Kazuchika Okada retains the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, what’s next?

Wrestle Kingdom 12 (check full results out right here) is over and, predictably, the main event delivered an epic clash in their usual fashion.

The match saw Naito target the neck early and often, Okada riposting by targeting the head with DDTs and the like, hoping to set his shiny new cobra clutch up, back and forth, trading control repeatedly as their respective injuries are levied. The Rainmaker’s sequences grew longer and longer, but the Stardust Genius refused to fail and all the New Japan main event trademark reversals and nearfalls were well on display.

In the end, Naito got greedy after reversing a Rainmaker into Destino, trying for a second only to have it reversed into a Tombstone piledriver and, yes, a final Rainmaker that saw Kazuchika retain the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.

It’s something of a curious move, as it begs the question-- where do we go from here? Okada has held the record for longest IWGP Heavyweight Championship reign for a few months now, and has just crossed, as of this morning, into having the record for most total days with that title. He’s not lacking for credible contenders, the New Japan roster is well packed with them, but Naito felt like the guy to end a record-setting reign. And so if the Stardust Genius came up short... who’s next?

There you have it, folks

Where DOES Okada go from here? Let us know in the comments, Cagesiders.