Former AEW World Champion Reportedly Returning From Injury Soon
Former AEW World Champion Kenny Omega has been out of action since dropping the title to Hangman Page at the 2021 Full Gear pay-per-view last November. He left AEW TV shortly after that in order to undergo surgery on a number of nagging injuries, and while his initial return timetable was set for early in the year there's still been no sign of him. But new reports seem to indicate he could be back in time for All Out pay-per-view on Sept. 4 at the NOW Arena outside of Chicago.
The Young Bucks dropped the AEW World Tag Team Championships on last week's episode of AEW Dynamite, which led to many fans wondering why the company didn't pull the trigger on a third Bucks vs. FTR match given how many championships would've been on the line. Dave Meltzer noted on Wrestling Observer Radion that it was because Matt and Nick Jackson were setting up for a big angle, and Fightful Select's Sean Ross Sapp is now reporting the rumor is a six-man tag team match at All Out that would mark Omega's return. Sapp said he has yet to confirm it with AEW officials and pointed out there have been many changes surrounding AEW's tag team division ever since Jeff Hardy was arrested for DUI.
"AEW, nor Kenny Omega have confirmed this news, and we do not have a specific return date in order. Thus far, this is all based on what talent and staff have been told," Sapp wrote.
Omega previously told Sapp in an interview that he tried and failed to recover quickly enough to be at AEW's first crossover event with New Japan Pro-Wrestling, Forbidden Door, last month. He also noted on a recent Twitch stream that he'll stop wrestling if he gets hit with another major injury.
"Look, I... if I get another major setback, that's it. I'm done. Because I can't do this ever again. It's like two times, three times a day, really painful rehab. And without even knowing what's it going to be like once I get back in the ring. I have no clue. It's scary actually," Omega said.
Tony Khan has stated publicly that he's waiting for Omega to return in order to debut the AEW World Six-Man Tag Team Championships. Stay tuned for more updates on the entire situation as they become available.