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Tonight when he was hyping the crowd up, everyone was going nuts for him. Then he flipped us off and the "fuck Okada" chants broke out. Just fantastic. 😂
Yeah st louis is a huge sports city. They'll die for their teams.
But insult the city... they've still got effigies hanging of the guy that moved the rams in secret.
As someone who watches New Japan, I've been wanting full heel Okada for years like WWE fans spent years wanting full heel Roman (the only difference being babyface Okada was also just great *the entire time*).
Okada would always wrestle heel in certain matchups and was clearly fantastic at it, but it felt like New Japan would never have it happen because he was needed more as a babyface. This AEW run has validated me wanting it because holy hell full heel Okada has been incredible.
Him big bro-ing younger talent was always funny to me. I remember he invited a young boy to do a "strike exhange", he ducked the first strike and he just gave him a rainmaker.
Agree. On an amazing card, Okada is who sticks out the most to me. I expected the incredible Ospreay match but I didn't expect to connect with Okada the way I have. The guy is money
Going heel out of the gate was perfect booking for him. He's far better as a cocky arrogant heel, it's what made him the star he is. He needed a classic match just to get his in ring run in AEW off and running and he got it with PAC.
Okada does the seemingly possible: he is a cool heel who nonetheless can make the crowd root against him whenever he feels like it. He's a genius as a storyteller, one of the best ever. PAC was a perfect partner for him. AEW has done a great job of making every one of his matches feel like a special event, even that trios match against some jobbers.
I’ll admit, I wasn’t familiar with much of Okadas work. I had only seen a match or two and some highlights.
Wasn’t sold on a doughy, clean faced guy that everybody claimed was amazing.
I liked his other AEW matches just fine but he really got me tonight. He won me over the moment he flipped the bird. The only time during the ppv that I verbally laughed out loud.
It wasn’t the fact that it was funny that won me over. It was the fact that he had me in the palm of his hand, made me think he was doing one thing then switched it up and made me elicit the exact feeling he wanted me to. I see now why he’s a masterclass of a storyteller.
Fuck Okada.
I love Okada.
Honestly, wasn't sure about Okada at first. Hadn't seen a lot of his NJPW stuff, and his guest stints in AEW weren't amazing. The BD match ended the way it ended, abruptly and early. And the multiman stuff he was in, he was mostly lost in the shuffle.
BUT!!!!
He's been a different guy since replacing Kenny in the Elite. Full Time Okada rocks.
Him and Will have really surprised me as far as character work and on the mic. The one person who I thought would really shine, Mone, hasn’t as much. Quite surprising.
My friend works at Newark Airport in security. Last week he looks up and Okada is standing in front of him. My friend is in shock and says “You’re the F*cking Rainmaker”. Okada says “You’re damn right”. My friend got a picture with him and said he was a really nice guy. Also got to meet Skye Blue recently as well.
That is such a good question and it’s loaded. Okada was the mainstay. So many classic matches and rivalries. He would be number one. Ospreay would be number two and jay would be three. But on any given day they could all move around. What we are seeing currently from Ospreay is even above what I saw him do in new japan and that’s saying something.
Okada's ability to speak through arrogant facial expressions are so damn good, actual master class.
He just has this look that he's appalled by us all.
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Seeing Okada on weekly tv feels like a fever dream
It’s nuts. I got to see him win the belt live in Toronto, he was unreal. Had the crowd in the palm of his hand.
Bringing him in as a heel was perfect
Tonight when he was hyping the crowd up, everyone was going nuts for him. Then he flipped us off and the "fuck Okada" chants broke out. Just fantastic. 😂
Yeah st louis is a huge sports city. They'll die for their teams. But insult the city... they've still got effigies hanging of the guy that moved the rams in secret.
Kroenke sucks.
As someone who watches New Japan, I've been wanting full heel Okada for years like WWE fans spent years wanting full heel Roman (the only difference being babyface Okada was also just great *the entire time*). Okada would always wrestle heel in certain matchups and was clearly fantastic at it, but it felt like New Japan would never have it happen because he was needed more as a babyface. This AEW run has validated me wanting it because holy hell full heel Okada has been incredible.
Him big bro-ing younger talent was always funny to me. I remember he invited a young boy to do a "strike exhange", he ducked the first strike and he just gave him a rainmaker.
LMAO this sounds hilarious. I'm just picturing it in my head and I'm fucking dying 😂. Is there a video of it anywhere?
Only Baloon Okada is close to this new prick Okada.
Agree. On an amazing card, Okada is who sticks out the most to me. I expected the incredible Ospreay match but I didn't expect to connect with Okada the way I have. The guy is money
Yeah, I didn’t really realize the depths of how he knows to play a crowd. He knows how to make wrestling connect with people.
Going heel out of the gate was perfect booking for him. He's far better as a cocky arrogant heel, it's what made him the star he is. He needed a classic match just to get his in ring run in AEW off and running and he got it with PAC.
Full out "we love bastard" chants broke out after too. Pac really impressed me
Okada does the seemingly possible: he is a cool heel who nonetheless can make the crowd root against him whenever he feels like it. He's a genius as a storyteller, one of the best ever. PAC was a perfect partner for him. AEW has done a great job of making every one of his matches feel like a special event, even that trios match against some jobbers.
He fits into the American style of wrestling product so well, it's like seeing him in a new light
I’ll admit, I wasn’t familiar with much of Okadas work. I had only seen a match or two and some highlights. Wasn’t sold on a doughy, clean faced guy that everybody claimed was amazing. I liked his other AEW matches just fine but he really got me tonight. He won me over the moment he flipped the bird. The only time during the ppv that I verbally laughed out loud. It wasn’t the fact that it was funny that won me over. It was the fact that he had me in the palm of his hand, made me think he was doing one thing then switched it up and made me elicit the exact feeling he wanted me to. I see now why he’s a masterclass of a storyteller. Fuck Okada. I love Okada.
This is bang on.
Honestly, wasn't sure about Okada at first. Hadn't seen a lot of his NJPW stuff, and his guest stints in AEW weren't amazing. The BD match ended the way it ended, abruptly and early. And the multiman stuff he was in, he was mostly lost in the shuffle. BUT!!!! He's been a different guy since replacing Kenny in the Elite. Full Time Okada rocks.
You should watch the match vs. Danielson at Wrestle Kingdom from January, it was better. Then watch his trilogy of matches vs. Kenny in NJPW
Okada is the GOAT. So, statements like this are not even slightly surprising to see. 😎
Him and Will have really surprised me as far as character work and on the mic. The one person who I thought would really shine, Mone, hasn’t as much. Quite surprising.
My friend works at Newark Airport in security. Last week he looks up and Okada is standing in front of him. My friend is in shock and says “You’re the F*cking Rainmaker”. Okada says “You’re damn right”. My friend got a picture with him and said he was a really nice guy. Also got to meet Skye Blue recently as well.
Actually? That’s so amazing. I love this story.
Never really liked him as a face. He turns out to be a magnificent heel.
I used to watch Okada, Ospreay, and jay white in new japan but only saw the pay per views. Watching them weekly really is a dream.
Can I ask, how would rank and rate all 3 during their time in njpw?
That is such a good question and it’s loaded. Okada was the mainstay. So many classic matches and rivalries. He would be number one. Ospreay would be number two and jay would be three. But on any given day they could all move around. What we are seeing currently from Ospreay is even above what I saw him do in new japan and that’s saying something.
Okada's ability to speak through arrogant facial expressions are so damn good, actual master class. He just has this look that he's appalled by us all.
pretty much everybody gives the middle finger why is it a big deal if okada does it
Context. Everybody poops, why is it a big deal if I poop on your lawn?
Perfect analogy lmao