#1.) The end of his historic title reign.
720 days. That’s how long Okada reigned as IWGP Heavyweight Champion. For two full years, he put on classic after classic and cemented his reign as the greatest of the modern era. Fans always wondered when it would, and their answer was Dominion 6.9 in 2018. Okada, with one win a piece (and a draw) against Kenny Omega, challenged him in what would turn out to be his final title defense.
There were no time limits and it was a 2-out-of-3 falls match. Again, it was a competition as to who really wanted it more and in what many consider among the greatest matches in wrestling history, Omega finally defeated Okada, dethroning him to become the new IWGP Heavyweight Champion.
You’re probably wondering why we would include a loss as his greatest moment. Well, it was because, for one, he looked like a champion even in defeat. With that title reign, he cemented his place in NJPW history, smashing the records of legends such as Hiroshi Tanahashi and even Shinya Hashimoto. It was a reign that defines not only his career but an entire generation. There was nothing like it and there probably won’t be anything like it any time soon.
