Kenny Omega returned to NJPW at NJPW Power Struggle, addressing the audience and expressing his desire to compete at NJPW x AEW Wrestle Dynasty on January 5.
When Kenny got backstage, he got into an altercation with Gabe Kidd.
"When we first met, I was able to greet (Robbie) X properly. But then Gabe said something like, 'Who the hell do you think you are, thinking you want to enter this promotion when you want to?'... It's true that I'd gotten Gabe's name wrong in an interview before, and that was my fault. But then he suddenly pushed me and took a fighting stance. I immediately remembered the incident that happened in AEW. I won't say his name, but I thought that Gabe was unfit to be a professional, just like that guy. He said a lot of bad things about AEW, but that's irrelevant now. For now, I can't trust Gabe." Kenny told Tokyo Sports. "I'm not the vice president of New Japan, and I needed to protect my own safety. I had heard a lot of rumors about Gabe, so I felt it was dangerous. In the end, I was the one to make the first move, but that was to protect myself."
The "incident" in question is Kenny's involvement in the backstage altercation at AEW All Out 2022 when he and the Young Bucks (Matthew Jackson & Nicholas Jackson) got into it with CM Punk and Ace Steele.
"Of course, my desire to return on January 5th remains unchanged. I love the Japanese fans and the New Japan ring. But I don't want to fight people who aren't professionals. I don't want to waste my time. There are lots of new faces. Oiwa (Ryohei), Narita (Ren), Tsuji (Yota), Unno (Shota), Callum (Newman), anyone would be fine. What's more, I think Robbie X, who can greet people properly, unlike Gabe, would be good too," said Kenny.
Omega has been sidelined since December with diverticulitis and it is unknown when he will return to the ring.
