it makes the crowd second guess at the moment. And this was exactly what happened as Okada had an epic match with Zack Sabre Jr.
The stakes were even higher, because if Okada won, he would tie Hiroshi Tanahashi in the most number of defences of the IWGP Heavyweight title in a single reign. The match went to the ground and Sabre showed incredible ring IQ as he almost figured Okada out and nearly submitted him. Mind you, Okada had only submitted once in his career.
Okada fought back like a valiant champion and continued to define his title reign adding another incredible match to a string of classics. Okada prevailed, and it cemented the fact that it was probably the greatest world title run in the modern era. After the match, Hiroshi Tanahashi came out to challenge him, with his record defences being tied with Okada.
Okada would once again defeat the former Ace in what would be the final title defence of his reign.
