For Kyle O'Reilly, being able to wrestle again is a victory.
Kyle O'Reilly was out of action for nearly two years, as he had been sidelined since June 2022 due to a neck injury. He was recovering from neck surgery, and he dealt with complications after the procedure. O'Reilly made his surprise return at AEW Revolution, and he is set to wrestle for the first time since June 2022 when he faces Bryan Keith on the March 16 episode of AEW Collision.
In a digital exclusive, Kyle O'Reilly discussed his time away from the ring and his looming return.
"I had neck surgery. I was expecting that, but I wasn’t expecting to have a seriously rare complication, where I would wake up in the hospital bed and no longer have the use of my right arm. No, I didn’t really bank on that one. I’ve been thrown so many curveballs in life. I feel like every single moment you spend in this business is one unexpected curveball thrown your way. We learn how to deal with those, we learn how to hit a home run every single time we step up to bat. Then what happens when you don’t really get a chance to step up to bat? So that’s kind of where my mind has been for the last two years. I don’t know. I really didn’t know if I was gonna wrestle again. For a long while, I was pretty damn sure that in June 2022, my match with Jon Moxley was the last match of my career, and I was okay with that. I really was. If I could just get my arm back and I can brush my teeth again, I can wipe my ass like a normal human again, and u can take care of my daughter and be a father, that’s really all that I was focused on. That’s all that mattered. It took a long time to get any of that back. I couldn’t move my arm for damn near ten months. But I just had a lot of support, man. So many of the boys reached out. So many fans wishing me well and hoping to see me wrestle again. The fact that one person, anyone in the world wanted to see Kyle O’Reilly in the ring again, one person that gave a damn about me, that was enough motivation that I would ever need, in this lifetime or the next. I’m a kid that had type one diabetes that’s from Canada that was told he could never pursue a career in wrestling, and somehow was able to. So I have that with me, that shred of confidence. I know I’m a good wrestler, I know I’m a damn good wrestler. I know I’m technically proficient. I know deep down, I can still go, in my mind. If the body can hold up, that remains to be seen. We’ll have to see. We’ll have to see what happens when that first crack on the mat and my body hits, and all the air just shoots out of your lungs, how I’ll be able to recover," O'Reilly said.
O'Reilly then made it clear that he was looking forward to facing Bryan Keith, and he thinks "The Bounty Hunter" is a good opponent to test himself against. He stated that even if he never wins another match, being able to wrestle again is a victory.
"I’m very excited to wrestle Bryan Keith. I’m very impressed by him. I think he’s a fantastic wrestler, and he’s a good opponent to really try and see if I still have that beast in me. Because I know he’s not gonna pull any punches. He’s not gonna take it easy on me. He’s gonna test me. He’s hungry. He’s hungry like I was. He’s trying to prove that he belongs here too, so who am I to say that he doesn’t? That’s exactly why he’s the perfect opponent for me. What better way to test your mettle, against one of the best? Out of the frying pan and into the fire, as they say. I appreciate you all so much, from the bottom of my heart, and the fact that I just get to be here and throw on some tights and go out in front of the crowd again, even if I never win another match as long as I live, that is a victory," O'Reilly said.
EXCLUSIVE: @KORCombat opens up about his journey to recovery, and how he's feeling on the eve of his first match back in two years, against Bryan Keith on #AEWCollision tomorrow night at 8/7c live on @tntdrama pic.twitter.com/2pXDojRo2S
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) March 15, 2024
Fightful Select reported more information about Kyle O'Reilly's return.
Fightful will have live coverage of AEW Collision as it airs on March 16.
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