Kenny Omega, who hasn’t competed since December 2023 due to a diverticulitis diagnosis and subsequent surgery, made his return to NJPW earlier this month at the Power Struggle event, setting up an angle for a future match.
During a promo segment, Omega spoke about the current state of New Japan Pro Wrestling and expressed his desire to return to the promotion. Although he wasn’t certain about the timeline for his in-ring comeback, he posed the question, “How about January 5th?”
Later in the event, Gabe Kidd confronted Omega, sparking a brawl between the two stars. Speaking with Sean Ross Sapp, the AEW star explained why he chose to make his return in NJPW instead of All Elite Wrestling, where he also works as an EVP.
Here’s what the former AEW World Champion said:
“I would like to take baby steps into that role again and I think that’s sort of why I’m happy that it worked out in the way that it did with New Japan is that they were willing to facilitate a return for me and I kind of told them I was a little leery about how. I wasn’t sure how it would look, and I wasn’t sure if I could give them the kind of Kenny Omega performance that maybe they’re looking for, but they weren’t looking for that.
They’re just happy to house my return, and um, I guess that’s why I couldn’t really list an opponent. Number one, I don’t know if I can do it. Something may turn up, you know a couple of weeks out, which would put me out of doing the match, and I wouldn’t want it to look like false advertising or anything like and not only that, but I mean, there’s an entry-level opponent, and then there’s you know another tier of the opponent and then there’s a tier above that and a tier above that and a tier above that and I really kind of wanted to leave it to how I felt. As of right now, certainly, I probably feel good enough to attempt one of those.
The way I look at it is that a lot of people, not only in Japan, but internationally, never knew who I was until I did big things in New Japan, so I really do owe New Japan a gigantic thank you. I do feel that there’s a debt I have to repay in some way, shape, form or fashion.
I think that performing at the Tokyo Dome, by making my comeback at the Tokyo Dome, is a way to help repay that. If it can help something for their business, then I’m more than happy to do that.
I’m sure, naturally, the next question is, ‘Well, why not AEW first?’ That is the company that I helped create. That is the company that I’m contracted to. It makes sense. It’s tough to answer because why not AEW? There’s nothing wrong with AEW at all. If you watch any of the episodes of our TV recently, everything is flowing like clockwork right now. I feel like there’s a spot for all of the hard working men and women that are on those shows. They’ve all worked incredibly hard to earn their spots and keep their spots.
I feel like if I just kind of showed up and said, ‘Hey guys, I’m back, so one of you is going to have to, you know…’ I don’t want to be that guy. I feel like when there’s an opportunity again, when there’s a chance, sure, I’d love to be back if you guys can have me, but right now, I feel like AEW has got a good thing going. I don’t think they need me, so I will make my return to New Japan instead, for now.”
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