On February 12, 2012, Bryan Danielson was on a run that most individuals believed was inconceivable. The long-time unbiased wrestling standout, who already had a declare to being the most effective skilled wrestlers alive, had signed to WWE three years prior in 2009. Individuals had been involved about how the run would go for Danielson. Listed at 5’10”, Danielson was removed from the best search for a promotion recognized for being the land of the giants. After a brief stint in FCW to acclimate to the system, Danielson debuted on the unique model of NXT in 2010. He acquired himself fired from the corporate after going somewhat too laborious in the course of the notorious Nexus debut however got here again in time for SummerSlam earlier than successful america Title the subsequent month.

His work as US Champion impressed, and after shedding the title in March, he would stun the world by successful the Cash within the Financial institution ladder match. This was again when Cash within the Financial institution had a 100% success fee, however the concept of Bryan being a World Champion in WWE was nonetheless an excessive amount of for many followers to understand. However Daniel Bryan shocked the world on the TLC pay-per-view in 2011 and have become World Heavyweight Champion.

Three months later, Bryan hit paydirt. With the assistance of his on-screen girlfriend AJ Lee, Bryan went from a plucky underdog babyface to a cocky bastard that celebrated each win prefer it was Recreation Seven of the Finals, with him screaming YES repeatedly. On February 12, 2012, Daniel Bryan beat the Massive Present by disqualification at a home present in Bakersfield, CA, little question leaving the ring elevating his arms and screaming YES.

That very same day in Osaka, Japan, the Rainmaker was born.

It is Saturday, February 12 in japan!#onthisday in 2012, the legendary Rainmaker Shock in Osaka noticed Kazuchika Okada raise the IWGP Heavyweight Championship for the primary time!

Relive historical past with @njpwworld!https://t.co/Wi0EvZDNHI#njpw pic.twitter.com/SePiLmsZNF

— NJPW World (@njpwglobal) February 11, 2022

Kazuchika Okada’s highway to the Rainmaker Shock was an extended one, debuting in 2004 as part of Ultimo Dragon’s Toryumon Mexico. After three years in Mexico, Okada started wrestling within the New Japan Dojo in 2007. In 2010, he launched into an tour to America and New Japan’s promotional companion TNA Wrestling. After a run so embarrassing that New Japan killed the connection with TNA, Okada returned to New Japan with a less-than-stellar displaying towards YOSHI-HASHI at Wrestle Kingdom 6. On the finish of that present, he challenged the IWGP Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi to a title match. Individuals overtly laughed on the concept of Okada difficult Tanahashi, however 40 days later, Okada can be the one laughing final. He shocked the world by ending Tanahashi’s record-breaking title reign in an incredible match.

Okada would spend the remainder of 2012 making his declare as the most effective skilled wrestlers on this planet. He would have acclaimed title defenses towards Tetsuya Naito and Hirooki Goto earlier than shedding the title again to Tanahashi at Dominion on June 16. That match earned Match of the Yr Honors within the 2012 Tokyo Sports activities Awards, whereas their feud was voted Feud of the Yr by the Wrestling Observer E-newsletter. Okada would win the G1 Climax on his first try, resulting in him main-eventing Wrestle Kingdom 7 one 12 months after his re-debut. The feud would proceed into 2013, successful Feud of the Yr once more from the Observer. The Okada/Tanahashi Invasion Assault match on April 7 received Match of the Yr honors in each the Observer and Voices of Wrestling’s Match of the Yr polls.

Within the span of 14 months, Kazuchika Okada went from a digital unknown to the highest of the enterprise.

In the meantime, Danielson’s standing as an all-time nice was already licensed by the point he put pen to paper with WWE. He had been voted the winner of the Wrestling Observer’s Most Excellent Wrestler award for 4 years operating from 2006-2009, earlier than successful it once more in 2010. He was amid an eight-year run of successful the WON’s Greatest Technical Wrestler award, a run that might encourage Dave Meltzer to call the award after him. And in 2007, he received Match of the Yr for his match towards Takeshi Morishima at Manhattan Mayhem II.

However Danielson’s greatness wouldn’t finish there.

Regardless of all of the boundaries to success he confronted in WWE, most of them being Vince McMahon associated, his expertise would shine by way of. He would have nice matches with names like Sheamus and CM Punk. He took a down-card demotion group with Kane and turned it into one of the in style tag groups in that firm’s historical past with Group Hell No. Earlier than lengthy, Danielson discovered himself within the greatest match of his life, beating John Cena in the principle occasion of SummerSlam 2013 to win the WWE Title in the most effective matches in firm historical past. Danielson can be within the World Title combine all through the autumn and the brand new 12 months, culminating in successful the WWE Championship in the principle occasion of WrestleMania 30 on April 6, 2014.

However earlier than lengthy, Danielson’s well being started to betray him. He must vacate the title resulting from a neck damage on June 9, 2014. He would come again in time for the notorious 2015 Royal Rumble and win the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania 31 however would vacate that title resulting from damage a month later. After 9 months on the shelf, Daniel Bryan retired from the WWE on February 8, 2016.

Whereas Danielson’s star was burning out, Okada’s star shone brighter than ever. He’d foremost occasion the Tokyo Dome two extra instances towards Tanahashi, incomes his place because the true ace of the promotion. He was one of many figureheads of New Japan’s worldwide explosion in reputation, as he would trek to RevPro in England and Ring of Honor within the US. He’d have high-profile, extremely acclaimed matches towards Tanahashi, Shinsuke Nakamura, AJ Types, Will Ospreay, and Roderick Robust.

Okada continued to construct his resume as an all-time nice, successful Match of the Yr within the Observer for 3 years from 2016 to 2018. His 2017 stood out particularly, along with his epic trilogy towards Kenny Omega successful Feud of the Yr within the Observer Awards. He had three matches – Omega Jan. 4, Omega Jun. 11, Shibata Apr. 9 – that took all three spots on the medal stand for Observer Match of the Yr in 2017. The Shibata match received the Voices of Wrestling Match of the Yr ballot. Okada received each Most Excellent Wrestler and the Aptitude/Thesz Wrestler of the Yr within the 2017 Observer Awards. He was #1 within the 2017 PWI 500. Within the blink of an eye fixed, Kazuchika Okada was not solely turning into the most important star in Japan however one of many greatest stars on this planet.

In the meantime, one of many greatest stars on this planet had gotten a second likelihood. After 26 months out of the ring, Daniel Bryan was introduced to be medically cleared to compete within the WWE. Bryan returned to motion at WrestleMania 34 on April 8, 2018. On October 30, Daniel Bryan beat AJ Types to win the WWE Title. He went on to have nice matches at Survivor Sequence towards Brock Lesnar and at WrestleMania 35 towards Kofi Kingston.

Bryan would foremost occasion another WrestleMania on April 11, 2021, earlier than shedding his remaining WWE match to Roman Reigns two weeks in a while the April 30 episode of SmackDown.

Daniel Bryan was finished, however Bryan Danielson had much more left within the tank.

The subsequent time Bryan Danielson would wrestle on tv can be in one other dream match on September 22, 2021, in Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York. Bryan Danielson confronted off towards Kenny Omega in the most effective matches in AEW Dynamite historical past. In my yearly Dynamite Dozen column, the place I rank the twelve finest AEW tv matches of the 12 months, this match not solely ranked #1 for the 12 months but additionally is the highest-scoring match within the historical past of AEW tv.

Danielson would go on to have a number of of the very best AEW matches of all time. Whether or not it’s his duology with Hangman Web page over the World Title, his half within the bloody spectacle that was Anarchy within the Enviornment, or his Ironman match towards MJF, Danielson has weaved his manner into the AEW historical past books within the span of two years. And on Sunday, he has one other likelihood to etch his identify within the historical past books with one other the most effective matches in wrestling historical past.

That’s what makes this a real dream match.

These two males have been integral components of professional wrestling historical past.  Okada has been instrumental within the development of New Japan, each domestically and internationally. Danielson stored the flame of professional wrestling alive on the unbiased scene earlier than destroying expectations within the worldwide chief. Each males have been inducted into the Wrestling Observer Corridor of Fame. Each males have been a part of a few of the finest wrestling matches ever.

In case you go to Cagematch.web – an web wrestling database with over 70,000 matches on document – these two account for 21 of the 100 highest-rated matches. One-fifth of the 100 finest professional wrestling matches on document contain considered one of these two males. However it by no means felt like a real risk till now. It at all times felt like these two would exist in several orbits till considered one of them hung up the boots.

That modified at New Japan’s Dominion present on June 4, 2023. Bryan Danielson opened the Forbidden Door and made the problem as YES chants rang out from the Osaka-jo Corridor crowd. After twenty years of greatness, these two supernovas will collide. By means of promotional boundaries, accidents, and retirements, what was as soon as a dream will change into a actuality.

On Sunday, June 25, 2023, at the Forbidden Door pay-per-view in Toronto, Canada, Bryan Danielson will wrestle Kazuchika Okada.