Rocky Romero details how Kenny Omega helped bring AEW and New Japan Pro Wrestling together.
After Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks left New Japan to join a startup AEW, their relationship with their former employer became somewhat frayed. Over time, however, the ice has started to melt and the two promotions have started doing more and more work together; whether it be Chris Jericho, Jon Moxley, or Lance Archer performing for NJPW or Minoru Suzuki, Tomohiro Ishii, and KENTA appearing on AEW TV.
Appearing on The Battleground Podcast, Rocky Romero explained how Kenny Omega reaching out to New Japan Pro Wrestling was a big step in the right direction and helped facilitate the companies working together. Here are his full remarks:
"Well, Tony's [Khan] always been cool. He's always, I feel, been open to the idea, right? Then you have Jericho, who is somebody who's always wanted to make it happen ever since he went over to New Japan to wrestle Tanahashi. That was kind of the beginning of it; Tony giving the okay to bring the AEW belt. That was a thing. So, it kind of started with Jericho. Obviously, Moxley being a guy who's important to both companies and Moxley always wanting to do something and kind of being that main focal point because he wasn't mixed up into the drama of what was going on between AEW and New Japan and wrestlers. Then, the third big component I feel like, besides Tony, was obviously Kenny. Kenny being a part of it. Kenny was one of the ones who reached out first and just said, 'Hey, I know Moxley and KENTA have this thing,' and obviously he had a big rivalry with Moxley as well, so Moxley being the focal point. Kenny and New Japan had their issues as he left New Japan to join AEW, so that was a big step in the right direction. Obviously, Kenny is incredible at what he does. Literally one of the best. He's a true pro and to see the grand picture, he was the one who helped facilitate that amongst, at least the EVP's."
Romero competed against Danielson last week on AEW Dynamite. He was also involved in a pre-show segment, extending an invitation to Orange Cassidy and Best Friends to join New Japan's CHAOS faction.
If you use the quote above, please credit the original source with a h/t and link back to Fightful for the transcription.
