Drew McIntyre says he would love to face NJPW’s Kazuchika Okada
With so many wrestling promotions churning out quality content for their respective fanbases and so many wrestlers making names for themselves throughout these federations, it makes sense that fans would want to see these grapplers face opponents from other companies.
A Drew McIntyre vs. Kazuchika Okada dream match would sit near the top of most people’s lists. McIntyre teased this as recently as several weeks ago in the wake of WWE and New Japan Pro Wrestling’s talent sharing negotiations — which allowed fans and writers to ponder over the potential cross-promotional matches a pact would bring — but while those talks have died down, McIntyre is still keeping the possibility of this match happening alive.
Drew McIntyre talks about wanting to have a match with Kazuchika Okada.
McIntyre spoke with Sportskeeda’s Riju Dasgupta and talked about his hope for a match with the former IWGP Heavyweight Champion (h/t to Fightful’s Robert DeFelice for the transcription):
"“I mean I’m not going to say that we’re never going to see it ever. But I will say that I like to have fun. And I like to play out to things online. So, if you notice anything weird about something I say or something I do, there’s generally a reason behind it as you noticed. But that’s a match I’d love to have if it ever is possible.”"
McIntyre will next wrestle at the Hell in a Cell pay-per-view in the show’s eponymous match against a more familiar foe, to say the least: WWE Champion Bobby Lashley. The match also carries the stipulation that McIntyre will receive no more WWE Championship matches against Lashley should he lose.
As for Okada, fans most recently saw him in the main event of NJPW’s Dominion show on June 6, where he wrestled and lost to Shingo Takagi in a classic match that determined who would win the vacant IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.
Is a match between the two possible?
In wrestling, taking the “never say never” approach usually works out, but unless McIntyre leaves WWE or Okada leaves New Japan for WWE, this one will probably remain a match that people create on WWE 2K or Fire Pro Wrestling World.
Next. Kazuchika Okada unsurprisingly learned a lot from watching Shawn Michaels. dark
Given how well protected both men are in their respective promotions — even with WWE booking McIntyre in too many title matches — a meeting between these two would carry plenty of intrigue, no matter which promotion booked it.