#3.) vs Hiroshi Tanahashi – Wrestle Kingdom 10
In perhaps the greatest of their series (so far), Kazuchika Okada had a shot at redemption against his arch nemesis Hiroshi Tanahashi. The previous year at Wrestle Kingdom 9, Tanahashi defeated Okada to retain the IWGP Heavyweight title, sending The Rainmaker away dejected and in tears.
Okada then went through a downward spiral, losing match after match. However, things slowly started picking up again and he then found himself back in the IWGP title picture later that year, this time challenging AJ Styles (the man who dethroned him in 2014). Okada won the title, while Tanahashi won the G1 Climax, setting up a rematch, this time with the roles reversed.
It was Okada’s shot at redemption and if you’ve never seen the match before, we strongly recommend you check it out because this match is simply pro wrestling storytelling at its absolute finest. After 30 minutes, they were even and Okada clenched onto Tanahashi’s wrist in one of the greatest moments in NJPW history. He put him away with the Rainmaker, retaining his title, beating Tanahashi at the Tokyo Dome and cementing himself as the new ace of NJPW.
Next Page: Kazuchika Okada’s 5 best matches
