Kazuchika Okada and Kota Ibushi renewed their iconic NJPW rivalry during "AEW Dynamite" as a match was confirmed between the pair for next week's show.
Ibushi returned to AEW for the first time in almost two years during Saturday's "AEW Collision," confronting and exchanging strikes with Okada after being introduced by Mark Briscoe. He wrestled his first match back in action for the promotion on Wednesday night, facing Okada's fellow Don Callis-aligned star in Trent Beretta, and would ultimately pick up the victory after almost seven-and-a-half minutes of action. But he had little time to celebrate his victory as Okada emerged to confront his rival and their singles match was confirmed for next week's landmark 300th episode.
This will be the first time Okada and Ibushi lock horns since the 2021 G1 Climax Final won by "The Rainmaker" in NJPW and their eighth singles match overall, as well as being the first time they're facing one another outside of Japan. They first faced one another in 2013 for DDT Pro Wrestling, with Okada picking up the win that night and on the next two bouts between them for NJPW in 2014 and 2017 respectively the latter of which while Ibushi donned the Tiger Mask.
Ibushi won the next bout between them during the 2019 Block stage of the G1, but he failed to dethrone Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at the following Wrestle Kingdom in 2020. Ibushi defeated Okada once more in the 2020 G1 Block stage, and their record going into next week stands at 5-2-0.Okada's Continental Championship, which is due to be unified with Kenny Omega's International Championship at All In Texas, does not appear to be on the line next week.
