Kazuchika Okada, one of New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s top stars and the reigning IWGP World Heavyweight Champion headed into Wrestle Kingdom 16 Night Two tonight, made waves this week by telling Sports Illustrated he wants dream matches with both CM Punk and Bryan Danielson. He explained, “Danielson and Punk would make for some incredible matches.A lot of those dream match scenarios are about getting excited for the possibilities, and once the match is done, it’s done. So it is important to keep that excitement and anticipation, I think. Still, if we wait too long, they’ll both retire eventually, so I want to face them both while they’re still active.”
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That quote eventually made its way to Punk, who tweeted on Tuesday, “Here’s my address, come see me: 1901 W Madison St Chicago, IL60612 United States @rainmakerXokada (Okada’s Twitter account.” That address isn’t Punk’s, but rather the address of the United Center in Chicago.
AEW ran the United Center for the first time back in August, selling the arena out in minutes on the rumor that Punk would be making his debut there (he did). Punk then talked with ComicBook after the All Out pay-per-view and reflected on his city becoming one of AEW’s signature spots.
“We sold out the United Center on a rumor,” Punk said. “If I can toot my own horn, I’m a kid from Chicago and I don’t know if I can claim I sold out this building because I think it was sold out before I was ever announced, but I sold out the United Center, I sold out the Rosemont Horizon (now the Allstate Arena)… man, that’s super great and I would like to brag on that but it’s also super humbling. For a kid who… I was at the first-ever event in the United Center, SummerSlam 1994. I watched Bret and Owen (Hart) in the cage. And I feel like Chicago has just been ripe for the taking, they love wrestling and they want to be entertained. And there’s been some great shows here, I was on a few of them, and then I just feel like we’ve got the pulse of the whole place. To me, what’s next? Wrigley Field? Soldier Field? Let’s go!”
