Kazuchika Okada took his AEW Continental Championship for a whirlwind tour across the pond in Wednesday’s Wales-based edition of “Dynamite,” and it was a nail-biter from start to finish. Facing off against the Swiss Superman himself, Claudio Castagnoli, Okada barely managed to hang on to his title after a thrilling 20-minute time-limit draw—thanks to some questionable assistance from The Elite.
In a match that had fans on the edge of their seats, Okada and Castagnoli threw everything but the kitchen sink at each other. From breathtaking top-rope stunts to a gut-wrenching Swing from Castagnoli, the two grapplers delivered a hard-hitting spectacle that kept the Welsh crowd roaring. But the biggest shock of the night came when Okada, never one to shy away from showing his cheeky side, flipped Castagnoli the bird—only to nearly eat a pinfall after a pop-up uppercut. Just as the referee’s hand was about to hit the mat for the three-count, the bell rang, signaling the match’s end in a time-limit draw.
Cue the collective groan from the audience, who clearly wanted more. Enter The Young Bucks, Matthew and Nicholas Jackson, who decided to flex their executive muscles by offering a half-hearted clap for Castagnoli’s efforts. But when it came time to potentially grant an extra five minutes of action, the Bucks gave a firm “Nah,” leaving Castagnoli and the Welsh crowd fuming. Instead, the EVPs, along with Jack Perry, turned their attention to their own main event match against FTR and Darby Allin. As Okada and Castagnoli continued to brawl up the ramp, Okada made it crystal clear that his loyalty was with his championship belt—not The Elite.
At the time of writing, Okada’s reign as AEW Continental Champion has hit 154 days and counting. The Rainmaker snagged the title from Eddie Kingston back on the March 20 episode of “Dynamite” and has since defended it against top-tier talent like PAC and Dax Harwood of FTR. But with no current plans for a title defense at All In, fans are left wondering—what’s next for Okada’s dominant run?