Kenny Omega is returning to New Japan Pro Wrestling, which is something few fans ever expected to see again after his 2019 exit. Having since helped to form All Elite Wrestling, Omega has carved out a new path in professional wrestling, becoming a star in North America after being one of the biggest names in Japan for years. However, his reasons for leaving NJPW were never clear – until now.
Kenny Omega Knew It Was Time To Disappear After Fans No Longer Saw Him As The Hero
While speaking with NJPW1972 ahead of his return to the company on January 4th, Omega would have a chance to reflect on his match with Hiroshi Tanahashi from 2019 – and how he felt afterwards.
“It was hard for me to look at myself in the mirror after Wrestle Kingdom 13, after making this company worldwide, really bringing it to the forefront, and not recognizing who was looking back.
Here I was thinking that I was the hero. I was the one who saved this company, I was the one who was going to take us to the promised land. I was going to main event in Madison Square Garden and show everyone in the world, the magic, the prestige, of Strong Style pro-wrestling.
It wasn’t meant to be, was it? And I think the part that hurt the most was that after I lost, I could see tears in the eyes of everyone in attendance. And I thought, ‘I know how you feel. This hurts for me too, this is painful’. But when I looked hard, they were tears of joy. They were happy to see me lose. They were happy to see the belt move on to Tanahashi.
That’s when I realized that they didn’t really understand the vision. Maybe they just weren’t ready. So I thought ‘yeah. Now is a good time to disappear. Now is a good time for this company to know the true meaning of loss’.“
A Major Move To Re-Capture Lapsed Fans
The return of Omega to NJPW combined with rumours of Sasha Banks making an appearance has reinvigorated western interest in the company ahead of their latest January 4th Tokyo Dome event. NJPW has experienced a clear dip in popularity over the last few years, with the COVID-19 pandemic not being kind to the promotion.
They’ve only just been able to allow fans to cheer again at their events due to restrictions put in place by the Japanese government. This began with limited capacity shows, but new rules will allow fans to express their excitement vocally in the Tokyo Dome, with an expected turnout around 30,000 fans.
Kenny Omega will be in one of the main event matches of Wrestle Kingdom 17, facing Will Ospreay for the IWGP United States Championship. Will you be watching Kenny Omega’s return to NJPW? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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