Kenny Omega feels more integrated with New Japan storylines than ever despite the fact that he has not competed for that promotion in almost two years.
Before the formation of All Elite Wrestling, Kenny Omega was one of the pillars of New Japan Pro-Wrestling. His matches against Kazuchika Okada, Tetsuya Naito, and Chris Jericho further helped NJPW gain popularity in the West. His performances from 2017 and onward also helped make Kenny Omega a household name amongst wrestling fans.
Kenny would leave the promotion after Wrestle Kingdom 13, where he would lose the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship to Hiroshi Tanahashi. Since that day, many fans have been awaiting a time when AEW and NJPW would announce an official working agreement that would see talent from both promotions be able to cross over on a consistent basis.
Speaking with Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez on Wrestling Observer Radio, Kenny Omega would say that he believes there are many openings where he can fit comfortably into New Japan storylines, specifically as it pertains to his former partner, Kota Ibushi.
“As life goes on and you separate from these individuals, it's like those stories kind of get put in the back burner a little bit, but they don't really ever die out,” Kenny began. “No one I believe ever really forgets. So you have me exiting New Japan for a period of time after losing to Tanahashi. Then, you see Ibushi team up with Tanahashi. They have their storyline together and of course, then [Kota would end up] winning the G-1 for the second time in a row and just developing more into a megastar that he deserves to be. It's like even though we're not linked or connected right now in the wrestling world, there are these things that definitely add to the story, even even though they're not directly connected to one another. These are all things that could play into a series of matches, not necessarily even singles. Yeah, it could lead to that. But these are all things that work hand in hand with one another.”
Kenny continued, “But for the sake of Ibushi, it's like our life experiences, being apart from one another, all play into a larger story. I could just press the unpause button [and] It'll be interesting. Just because there's so much material to use from our careers that have existed outside and apart from one another. So, it's a shame we couldn't continue the story right away, but I just feel that, you know, I had so many memorable moments with a lot of their roster that by Ibushi having memorable moments with their roster as well, it sort of fuels future storylines if we are ever to return to it. So I never feel like we've grown too far apart or now it doesn't make sense anymore. I still feel as attached to that scene as I ever have, even though I've been gone for so long.
“I feel like it would be so easy for guys to show up here or us to show up there. There's so many common threads, Moxley's got the US title and all that. You know, Ibushi had the thing with Jay White, who is Bullet Club and I was Bullet Club and now I'm not, you know what I mean? There's so many things to play off of.”
As of now, there is no official working relationship between the promotions even though, as Kenny mentioned, Jon Moxley is the current IWGP United States Champion and other performers within AEW have traveled to New Japan in the past. Recently, Tony Khan said that he would like to develop a proper relationship with NJPW that is more of a two-way street. You can read his comments at this link.
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