Kazuchika Okada Defeats Kaito Kiyomiya At Keiji Muto Retirement Show

The rivalry between NJPW’s Kazuchika Okada and Pro Wrestling NOAH’s Kaito Kiyomiya has been brief but heated, with the two violently clashing for the beginning of 2023.

The IWGP World Heavyweight Champion and GHC Heavyweight Champion finally went toe-to-toe at the Keiji Muto Grand Final Pro-Wrestling 'Last' Love ～Hold Out～ event on February 21, with Okada getting the first win in what is hoped to be an ongoing rivalry.

Okada and Kiyomiya had a hard hitting fight for their first singles match, with Okada unleashing a level of intensity that only served to fire up the brash Kiyomiya. The action spilled all over the ringside area, and Kiyomiya almost had it won after a pair of Muto Shining Wizards, but Okada fought on.

Okada withstood more of Kiyomiya’s spirited offence to hit a Tombstone and a Rainmaker, pulling up Kiyomiya’s head at the count of two in order to hit an almost mocking Emerald Flowsion and a second Rainmaker to defeat Kiyomiya and gain a measure of revenge after the events of Wrestle Kingdom 17 night two.