Kazuchika Okada Reaches 700 Days As IWGP Heavyweight Champion

"The Rainmaker" rolls on.

After three prior reigns with the title, at NJPW's 'Dominion' event in 2016 Kazuchika Okada defeated Tetsuya Naito to become IWGP Heavyweight Champion for the fourth time. Okada would go on to defeat every challenger who stepped up to him including the likes Kenny Omega, EVIL, Zack Sabre Jr., Tetsuya Naito, SANADA, and Hiroshi Tanahashi

Okada's latest title defense was against "The Ace" Hiroshi Tanahashi in the main event on night two of 'Wrestling Dontaku'. The two men have a detailed history with one another and Okada went into the match against Tanahasi with the crowd against him. "The Rainmaker" persevered as he overcame Tanahashi and broke his record for the most successful title defenses in one reign with twelve total. Back in January Okada also broke Tanahashi's record for the most combined days as the IWGP Heavyweight Champion.

As of today, Kazuchika Okada has held the championship for 700-days on-top of already being the longest reigning IWGP Heavyweight Champion of all-time.

Okada does have a major test in front of him come June 9th in the form of a familiar rival. After Okada defeated Tanahashi at 'Wrestling Dontaku' he joked about not having anyone else left to face. The champ then decided to call out Kenny Omega who has taken him to his limit in their past three bouts and the two men both have a victory over one another with their second meeting at last summer's 'Dominion' event ending in a draw after 60-minutes. "The Rainmaker" told Omega that he wants to do it again but this time no time limit, with the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on the line in a 2-Out-Of-3 Falls match at 'Dominion' on June 9th.

Fightful does have an events article posted for the 2018 NJPW 'Dominion' event and to view the matches that have been announced thus far, click here.