Kenny Omega Gives His WWE Dream Match
02/28/2019 03:02 pm EST
Kenny Omega shook the independent pro wrestling landscape at the start of January when he was revealed to be the newest addition to the All Elite Wrestling roster.
The move officially confirmed that the former IWGP Heavyweight Champion would not be signing with the WWE as some fans had predicted. In a recent interview with Japanese news outlet Tokyo Sports, Omega talked about his departure from New Japan as well as his decision to pick the budding promotion over Vince McMahon's well-established company.
At one point Omega was asked if he had any dream opponent from WWE he wishes he could face.
The WWE certainly has a dream match (for me)," Omega said (translated from Japanese to English). "It is AJ Styles."
Omega has plenty of history with the former WWE Champion, as he was the one who kicked Styles out of the Bullet Club faction on his final night in the company in 2016. The only recorded match the two have ever had against each other was in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada for a local independent promotion in 2006.
Omegsa went on to say he accomplished everything he wanted to do during his time in New Japan, particularly being in the main event of the Wrestle Kingdom annual event at the Tokyo Dome.
"For instance, some wrestlers say, 'I want to go to Wrestlemania.' For me, Wrestlemania was the Tokyo Dome," Omega said. "My biggest dream has already come true. Not only for myself, I want to focus on my wrestling.
"I do not imitate them [WWE stars]. I want to show my own wrestling to the world. That was (why I decided to join) AEW," he added.
In another interview with Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer, Omega said his negotiations with WWE were very positive.
"The most surprising thing to me was just how accommodating and how cool it was to discuss, you know, future with WWE," Omega said. "I didn't think they'd ever be in the running. I was like 'yeah, I'll hear you guys out' but I didn't think it'd be good because everyone was telling me, well, what to expect. I have nothing but great things to say about them."
"In the end, AEW was the best thing for me and, you know, it's the most exciting choice I've made in my career. I have it specifically written in my contract that I can go anytime I want and appear for New Japan Pro Wrestling," he added.
Omega is booked to face Chris Jericho at the Double or Nothing event on May 25 in Las Vegas.
Disclosure: ComicBook is owned by CBS Interactive, a division of Paramount. Sign up for Paramount+ by clicking here.
-
WWE Reveals Draft Pool and New Champion Rules for Raw and SmackDown
-
Tiffany Stratton Responds to Bayley's Past Praise Ahead of WWE Backlash
-
AEW Star Cash Wheeler's Trial Date Scheduled Following August 2023 Arrest
-
AEW Dynamite Preview: Kenny Omega Returns, Swerve Strickland's Next Challenger, Two Title Matches
-
WWE SmackDown Superstar Revealed as Roxanne Perez's NXT Women's Title Challenger