Bryan Danielson says it’s been clear from the start that Kazuchika Okada is a great fit for AEW.
Kazuchika Okada had been one of NJPW’s top stars for years. He signed with AEW and debuted on the March 6 episode of AEW Dynamite. Two weeks later, he beat Eddie Kingston for the AEW Continental Championship.
Speaking with Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated, Bryan Danielson discussed Kazuchika Okada’s arrival in AEW.
“Okada is a great fit for AEW,” Bryan Danielson said. “We’ve seen that right since his debut with The Young Bucks.”
Bryan Danielson also addressed the way that Kazuchika Okada and stars from other companies, such as Will Ospreay, have been presented in AEW. He noted that Okada was a star, so he was treated like one.
“That’s the way Tony presents stars in AEW,” Bryan Danielson said. “It’s not about starting over in AEW. So he was brought in as a star and introduced as a star. It’s the same way we introduced Will Ospreay, and the same way we’ve treated Místico. They’ve already proven it, so that’s the way we’ll present them to our audience. It’s a different approach from the ‘let’s see if this new talent can sink-or-swim.’ He’s a star. That’s how he’s treated.”
Click here to see what Eddie Kingston had to say about his loss to Kazuchika Okada.
More must-reads: