WWE Renews Interest In Kazuchika Okada

WWE are once again interested in signing Kazuchika Okada.

WWE have held an interest in adding Kazuchika Okada to the roster for a number of years but there has been "renewed interest" in bringing in the former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion in recent times, according to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

Okada has remained loyal to New Japan Pro-Wrestling amid past WWE interest but the pitch from WWE now, according to Meltzer, is that Okada is 36 years old, he's close to Shinsuke Nakamura, and the WWE style is far easier on the body. The pitch is also that WWE is the "one thing Okada has never done and he's done everything he can do in New Japan."

WWE also have a strategy to try and entice Okada to the company, with Meltzer reporting one of the reasons for Shinsuke Nakamura's renewed push is "to show Okada that this regime is not going to treat Japanese like the stereotypical children-like role." Nakamura's push, of course, has consisted of him main-eventing WWE pay-per-views but ultimately losing to Seth Rollins in their World Heavyweight Title matches.

Meltzer, however, did state: "Okada is a name always brought up but there's no indication there's anything new to this other than there's been more talk of late."