Former AEW World Champion Kenny Omega spent much of 2022 on the shelf after suffering a multitude of injuries including his knees, shoulders, abdomen, and a hernia. He underwent surgery following his title match with Hangman Adam Page at AEW Full Gear 2021 and returned to AEW just under a year later. Now it seems that the decorated wrestler is suffering from an injury once again.
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Omega took to his social media accounts to post a photo of himself in the hospital. “I can’t really sugar coat this. I’m out indefinitely. I tried to keep pushing past the pain for as long as I could until it became too much,” Omega wrote. “Luckily doctors caught me when they did. I’ll be here so in the mean time, please enjoy wrestling!” Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful is reporting that Omega had fallen ill over the last week, even ahead of his match with Ethan Page. After finishing his scheduled appearances on AEW television this week, Omega was hospitalized and diagnosed with diverticulitis.
Before his return last year Omega stated on Twitch with CEOGaming that if he has another major setback, he would be done. “If I get another major setback, that’s it … I’m done, because I can’t do this ever again. Two times, three times a day, really painful rehab … What’s it going to be like when I get back in the ring? I have no idea. Scary, actually.”
Before being sidelined with this injury, Omega was part of a storyline with Chris Jericho as The Golden Jets. The two former champions defeated the Young Bucks at Full Gear to earn a future tag team championship opportunity. Omega recently faced Ethan Page on AEW Collision in Canada. It’s no surprise that Omega has slowed down on his bigger matches since returning, only participating in 11 total singles matches this year. The Young Bucks and Page are currently off television for storyline purposes, but with this injury it marks one of the only times all members of The Elite have been off television at once.
In an interview with Comicbook.com earlier this year to promote Like a Dragon: Ishin, Omega gave an update on his health following WrestleKingdom and the big Best of Seven series against Death Triangle. “I would say before the Best of Seven series and the Tokyo Dome I was feeling pretty good. And after completing the Best of Seven Series, which culminated in a Ladder Match, and barely being removed from the match that I did with Will Ospreay at Wrestle Kingdom, it was kind of a slap in the face from reality being like, ‘Hey, don’t go thinking you’re 100% again. We just let you think that for a couple of weeks (laughs). This is your new 100% so get used to it, kid.’ That was the crashing back down to reality moment for me,” Omega said. “Like, okay, I did it. I survived. I’m really proud of this work, but oh boy, it’s going to take a while to recover. It wasn’t like a ‘give me a 24-hour’ kind of thing. It’s been over a week and I’m still feeling it.”
We’ll keep you updated on Omega’s condition following his announcement as news continues to develop.
