The former IWGP Heavyweight champion is arguably one of the biggest professional wrestlers on the planet today. Kenny Omega’s fame has skyrocketed throughout the years thanks to his involvement with The Bullet Club and his fantastic matches against Kazuchika Okada.
Of course, every wrestler has a beginning and Omega’s start was down in Deep South Wrestling, WWE's developmental brand at the time. Omega spent a year in DSW before moving on to various Independent promotions due to being unhappy during his time in the developmental brand.
‘The Cleaner’ spoke to The Warmup about his time in DSW, and while Omega is appreciative of his time in WWE’s developmental system, he felt that the company was holding back his potential:
"I was in their developmental system. They develop you to be a star on their television show when they feel like you're ready or they have a spot for you," said Omega.
"I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. I appreciated the opportunity and I learned a lot but I felt going into the system and being nobody and them not knowing my limitations or potential, I really want to prove to them that I could be more to them and the business than what they thought of me. So I decided to leave WWE and started my journey to Japan."
Omega also talked about how the professional wrestling landscape has changed. Promotions such as New Japan Pro-Wrestling and Ring of Honor have had the fans and media buzzing in recent years, and according to Omega, being in the WWE is no longer the end-all, be-all of wrestling:
"When I made the decision to leave WWE, I was still young and foolish and money didn't mean anything to me. I had parents who were supportive of my career and I was able to live at home for free. No one really understands that there are other options and there is more to wrestling than WWE," stated Omega.
"You can make a living and a difference and be regarded as one of the best on the planet but not stepping foot in WWE. When I decided to venture into Japan, it wasn't really possible. Things have changed so much where other promotions and wrestlers are making headlines across the world. The landscape and culture is very different. The general image of WWE being end-all, be-all is no longer a thing. It's still the largest company in the world but does that mean it has the best programming, matches or competitors? Probably not. That's what makes it fun to be a wrestling fan right now."
Listen to the full interview
here.