Kazuchika Okada Breaks Major AEW Championship Record

Kazuchika Okada has made history for AEW.

Okada, the current AEW Unified Champion, has held the AEW Continental Championship for 509 days as of August 11. This makes Okada the longest reigning champion in AEW history.

At 509 days, Okada surpassed the TBS Championship reign of Jade Cargill. Cargill held that title for 508 days.

Kazuchika Okada became the AEW Continental Champion on March 20 of 2024, defeating Eddie Kingston to win the title. As champion, Okada has defended the championship against Bryan Danielson, Will Ospreay, Mike Bailey, Kenny Omega, Brody King, Buddy Matthews, and others.

The wild ride of the AEW Continental Championship

AEW Unified Champion Kazuchika Okada. | All Elite Wrestling

The AEW Continental Championship was created as the prize for the first-ever AEW Continental Classic tournament. The Continental Classic is a round-robin tournament like the New Japan Pro Wrestling G1 Climax, in which two blocks of competitors compete against each other and earn points for victories.

Eddie Kingston won the first tournament and became the inaugural Continental Champion.

The championship was defended with specialty rules including no outside interference and no people allowed at ringside for title matches. The title was also defended on a strict 20 minute time limit.

At the AEW All In 2025 event, Kazuchika Okada and and Kenny Omega clashed in a unification match for both the AEW International Championship and the AEW Continental Championship. Together, the winner would become the AEW Unified Champion.

Okada defeated Omega at All In Texas this year to become the first-ever AEW Unified Champion. The match was a dream match and an ode to the historic matches that Okada and Omega had in New Japan Pro Wrestling.

Okada is scheduled to defend his AEW Unified Championship against Swerve Strickland at the upcoming AEW and New Japan Pro Wrestling Forbidden Door PPV event at the end of August in the UK.

• Longest reigning IWGP Heavyweight Champion ever = 720 days
• Longest reigning AEW title holder ever = 509+ days

Except for his first 2 weeks in the company, Okada has been a champion since he signed with AEW. Rainmaker creates records everywhere. https://t.co/9aE1d4uYAD pic.twitter.com/FRMjCZhDKX
— Drainmaker (@DrainBamager) August 11, 2025

AEW Forbidden Door airs live on PPV on Sunday August 24 from the O2 Arena in London.

Announced matches for the show include Toni Storm vs. Athena for the AEW Women's World Championship, Hurt Syndicate vs. FTR or Brodido for the AEW World Tag Team Championships, a Zack Sabre Jr. IWGP World Heavyweight Championship match, and more.

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