Kenny Omega

[futballiscool]

Probably trolling but imagine if he showed up to the Rumble and won it. AJ/Omega for the title at WM with Shawn Michaels as the guest referee and Bret Hart as the guest time keeper. JR and Mauro call the match with JBL on color commentary.

 

[Ewa PGH Fan]

WWE would be nice but so would a full time move to ROH

 

[futballiscool]

He's way too much money for ROH unless it's part time there and part time in Japan. I would think it's main roster WWE or bust for him as a full time North American wrestler

 

[Ewa PGH Fan]

He's way too much money for ROH unless it's part time there and part time in Japan. I would think it's main roster WWE or bust for him as a full time North American wrestler

According to PWInsider.com he just may be taking a short beak before starting up again in Japan.

 

[futballiscool]

It's definitely possible that he's trolling, trying to keep his profile high after Wrestle kingdom. I also see a possibility after his G1 win last year and the insane buzz from the WrestleKingdom main event his stock might be at the highest point it can reach outside of the WWE. They might offer him a huge deal. AJs success this past year probably helps as well.

 

[Hitman Hart]

Legitimately a 0% chance that he's going to the WWE this year.

NJPW will be holding a couple of Los Angeles area shows in early July. Details are sketchy right now, but the assumption is that those shows will be qualifying matches for the G1 climax.

Omega is probably going to to be the IWGP Heavyweight Champion by the Fall.

 

[futballiscool]

Wrestling is a dangerous occupation. Not to sound overdramatic but anyone's career can end in their next match. If his contract is up it makes a ton of sense for both sides. WWE needs star power for their 2 main roster shows and Omega gets a huge payday.
Unlike Styles he's also young enough that the company can build around him for the next 5 years.

I lean towards this as a minor PR ploy but the WWE seems like a real possibility. They'd be crazy not to have an interest and he'd be crazy not to take a big money offer.

 

[Hitman Hart]

Like I said, there is a very little chance that Omega goes to the WWE this year.

You can make all the reasoning you want for it, but NJPW and Japan (he lives there) is Omega's home right now. He was the first gaijin to win the G1 climax, and he's going to to be the IWGP Heavyweight Champion by the fall.

Omega's turned the WWE down before, and will continue to turn them down until he's accomplished everything he wants to accomplish in New Japan.

 

[futballiscool]

Omega might have turned the WWE in the past but those were most likely lower paying developmental deals. After his run the past 6 months he'd get main event, main roster money.

A good wrestler should always talk up the promotion's belt and its prestige. Here's Hogan on the IWGP belt

But that's all a facade. 99 percent of them are in it for the money ( rightfully so, it's a job and they're risking life and limb).

If Omega is a FA and he turns down big WWE money he's a rare breed

 

[wildturkey]

I think I've read his contract is up on Jan 31 so its impossible for him to make his debut at the Rumble. He could however, be there in time for Mania.

But I think he's probably just taking a little time off. He'll probably work a few ROH and Indy shows with the Bucks and be back with New Japan in a couple of months. The way NJPW books people, especially foreigners, they don't give the types of runs he's had to people they think are leaving. AJ lost like damn near every match he had for months when he left.

 

[futballiscool]

I've heard that reasoning, but Okada is essentially New Japan's equivalent of Roman Reigns if his WWE push went a little more smoothly. That's who New Japan singled out and is in the process of building their company around for the next decade. There's nothing bigger Omega could have done for New Japan than getting pinned by Okada in the match of their careers on the way out. It probably doubled Okadas profile in the US in 48 hours.

I think there's two possible scenarios...

1) He's in the middle of a long contract with New Japan. He posted some cryptic tweets to keep people talking after Wrestle Kingdom and add more drama to his return there. That's the most likely scenario.

2. But if he is in fact a free agent than there probably should be a ton of mutual interest with the WWE. They would get an instant main event guy and he would get financial security for the rest of his life. This isn't a doomsday scenario. He's the same age Daniel Bryan was when he was forced to retire. How dumb would he feel if something happens to his health in the next year or so but he turned down WWE money when it was on the table. That's kind of general response to all the internet "he loves NJPW, he only cares about his in ring legacy, money's not enough etc" talk I've read the past couple days. This wouldn't be an NFL player with millions in the bank taking a home town discount. If WWE really wants him ( they're crazy if they don't) he needs to go with the highest bid.

 

[futballiscool]

Hmm. Either **** is going down or Cena is on the troll too....

 

[Duffman]

Hmm. Either **** is going down or Cena is on the troll too....

Well Cena did post a pic of AJ Styles last year before he debuted st the Rumble. Of course Omega's contract expires 1/31 so he can't show up at the RR but with Cena you never know if he's trolling or not

 

[futballiscool]

Meltzer is now saying "he's heard" Omega's under contract for another year. RR 2018 at the earliest?

 

[Ewa PGH Fan]

Meltzer is now saying "he's heard" Omega's under contract for another year. RR 2018 at the earliest?

I also saw a PWInsider.com article over the weekend about why Omega hasn't been used in ROH lately with the answer being it was a creative decision. So, he must have some type of ROH deal even if it's only part-time. I know NJPW and ROH have a working agreement and do joint shows plus exchange talent all the time. So, Omega's appearance's in ROH could just be part of that working agreement.

 

[wildturkey]

Kenny said on Meltzer's podcast this week that he is resigning with New Japan.

 

[Judge Fudge]

I Find Omega A little of a Weird Cat but a very Knowledgeable and Literate guy. You say go right. He'd say fuck you and go left.

Here are some case points

"It seems as though we're headed towards a monopoly, if I were to speak honestly. WWE is hiring people just to hire them. That's fine, and I'm happy for whoever's happy to collect a paycheck from them. A lot of my good friends are now receiving work and receiving money. But sadly, a lot of those people are signing with WWE just to ride the pine. You can't put all these guys on TV. On one end, you have these mom-and-pop indy superstars getting TV time, and people all around the world are able to see the art of what they do. And in a lot of cases, they're enjoying it, which is fantastic. I'm really happy about that," he said. "But as everyone gets picked up, as all these independent promotions have to shut down and close their doors because of WWE scooping everyone up, everyone's going to lose an option. And that guy you saw for that one tournament, you're not going to see him anymore. You can't put him on TV, there's only so much time. So eventually, people are going to run out of options."

On the WWE being a monoply

“I would rather be the legend that never stepped foot in WWE but was better than every single one of them and did something that none of those guys could do in their prime or could ever do if they left WWE and tried,” he said. “AJ is the closest guy who could do it, but I’m talking about their roster as a whole. It’s just not going to happen. That’s not just me saying that because I’m a cocky prick. That’s me saying it as a challenge because I’m pushing the barrier every single day. I’ll take all my matches against WWE’s best matches, I’ll put it up against Ring of Honor’s best matches, or whatever promotion you want, and I guarantee people will be more entertained with my matches than theirs.”

On Signing with WWE

 

[Hitman Hart]

I tried telling y'all that Omega wasn't leaving for WWE in 2017. Omega isn't a typical gaijin. As I've said before he LIVES in TOKYO ffs. Omega is rare breed in the sense that he's a gaijin that actually lives in Japan. Unlike AJ, who was constantly flying back and forth between America and Japan. He eventually got tired of it and that is why he was seeking to sign with either TNA or WWE in December of 2015. Some guys eventually want to be able to go back home. The difference is that Omega's home right now is in Japan.

Omega not going to leave until the circumstances are absolutely flawless. After watching the Royal Rumble, that time is obviously not right now. He'll eventually leave one day, but that day isn't coming anytime within the next 365 days. It always cracks me up when people who don't watch NJPW or any type of puro

He worked so many people into thinking that there was a chance he was leaving for the WWE, it was amazing to watch.

He's now shoving it into their faces:


He also retweeted this:

 

[futballiscool]

Kenny Omega hinting at going to the WWE when he most likely had a New Japan contact wasn't a great "work". Hulk Hogan could have posted a picture of his wrestling boots on Twitter last night with a tweet that he was headed to San Antonio last night and it was gotten a ton of buzz. But there would have been no point to it.

Now Omega's constant anti-WWE rhetoric and smark pandering is a fantastic work if people buy into him as some type of rebel. There's tens of thousands of people booing WWE babyfaces at their biggest shows of the year. There's money if he gets enough people into it. T shirts, New Japan world subscriptions, etc.

I'm fine with that and if he makes himself and his company money he's a great worker

That's just how I view Wrestling. Not because I'm smart or in the know. It just seems what the whole thing has always been to me. I enjoy the hell out of it.

 

[futballiscool]

Vice had a good Omega article. Worth a read. Generally Vice is doing my favorite long form wrestling articles (Shoemaker seems more focused on art direction these days). Another writer Ian Williams is particularly good.

Kenny Omega's Journey from Canadian Junior Hockey Goalie to Wrestling Superstar | VICE Sports

Meltzers quote comparing Styles and Omega isn't really fair with the difference in their schedules. Shane McMahon can jump off a 20 ft steel cage when he doesn't have to wrestle many matches. That's an extreme example but that's the same idea.