Kazuchika Okada posts statement following expiration of NJPW contract

  • Ian Carey
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Kazuchika Okada is now a free agent. 

Okada’s NJPW contract expired at midnight Japan Standard Time. Shortly after, the 36-year-old released a statement on X thanking fans for supporting NJPW for the last 17 years. 

Okada wrote:

Thank you for supporting New Japan Pro Wrestling for 17 years! thank you very much! I laughed, got angry, cried, it was great! I look forward to playing the remaining three games as a free agent!

With Okada’s contract expiring, his merchandise is being removed from PWTees.com. Our own Dave Meltzer notes that this is not a sign Okada is headed to WWE, nor a sign he’s headed to AEW. 

“On the Okada front, the Pro Wrestling Tees thing regards no longer being able to sell New Japan merchandise of his. It’s not a sign of going to WWE. It’s not a sign of going to AEW either,” Meltzer wrote on X. 

Okada also recently applied to trademark his name for wrestling purposes with the US Patent & Trademark Office. Earlier this year, he also filed to trademark “Rainmaker.” 

Where Okada could end up next was addressed last week in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. 

Meltzer wrote: 

For Okada, the last word was that he had not made up his mind. I know people here range from hopeful to I’d perceive as confident he will be coming. If he was to sign, the likely arrival would be around the Greensboro show with his final New Japan date on 2/24. If it was WWE, I could see them holding off until WrestleMania. But we do know that Tony Khan has been especially enthusiastic about 2024, between new signings and returns over the next few months of MJF, Adam Cole, Kenny Omega (hopefully), Bandido, Rey Fenix, Pac and Britt Baker.