AEW star Kenny Omega has been out of in-ring action since last December when he suffered an unfortunate life-threatening case of diverticulitis. The former AEW World Champion has gone on record to state that if he would’ve put off his diagnosis any longer, he could have died. Fortunately he has gotten his health under control and he recently underwent surgery that removed over 20 centimeters of his colon, according to Michael Nakazawa. Omega has been pretty quiet about his recovery timeline, so its remained unclear when — or if — he will be cleared to compete again.
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Recently, his close pal Kota Ibushi has given fans a glimpse into Omega’s recovery, sharing various photos with the wrestling legend. Just this week he uploaded a photo of the two of them sparring in the ring and Omega appeared to be in great shape. This evening, New Japan Pro Wrestling set the internet ablaze with a short video of Omega reuniting with Japanese wrestling legend and NJPW President Hiroshi Tanahashi.
Tana recalls their last face-to-face in the Tokyo Dome back in 2019, main-eventing that year’s Wrestle Kingdom event. He defeated Omega to win the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, Omega’s final match in New Japan as he’d join the Young Bucks, Cody Rhodes and “Hangman” Adam Page to officially form AEW.
Omega has had a few appearances in Japan since, making his official return last Wrestle Kingdom to go up against NJPW’s golden boy Will Ospreay. In that match, Omega humbled Ospreay and took back the IWGP United States Championship which Ospreay won back at Forbidden Door. “We wrestled in the main event in the Tokyo Dome in 2019. That match and what came out of it, it was a unique situation. So I think everyone is curious as to how we’ve been,” Tanahashi says in a voiceover as clips of Omega in a suit and shades flash across the screen. “I’ve got a lot of mixed emotions but I’m curious too. Excited to see him.”
The hashtags in the post indicate that something may go down between the two rivals at the Wrestle Dynasty pay-per-view, bringing stars from NJPW, AEW, ROH and STARDOM together for the very first time. Even if Omega has yet to be cleared, it seems like a clear sign that they’re expecting him to be able to compete come January. The huge event takes place just one day after Wrestle Kingdom 19.
What are your thoughts on Kenny Omega and Hiroshi Tanahashi rekindling their rivalry? Let me know your thoughts on X and Bluesky @haleyanne_! As always, stay tuned to ComicBook for updates on AEW and NJPW.
