Kazuchika Okada Gives Opinion on Fan Vote to Decide Wrestle Kingdom Main Event

The Rainmaker comments on fan-vote rumors for Wrestle Kingdom 18

By: James Carlin

It was over ten years ago that a fan-vote was made to decide who main evented Wrestle Kingdom 8 considering the “double main event” billing. The result was that the IWGP Intercontinental Championship match between champion Shinsuke Nakamura and challenger Hiroshi Tanahashi won the vote and ended the January 4th show, whilst the IWGP Heavyweight Championship match between Kazuchika Okada and Tetsuya Naito went on penultimately.

Next year’s Wrestle Kingdom, the eighteenth instalment, features two big matches – the first being the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship match with SANADA defending against G1 Climax 33 winner Tetsuya Naito, and the second being the re-match of the dream match between Okada and “The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson. Two big marquee matches that could both easily main event the biggest annual show in Japanese professional wrestling.

With the tenth anniversary of the vote coming up, Okada was asked about his thoughts on the return of the vote with the rumor circulating in some circles online.

“I want New Japan Pro-Wrestling to have IWGP matches in the main event, so I hope they don’t give into the demand. However, if a vote were to be held, I would not be against it.” h/t Tokyo Sports

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