Kenny Omega is coming back to AEW!
The former AEW World Champion’s first match is scheduled to be on January 5th at the Wrestle Dynasty show against Gabe Kidd. However, it was noticeable that AEW has been pretty quiet over Omega’s return despite Wrestle Dynasty being a joint pay-per-view between New Japan and AEW. Tony Khan fixed that tonight as a video package for Kenny Omega’s return fired up during Dynamite.
The package never gives a date on when the 41-year-old will return, but it’s very encouraging that AEW is firing up these videos hyping up Omega’s return to AEW. His last match in AEW was on December 5, 2023 against Ethan Page. Omega made an appearance back in March and he was kicked out of the Elite.
There’s been reports that claim Tony Khan plans to do another Kenny Omega vs. Okada match first. It’s not clear on whether the match will be for a title, but there is a motive on why Omega would face Okada. That’s because The Continental Champion was one of the men who attacked Omega back in March. At the moment, the report never confirmed that Okada would be Omega’s first opponent back in All Elite Wrestling, though Dave Meltzer did reveal in August that Omega/Okada is Kenny’s comeback match (Transcript courtesy of tjrwrestling):
“[Kota Ibushi’s] coming back to AEW – basically, when Kenny Omega’s returning, he’s returning. He’s under contract and everything like that. He basically said he’s under contract there and he’s waiting for Omega to return for him to return. I don’t know when – I don’t know if there’s even a date for when Omega will return.
Put it this way, I don’t think it’s so far away as before when I would talk about it like I didn’t want to think about it, it’s a long way away. He’s getting better, I know that. I looked up the surgery that he had and usually for a wrestler it’s like a 4 month recovery, a lot of wrestlers push it and probably come back quicker.
That would be September but he didn’t just have the hernia problem, he had a lot of different problems. But like I said, he is coming back, that’s pretty much the word and I don’t think it’s months and months away. […] He has not told me anything but the vibe I have is that it’ll be before the end of the year. Obviously when he’s back and as soon as he feels ready they’re gonna go to the Okada thing.”
The landscape has changed so much since “The Cleaner” disappeared. And it should be exciting to see Omega mix it up with guys like Ricochet, Shelton Benjamin, and Bobby Lashley. Omega and Ricochet previously fought in Pro-Wrestling Guerilla in 2014, so there’s history between the two. However, Omega has never stepped into the ring with either Benjamin or Lashley. Either way, 2025 should be an exciting year for AEW now that Omega is returning.