Questions persist about what’s next for Kenny Omega, who’s on a wrestling break, which has unexpectedly been advantageous for the one-time AEW World Champion.
Omega has been out of the fight environ due to his struggle with diverticulitis and has not participated in any match in 2024. His involvement with AEW has been minimal with only a few appearances.
In a recent talk with NJPW1972.com, Omega reflected on his leave from wrestling and the unexpected benefits of being away from the ring. He put forth,
“Knowing just the weight that was on my shoulders of being the position that I was in for that company [AEW], here we had someone [Okada] that took everything out of me, everything, it took every ounce of my being to finally defeat for a major belt in this company, and he’s coming here 100%, with only the wrestling to have to worry about. I looked at that man as a monster, and I can’t lie, I was scared. I can’t face this guy like current Kenny Omega.”
“So maybe by the Young Bucks putting me out and allowing me to step back and refocus on bringing myself back as the wrestler that I know that I can be, taking the mental burden away from being an EVP, just for a little bit, to focus on what is it that I have to do to get back to that level, I feel like the ghost of my past and the skeletons in my closet have all followed me back to this stage, and although getting sick in the way that I did set I’m back almost a year now, it’s almost a blessing in disguise because it really allows you to assess things in a different way, and it allows you to prioritize the things you should be prioritizing, and I feel that when I do come back, I can come back with a clear head space and possibly be a top-flight performer again.”
Omega’s return to NJPW Power Struggle 2024 was recently announced. You can click here to learn more about his function in the show.