Kazuchika Okada Reflects On Telling Aaron Wolf To Join NJPW: “I Screwed Up, I Should Have Told Him To Come To AEW”

Okada was the one who told Wolf to head to NJPW.

Aaron Wolf, an Olympic gold medalist and 2017 Judo World Championships gold medalist, has signed with New Japan Pro-Wrestling and will be making his in-ring debut at Wrestle Kingdom 20 on January 4th, 2026.

While Wolf was making the media rounds over the summer of 2025, he shared that he consulted with former NJPW and current AEW star Kazuchika Okada. It was Okada who told Wolf that NJPW was the place to be.

As Okada is gearing up to be Hiroshi Tanahashi’s final opponent at Wrestle Kingdom 20, an interview with him was pushed out by NJPW1972.com. Okada said he screwed up and should have told Wolf to come to AEW.

Okada explained that NJPW is where he learned the finer details of wrestling, and it made him sharp, and that’s why he told Wolf to go there. Okada added that Wolf should learn those things, then he should study English and come to America.

“I screwed up,” Okada recalled a conversation with Aaron Wolf and directing Wolf to join NJPW. “I should have told him to come to AEW. But you know, I started in Mexico, but it wasn’t until I got to NJPW that I really learned about the details and the finer points in wrestling, and those finer points are the most important part. So it’s NJPW that you really get the base to be the best pro-wrestler you can be and that’s why I said he should start in New Japan. And then he should study English so he can come to America. Can I say that?”

Wolf’s debut match is going to be a title bout. He’ll be challenging EVIL for the NEVER Openweight Championship.