Kenny Omega Credits Surprising WWE Name For Helping Establish AEW

From day one, Kenny Omega has been one of the biggest stars in AEW. Omega was a surprise talent guest when the company announced itself during a press conference in January of 2019.

Since that point, Omega has been AEW World Champion, AEW World Tag Team Champion, AEW International Champion, and has had countless match of the year contenders against premiere level talent like Bryan Danielson, Jon Moxley, Will Ospreay, Kazuchika Okada, and many others.

In a new interview with CBS Sports, Omega said that he was close to leaving pro wrestling all together after his stint in Deep South Wrestling, the developmental territory of WWE. Omega said he was disenfranchised with the business of wrestling that time and thought his career was over when he requested his own release.

Things traveled down a very different path than that and Omega became one of wrestling's legends. In the same interview, Omega credited his work with a surprising WWE star for reigniting his passion in pro wrestling.

AJ Styles was pivotal in establishing AEW

That WWE star? AJ Styles. Omega said not only was Styles a level-up opponent for him when they wrestled on the independent circuit in Canada, but that he was a key figure in the eventual establishment of AEW.

"We had no interactions ever before, but there were moments in that match that really felt like the give and take felt so symbiotic," Omega said to CBS Sports regarding the one and only singles match Omega has had with Styles. I thought, 'Wow, this is what wrestling someone at this level feels like. I'm not embarrassing myself. Maybe I'm not exactly keeping up, but I'm not embarrassing myself. Maybe if I push myself harder, I can reach this level.'"

It was the confidence gained in that match that led Omega to continuing on as a wrestler and reaching peak heights in AEW.

"It was a situation where what AJ had and could harness was what I wanted. I wanted to see that path. I wanted to see the making of a champion and how you do it."
Kenny Omega

Omega turned heel on Styles when he kicked him out of the Bullet Club faction in New Japan Pro Wrestling in 2016. Omega credits that turn and working with Styles for the eventual creation of The Elite faction and AEW.

"AJ, having a keen sense of what's best for business, knew exactly how to go along with it," Omega said of the turn. "In a way, by his turning his back and allowing for that moment to happen, whether he knows it or not, that led to the forming of The Elite. "Ultimately, it kind of led to AEW. Him being involved in our lives is very pivotal for the company and our careers."

Currently, AJ Styles is one half of the WWE World Tag Team Champions on WWE Raw. He and Dragon Lee defeated The Judgment Day to win those titles.

As for Omega, he'll be competing at the AEW Full Gear PPV this weekend. Omega is scheduled to team with Jurassic Express to take on the team of The Young Bucks and Josh Alexander.

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