Apparently NJPW Learned Kenny Omega Was Leaving When The Rest Of Us Did

After his loss of the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at Wrestle Kingdom 13, the wrestling future of Kenny Omega has been uncertain. Reports emerged that he had an offer from WWE, speculation abounded that he would join his friends in All Elite Wrestling, and he, along with the rest of the Elite, didn’t appear on New Year Dash!!, NJPW’s show the day after Wrestle Kingdom.

On January 7, Tokyo Sports published an interview with Omega in which he said he was leaving NJPW and didn’t know if he would go to WWE or AEW next. However, the reasons he gave for leaving fit into his storyline feud with Hiroshi Tanahashi. Tanahashi said at an NJPW press conference later that day that he wanted another match with Omega since they’re 1-1, but didn’t know what Omega’s relationship with the company would be going forward.

NJPW has yet to comment about Omega’s departure, but Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter said on an episode of Wrestling Observer Radio that the company found out Omega was leaving from the Tokyo Sports interview along with everyone else. Meltzer believes that Omega, whose NJPW contract is up at the end of the month, is going to sign with AEW. NJPW was earlier reported to not have a relationship with AEW due to them now being a direct competitor to Ring of Honor, their biggest North American partner promotion. However, Meltzer now thinks chances are good that the companies will work together.

Although the stipulations of Chris Jericho’s contract with AEW aren’t publicly known, it’s possible a relationship between NJPW and AEW could also affect whether the Japanese promotion runs the program between Y2J and Tanahashi hinted at after Wrestle Kingdom. Jericho’s NJPW contract expired after the show, but Meltzer reports that both parties still want to work together.