WWE and AEW set to go toe-to-toe for latest star free agent

Kazuchika Okada is leaving New Japan Pro Wrestling. The 16-year NJPW veteran is one of the company's top stars. However, his contract expires at the end of the month, and he is looking for a new challenge. 

According to the "Wrestling Observer" newsletter, Okada is attracting interest from both major American promotions. 

AEW has won the last few free-agent battles against WWE, landing Will Ospreay and Jay "Switchblade" White in 2022.

"Nothing has started yet but seems both are gonna fight for him hard," Dave Meltzer reported. "It was believed that AEW has made the stronger first offer but no contract has been signed at press time.”

There are some significant differences in how AEW and WWE operate. Should Okada opt to join AEW, he would likely be allowed to continue residing in Japan. 

Ospreay noted his ability to remain based in England was a big part of his decision to turn down WWE, so it's likely Okada has a similarly flexible offer on the table. With WWE, Okada would likely be required to permanently relocate to the United States. 

In terms of potential upside, Okada would likely get a bigger immediate push from AEW. Tony Khan does a great job of showcasing the company's new talent. The downside is that the same talent often falls by the wayside over some time. 

Part of that is down to the inflated roster AEW has; the other part is due to the inconsistent booking across Dynamite, Collision and Rampage. 

WWE would offer less of an immediate bump, but the potential to earn himself a significant role within the programming over time. Their roster is far more streamlined, and their tendency to favor long-term storytelling works wonders for talent that gets over with the fanbase.

Blake Oestriecher of Forbes recently noted that WWE's recent push of former NJPW star Shinsuke Nakamura was to try and display their ability to present Japanese talent as a potential headliner on their shows.

"Part of the reason why WWE recently gave fellow former NJPW star Shinsuke Nakamura a main event push was to show Okada that it could establish a Japanese superstar as a main eventer," Oestriecher wrote. "WWE, of course, has a shaky history when it comes to doing that, but much like Nakamura—a Royal Rumble winner, NXT and United States Champion—Okada is the exception, not the rule."

Whoever lands Okada will be getting a genuine star talent. He's proven himself to be among the best in-ring performers in the world. 

With a bidding war likely to ensue, it will be interesting to see if AEW can beat their rivals to another big-time free agent's signature or whether the allure of WWE is too much for Okada to resist.