Top NJPW Star Believes Wrestle Kingdom 17 Match Is Bigger Than Kenny Omega Vs. Kazuchika Okada

NJPW

A top NJPW star believes that their upcoming Wrestle Kingdom 17 match is bigger than Kenny Omega vs. Kazuchika Okada.

In 2017, the instant classic between Kazuchika Okada and Kenny Omega at Wrestle Kingdom 11 took the wrestling world by storm and kickstarted one of the greatest series of matches in wrestling history.

The match is known for breaking the Dave Meltzer five star rating scale and creating new fans for New Japan Pro Wrestling.

However, the current Bullet Club leader believes his upcoming Wrestle Kingdom 17 main event against Okada is even bigger.

In a new interview with Sports Illustrated ahead of tonight’s NJPW Rumble On 44th Street event, IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Jay White talked about feeling that his journey as Bullet Club leader helps make his name mean more opposite Okada.

White said:

“This isn’t a story to me. This is my life. I’m not the guy people wanted when Kenny left. But whether they liked me or not, they couldn’t deny how good I was or how ready I was to step up to that position. Now they know they were wrong. This is my title and my time. Me and Okada is even bigger than Kenny-Okada.”

“Switchblade” continued on to express his desire to see Bullet Club expand across multiple promotions, saying:

“I wanted to extend and expand Bullet Club bigger than we have before. It took time, but I’ve brought Bullet Club to AEW and IMPACT. That helped solidify us and gave us a new platform. Now I have the platform as IWGP champion to take Bullet Club to a new level.

“I feel like I’m living up to everything that I set out to do. Look at the state of Bullet Club. Look at The Good Brothers going back to WWE.”

As previously reported, New Japan Pro Wrestling recently announced their intentions of stripping Karl Anderson of the NEVER Openweight Championship if he doesn’t appear at NJPW Battle Autumn on November 5.

This comes off the heels of WWE announce Anderson for a six-man tag team match with AJ Styles and Luke Gallows against The Judgment Day for the Crown Jewel event on the same day as Battle Autumn.

Meanwhile, Switchblade Jay White will team with fellow Bullet Club member Juice Robinson to face Kazuchika Okada and AEW’s Eddie Kingston at the NJPW Rumble On 44th Street event on October 28.

White will then move on to Wrestle Kingdom 17 on January 4, 2023 to defend the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship against Okada.

Find out which top AEW star appeared on NJPW’s first show back in New York City at this link.

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• Jay White
• Kazuchika Okada
• NJPW
• Kenny Omega

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