Kenny Omega Teases NJPW Reunion on AEW Dynamite

By Liam Crowley

All Elite Wrestling is a young promotion, but a number of its storylines harken back to deep-rooted history from across the professional wrestling landscape. At AEW's inaugural event, AEW Double or Nothing 2019, two of the top-billed matches in Cody vs. Dustin Rhodes and Kenny Omega vs. Chris Jericho utilized each feud's storied past in WWE and NJPW, respectively. Omega's reunion with the Young Bucks and the Good Brothers had direct references to the five men's time together in Bullet Club. Even recently, Jake Hager's efforts to recruit Claudio Castagnoli to the Jericho Appreciation Society teased a Real Americans reunion.

While Castagnoli has successfully avoided linking up with the JAS, the reunion teases of another famed tag team continued on Wednesday's AEW Dynamite. During their falls count anywhere match with Death Triangle, Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks wrestled in proper street fight attire, donning cut-off tees and jeans. Omega's shirt was especially notable, as it featured a white and blue image of Kota Ibushi.

Omega and Ibushi first began tagging together in 2009, forming the Golden Lovers in DDT Pro-Wrestling. The two would eventually team together in NJPW, where they found success as IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions in 2010. Both men would pursue singles gold in New Japan, but always remained friendly with one another. During the Bullet Club civil war in 2018, Ibushi came to Omega's aid, helping him in his fight against his stablemates. The Golden Lovers battled the Young Bucks in a critically-acclaimed contest during that storyline.

It's worth nothing that the shirt that Omega wore on AEW Dynamite is the same shirt he donned when he pitched Ibushi their now-iconic Golden Trigger double knee strike finishing move.

While Ibushi has yet to wrestle for AEW, his presence has been felt in a number of matches. During his final entrance as AEW World Champion ahead of his defense against Hangman Page at AEW Full Gear 2021, Omega paused to look at a fan-made sign that read, "What would Kota think?" This was at the climax of Omega's heel persona, where he spoke arrogantly and often cheated to win matches. When they tagged together, Omega and Ibushi were regularly fan favorites. 

aew-full-gear-kenny-omega-kota
(Photo: AEW Full Gear)

Most recently, Omega was heard mockingly shouting at an AEW Dark singles opponent, "You're not Ibushi! You're not Ospreay!"

Ibushi's NJPW contract expires next month. He has been out of action since October 2021, when he suffered a shoulder injury in a match with Kazuchika Okada. The former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion had a strained relationship with New Japan in the past, but its unclear as to if he plans on leaving or not.

Stay tuned to ComicBook.com for updates on Kota Ibushi's professional wrestling status.

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