Top Star Says AEW Talent Was ‘Very Good’ During Forgotten WWE Run

AEW, WWE

Ahead of their first ever match at NJPW Dominion, Kazuchika Okada spoke highly of AEW star Claudio Castagnoli, revealing that he was thankful for the chance to face him.

However, in reference to Castagnoli’s in-ring exploits Okada would not reference his current run as the ROH Champion or his work with the Blackpool Combat Club.

Instead the Rainmaker would name Castagnoli’s time in WWE, specifically a oft-forgotten Smackdown Tag Team Championship run with Shinsuke Nakamura as a highlight for him.

Okada said in an interview with Tokyo Sports: (translation courtesy of Ciarin of Wrestleinn on Twitter)

“I thought Claudio Castagnoli was very good in USA, when he and Shinsuke Nakamura were tag team champions, so I’m looking forward to fighting him.

Shota (Umino) is the most boring, but thank you for bringing Claudio to Japan.”

Okada, alongside his CHAOS teammates Tomohoro Ishii and Hiroshi Tanahashi defended their NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Titles at NJPW Dominion (June 4) defeating Castagnoli, Jon Moxley and Shota Umino.

However, what truly caught the headlines was what came after the bell where a challenge to Okada was laid out by fellow BCC member Bryan Danielson for the June 25 Forbidden Door 2 PPV.

If you want to stay fully updated on all the latest wrestling news, click the red bell in the bottom right of your screen to receive notifications from WrestleTalk.com straight to your device!

• Claudio Castagnoli
• Kazuchika Okada
• NJPW
• AEW
• wwe

Share this article with friends