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LINKED BY THE WRISTS: LOOKING AT THE SAGA OF OKADA VS. TANAHASHI

Rock vs Austin. Flair vs Steamboat. Kobashi vs Misawa. Danielson vs McGuinness. Every pro wrestling fan will have a different opinion when they’re asked, what is the greatest rivalry of all time? But for me, Kazuchika Okada vs Hiroshi Tanahashi eclipses them all. An epic story full of twists, turns, triumph, heartbreak, drama, emotion and everything that makes pro wrestling the greatest form of entertainment in the world.

This Sunday, February 11th, Kazuchika Okada will stand across the ring from Hiroshi Tanahashi for the final time. A more poetic send off for Okada, there couldn’t be. Almost 12 years to the day since The Rainmaker shocked the world and dethroned The Ace in front of a stunned crowd in Osaka, in the very same building, to become IWGP Heavyweight Champion, launching an epic saga that would change the course of history for New Japan and propel the promotion to international recognition and success, the likes of which they hadn’t seen before.

We watched the cocky 24 year old momentarily knock the king off his throne, however that throne would not be taken easily as these men traded the IWGP prize back and forth in some of the most sensational matches in pro wrestling history. Every meeting seemingly topped the last, the story of each match would build on the previous, with a masterclass of in-ring storytelling, full of drama, intensity and emotion, from two of the greatest to ever do it.

There is nothing quite like the roar of the New Japan crowd as Hiroshi Tanahashi leaps to the top rope, as he prepares to take off through the air with a High Fly Flow. But as the story unfolded, these sounds were soon replaced with chants of “Okada”. The people knew they were seeing something special as The Rainmaker earned the respect of the fans all over Japan, even turning certain audiences against The Ace, which isn’t easily done in Japan. 

It took four years for Okada to finally earn his place as the man in New Japan. After walking out of the Tokyo Dome at Wrestle Kingdom 9 in floods of tears when he came up short, the following year at Wrestle Kingdom 10 on January 4th, 2016, in what may have been the greatest of all their clashes, in their third Tokyo Dome meeting, Kazuchika Okada was able to vanquish Tanahashi on the biggest stage and truly become New Japan’s Ace.

When they met again in 2018, the dynamic had shifted and Tanahashi was now having to prove himself against Okada. Okada was in the midst of a historic title reign, breaking records set by Tanahashi. Did Tanahashi still have it? Could he beat Okada once more? Another beautiful story was told, and guess what? Tanahashi did still have it, because they delivered another series of amazing bouts, with a very different tone and flavour, leading to these two mega powers eventually shaking hands in a New Japan ring for the very first time. 

If you’re a wrestling fan, and have never seen their matches. Seek them out. If you’re an aspiring wrestler, study them. Their most famous early bouts from 2012 - 2016 are almost all available on NJPWWorld.com, some of their more recent matches since then are missing as NJPW World moves to a new system, but I’m sure will be re-added in the coming months. 

15 clashes (16 if you count their meeting when Okada was a young lion), the last of which was one year ago at Battle in the Valley. From Tokyo to Osaka, the G1 Climax to Dominion, Sumo Hall to the Tokyo Dome, from bitter rivals to tag team champions, Okada & Tanahashi have gave us the greatest rivalry in pro wrestling history. A standard of storytelling and in-ring performance so high and consistent over the span of a decade, that it is unlikely to ever be matched. This was a once in a generation rivalry, that changed the course of pro wrestling history, not just in Japan, but all over the world. Would AEW exist if it wasn’t for the boom of NJPW in the mid 2010’s? 

Tomohiro Ishii put it very simply in an interview recently. Tanahashi is the man that saved New Japan and Okada is the man that changed New Japan. Now 12 years on from Okada creating a New Beginning for New Japan, with Okada about to embark on his own new start, The Ace is now The President, and after the final bell rings on Sunday, after Okada has stood in a New Japan ring for the final time, it will once again be a New Beginning for New Japan Pro Wrestling. 

The New Beginning | 2/12/12 - https://watch.njpwworld.com/details/39748

Dominion | 6/16/12 - https://watch.njpwworld.com/player/37726

Wrestle Kingdom 7 | 1/4/13 - https://watch.njpwworld.com/details/37205

Invasion Attack | 4/7/13 - https://watch.njpwworld.com/details/39924

King of Pro Wrestling | 10/14/13 - https://watch.njpwworld.com/details/39930

Wrestle Kingdom 9 | 1/4/15 - https://watch.njpwworld.com/details/37203

Wrestle Kingdom 10 | 1/4/16 - https://watch.njpwworld.com/details/37202

Wrestling Donraku | 5/4/18 - https://watch.njpwworld.com/details/39168

G1 Climax 2021 | 9/19/21 - https://watch.njpwworld.com/details/36294?shw_ep=1

The New Beginning in Osaka will stream live onn NJPWWorld.com this Sunday.

• 2024/2/11(Sun) 12:00 am(PST) 3:00 am(EST) 8:00 am(GMT)

Kazuchika Okada will wrestle his yet to be announced final matches for New Japan on February 23rd & 24th. 

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