Kazuchika Okada signs with AEW, appears on Dynamite

The Rainmaker is All Elite! AEW announced yesterday that former IWGP Heavyweight champion Kazuchika Okada has signed a deal with the company after his surprise appearance on Dynamite.

Okada, who finished up his duties with New Japan Pro-Wrestling last month weeks after he was officially a free agent, showed up at Dynamite in Duluth, Georgia to a big pop from the crowd. He came out during The Young Bucks segment with Eddie Kingston and while at first he gave the impression that he was going to help Kingston, he eventually joined The Elite.

The 36-year-old Japanese star was highly rumored to be moving to AEW after he announced his intentions to depart NJPW after 14 years. While WWE were interested in his services, the company never aggressively fought for his signature and while they did make an offer, AEW’s offer money-wise was significantly bigger.

This is Okada’s first full-time contract with a U.S.-based promotion. He is obviously not new to AEW or its audience as he made several appearances in the previous years.

Okada and Mercedes Mone were two of the biggest free agents and it’s a big win for AEW and Tony Khan to manage to land them both. Mone will be making her debut on next week’s episode of Dynamite: Big Business from her hometown of Boston.