Kenny Omega

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe and All Elite Wrestling.

Big E Talks Potential WrestleMania Match vs. Tyson Fury

WWE champion Big E is open to a massive crossover match at WrestleMania against one of the top boxers in the world.

In an interview with Gary Stonehouse of The Sun, Big E suggested the possibility of locking horns with Tyson Fury on The Grandest Stage of Them All:

Tyson Fury is arguably the best boxer on the planet. Some say Canelo [Alvarez], but Fury is a mega-star and a fan of what we do. He's dipped into it and he's a guy who understands entertainment. I can't say there's a better choice than Tyson Fury. I think Tyson Fury would be a lot of fun.

That's what we do at WrestleMania. It's about theatrics, entertainment, and being larger than life. So, if we are going to do it, that would be the place to do it. So I am open to a Tyson Fury WrestleMania match. As absurd as it may be to some, it would be a lot of fun.

In addition to being an undefeated heavyweight champion coming off a knockout win over Deontay Wilder in October, Fury has some WWE experience.

In 2019, Fury entered into a short-term feud with Braun Strowman and beat him by count-out at Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia. He later joined forces with Strowman on an episode of SmackDown in England to take down The B-Team.

Fury's size, athleticism and charisma make him an ideal fit for professional wrestling, and it seems possible he will return to WWE at some point.

Earlier this year, Fury divulged he was supposed to have a match against Drew McIntyre at a pay-per-view in the United Kingdom in 2020, but it was called off due to COVID-19.

An eventual match against McIntyre could still be on the table, but facing Big E for the WWE title at WrestleMania 38 in Arlington, Texas, next year would be a huge deal, and it may be realistic since there is no clear opponent for Big E right now.

WWE Reportedly Changed Plans for Lesnar

After being off television since the Oct. 29 episode of SmackDown due to a storyline suspension, Brock Lesnar is set return Friday night.

According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Subhojeet Mukherjee of Ringside News), the original plan called for Lesnar to return on the Dec. 10 episode of SmackDown in Los Angeles. The angle would have seen Lesnar appear while still suspended by buying a ticket.

Instead, Lesnar will appear on Friday's SmackDown in San Antonio after last week's SmackDown focused on Kayla Braxton getting confirmation of The Beast Incarnate's return.

Lesnar was given a storyline suspension after attacking referees and WWE official Adam Pearce on SmackDown the night after losing a Universal Championship match against Roman Reigns at WWE Crown Jewel.

That match ended in controversial fashion, as Paul Heyman threw the title belt in between Reigns and Lesnar, leading to questions about who Heyman is actually supporting.

Lesnar figures to continue his rivalry with Reigns on Friday night, which could lead to a rematch between them either at the Day 1 pay-per-view on Jan. 1 or at the Royal Rumble in late January.

Lesnar has long been one of WWE's biggest stars and draws, and with him being involved with WWE's biggest full-time star in Reigns, Friday's SmackDown looks like a can't-miss affair.

Major AEW Contracts Reportedly Expiring Soon

Some big names in AEW reportedly could see their contracts expire soon.

According to Meltzer (h/t Mukherjee), many of the wrestlers who have been signed with AEW from the start have contracts that run through Dec. 31, 2021, although the deals include two option years as well.

That means AEW President Tony Khan can exercise the options, which would take the contracts through Dec. 31, 2023.

Meltzer noted that Kenny Omega, Chris Jericho, Cody Rhodes, Brandi Rhodes and AEW World champion "Hangman" Adam Page are among those who fit into that particular category.

The Young Bucks also would have been part of that group, but Meltzer reported that Khan already picked up the two option years in their contract.

While it is possible some of the AEW wrestlers with expiring contracts could become free agents at the end of the year, Meltzer wrote that he "would expect" all of their options to be picked up.

Omega, Cody and Brandi are all AEW executives in addition to on-screen performers, while Jericho and Page are two of the company's biggest stars, so it would be surprising if any of them are let go.

AEW may need to be more selective with who it re-signs, though, as its roster has grown significantly over the past year because of some of the released WWE Superstars it has signed.

That means there could be some turnover in the middle and lower parts of the roster, but the top-tier performers don't figure to be going anywhere for quite some time.

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Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe and All Elite Wrestling.

Angle Calls Styles, Omega 'A Step Above'

WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle is widely considered to be one of the greatest in-ring workers of all time, so his opinion on the best wrestlers of today carries a great deal of weight.

During a recent appearance on Talk is Jericho with AEW star Chris Jericho (h/t Subhojeet Mukherjee of Ringside News), Angle gave WWE Superstar AJ Styles and AEW's Kenny Omega his stamp of approval as the top active wrestlers: "Another wrestler that reminds me of AJ is Kenny Omega. Very much so. These guys are a step above everybody. For whatever reason. I don't know what it is, but they have the it factor. These guys put on tremendous matches."

Angle has firsthand knowledge of how good Styles is, as they did battle many times during their years together in TNA/Impact Wrestling.

During Angle's retirement run in WWE in 2019, he also faced Styles on an episode of SmackDown, with Styles coming out on top by disqualification due to interference from Randy Orton.

Angle and Omega have never crossed paths since they always found themselves in different promotions, but the Olympic gold medalist has clearly kept tabs on him and been impressed from afar.

Both Styles and Omega have thrived essentially everywhere they have gone in their careers. Styles has held world titles in WWE, TNA and New Japan Pro-Wrestling, while Omega has been a world champ in AEW, New Japan, AAA and PWG.

The 44-year-old Styles has been in a tag team with Omos for the past several months, but he could go off on his own and get back in world title contention at any time.

Meanwhile, the 38-year-old Omega just had a nearly yearlong run as AEW world champion come to an end when he dropped the title to "Hangman" Adam Page at Full Gear. Now, Omega is poised to take some time off in order to nurse some injuries he has been dealing with.

Both Styles and Omega have been considered among the best in the world by fans for years, and Angle's comments only solidify the fact that they are elite performers.

Gargano Reportedly Weighing Contract Options

With his WWE contract reportedly nearing its end, Johnny Gargano is weighing his options for the next step in his wrestling career.

According to Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio (h/t H Jenkins of Ringside News), Gargano is "exploring all options" and has yet to sign a long-term extension with WWE.

Meltzer also confirmed reports that Gargano signed a one-week extension with WWE through Dec. 10 to ensure he will be able to compete at NXT WarGames, where he will team with Tommaso Ciampa, Pete Dunne and L.A. Knight against Bron Breakker, Carmelo Hayes, Tony D'Angelo and Grayson Waller in a WarGames match.

Additionally, Meltzer reported that it is not "100 percent" that Gargano is leaving WWE.

The 34-year-old Gargano has been with WWE since 2015, and he has established himself as the heart and soul of WWE during that time, holding the NXT, North American and NXT Tag Team Championships.

NXT has undergone a transformation in recent months, however, placing more focus on younger and less-experienced talent.

Gargano has still been a central part of storylines, however, along with other veterans like Ciampa, Dunne and Knight.

WWE's apparent attempts to sign Gargano to a long-term contract seem to suggest they still have plans to utilize him in NXT or even call him up to the main roster.

While Adam Cole chose AEW over WWE in a similar scenario, he also had many ties to AEW, including his girlfriend, Britt Baker, and close friends like The Young Bucks.

Gargano's wife, Candice LeRae, remains under a WWE contract, so it is possible his ties to WWE and NXT could result in him staying put.

Young Bucks Reportedly Sign New AEW Contracts

The Young Bucks reportedly signed new contracts with AEW recently that will keep them in the company for a long time to come.

According to Meltzer (h/t WrestlingInc.com's Marc Middleton), Matt and Nick Jackson signed deals that run through 2026.

In addition to being top stars in AEW, The Young Bucks are executive vice presidents, so it comes as little surprise that they are committed to the promotion for the long haul.

The Young Bucks have been positioned as a top tag team over the past two years, and they held the AEW World Tag Team Championships for a record 302 days before dropping them to The Lucha Brothers at All Out in September.

Most recently, The Bucks teamed with Cole in a losing effort against Christian Cage and Jurassic Express at Full Gear.

It seems as though The Young Bucks will be a huge part of AEW programming moving forward, as Omega is taking time off, leaving them and Cole to represent The Elite.

Subtle hints of an eventual Cole vs. Omega feud have been dropped for when Omega returns, and at that point The Young Bucks will likely have to pick a side.

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Wrestling fans often can't see the forest for the trees. We get so wrapped up in the usual debates about which company is better or whose favorite star has had the stronger year. As such, many viewers miss the moments that are playing out right in front of us.

It wouldn't be a stretch to say history will be much kinder to certain performers and landmark moments. To that point, Kenny Omega's run this year will go down as one of many defining facets of 2021 for All Elite Wrestling.

Last Saturday night, The Best Bout Machine wrapped up a phenomenal reign with the AEW World Championship at Full Gear. The longest-reigning champion in the title's two-year history undeniably added more prestige to the mantle as the first traveling flag bearer to introduce the belt to new audiences.

Even more, his bid to collect championship gold made him a dominant force in the industry, holding three world titles simultaneously at the height of his success.

Omega can be divisive among mainstream fans due to his kitsch character work and infamous soundbites. Still, it's hard to deny that the sheer optic of him draped in four belts was impressive. More importantly, he delivered several top-quality defenses on three different fronts true to his namesake.

Heavy is the Head that Wears the Crown

This feat seems even more awe-inspiring given the news that the 38-year-old has been dealing with several nagging injuries. According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, "Omega has been suffering from injuries to his shoulder, knee, an abdominal hernia, and more."

Meltzer also confirmed that The Cleaner will take some time off to undergo surgery and recuperate. It's unclear how long he will be off television for, but the report suggested, "February is possible although that timeframe might be a bit premature."

The Canadian is not the first wrestler to work under these circumstances and certainly won't be the last. However, competing at such a high level for such a long time with this many injuries is amazing in retrospect.

During a clip of a chiropractic session ahead of his highly anticipated match with "Hangman" Adam Page, the former AEW world champion also revealed he has endured bouts with vertigo since 2018:

"Yeah, it's been an issue since 2018. I just get really bad vertigo. I get dizzy in the ring. I can't—the room spins. It's been a new skill I've had to inherit is wrestling in a spinning ring. So to make sure I get that straightened out as much as I can, as often as I can is really paramount for my performances.

"Yeah, there's a myriad of issues with professional wrestling and you can work as safely as you can, But you can't avoid everything. There's always something that could go wrong."

To put this in perspective, this debilitating sensation would limit an average person's ability to travel and work a nine-to-five job. This makes getting in the ring and functioning throughout Omega's strenuous schedule in 2021 seem unbelievable.

Astonishingly, no one had reported this considering how much he has done over the last year with both New Japan Pro-Wrestling and AEW.

A Labored Sprint To The Finish Line

Full Gear is the highlight of Page's career. It was also a crowning achievement for AEW as it closed out its longest ongoing storyline to date, but it wouldn't have felt as significant if Omega didn't have such a magnificent year.

The company's commentator, Jim Ross, put it perfectly on his Grilling JR Podcast:

"Adam had the night that he needed, the performance more specifically that he needed. Give a lot of credit to Kenny Omega. Omega's body is battered, he's got bad shoulders. I don't know what he's going to do if I were him and I'm sure Tony Khan is feeling somewhat the same way, you've got to get the guys some rest, he's got to heal a bit.

"Quite frankly that's not a bad thing because he lost the title, now he can not go invisible but be less prominent on the shows as a wrestler and more as a personality until he's more healthy. Kenny Omega deserves a hell of a lot of credit for making that match with Adam as good as it was. I think Kenny just elevated [Page], he made sure the transition from himself to Hangman Page was spot on and it was. I really enjoyed their outing."

These two stars have been on the same path since AEW launched in 2019. Although Page vowed to be its inaugural world champion, anyone with even passing knowledge of the standard Omega set in Japan expected him to claim the distinction instead. After all, Hangman was a relative newcomer for many mainstream fans who didn't watch Ring of Honor or NJPW.

Those same viewers probably didn't know much about The Best Bout Machine, either, but his reputation for producing acclaimed matches preceded him. Even though he appeared to be a favorite to carry AEW's top prize, it took Omega a year and a little help from Don Callis to secure it.

He and Page fittingly teamed up to win the tag titles before that because they both fell short of their initial goals. The unlikely pairing had a successful stint as fighting champions. Many consider their defense against The Young Bucks at Revolution to be one of the best tag team matches of the past decade.

After they lost to FTR at All Out, Omega went off to fulfill his destiny but a showdown with Page was all but preordained by then. Their trajectories led to the same place and it's abundantly clear it was important for The Belt Collector to finish this story before he took some time off.

We can talk about how great Omega is in the squared circle or analyze how much Impact Wrestling benefited from his appearances. With the recent news in mind, we can even expound on what his hard work and perseverance mean to the legacy of the AEW World Championship. However, it's difficult to debate how giving the No. 1-ranked wrestler in the world turned out to be beneath his over-the-top persona.

The renowned star from Winnipeg lent his reputation to AEW, and that's a large part of the reason why the company is home to high-quality pro wrestling. After all, Bryan Danielson came looking for a challenge after he left WWE because of what Omega represents.

His 346-day reign came to an end two weeks short of a year, but his parting gift—his final title defense in the main event of Full Gear—minted Page as a top star. The sacrifice it took to carry the flag for that long and the magnanimity Omega showcased as he gave the next guy up his moment is the mark of a great champion.

Kenny Omega is reportedly set to undergo multiple surgeries after dropping the AEW World Championship to "Hangman" Adam Page on Saturday.

On Thursday's edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer ran down some of the ailments Omega has been dealing with recently (beginning at the 30-second mark):

Meltzer said Omega has been working through knee, shoulder and abdominal injuries, as well as a hernia. Omega also recently said he has dealt with a case of vertigo since 2018.

Meltzer noted that Omega will "most likely" undergo multiple surgeries, although it isn't clear precisely what surgeries he will get or when he will get them.

Meltzer also reported that while February has been mentioned as a possible return date for Omega, nothing is "set in stone."

Omega set the stage for an extended period of leave on Wednesday's episode of Dynamite. In a backstage segment with fellow Elite members The Young Bucks and Adam Cole, Omega said he needed to go away and asked The Bucks to hold down the fort.

AEW teased some tension between Omega and Cole during the segment, as Cole thought Omega was addressing him only for Omega to say he was referring to The Young Bucks instead.

The 38-year-old Omega won the AEW World Championship by beating Jon Moxley in December 2020 and held it for 346 days before dropping it to Page, giving him the record for the longest AEW World title reign.

Omega also held the Impact Wrestling World Championship and is the reigning AAA Mega champion, all of which contributed to Pro Wrestling Illustrated naming him the top wrestler of the year for 2021.

While Omega is widely regarded as one of the best in-ring workers in the world and is one of AEW's top stars, the company has enough to get by without him for the time being thanks to the emergence of Page and the recent arrival of Cole, CM Punk and Bryan Danielson.

Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from WWE and All Elite Wrestling. 

Kenny Omega Dealing With Shoulder Injury

Kenny Omega may be headed for some well-deserved time off. Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Radio reported Omega worked his Full Gear main event with Hangman Page with an injured shoulder.

"I don’t know if he has no strength (in his shoulders), but he can’t lift heavy weights with them. I don’t even know if he can lift with them," Meltzer said (via Fightful). "The last time we were talking about it, he said he was able to lift the bar. So it’s 45 pounds. … He’s told me, ‘I can work a match without my shoulders.’"

Omega has managed to continue putting on brilliant matches despite the injury, with Saturday's main event against Page arguably serving as the match of the year.

That said, if he needs to take some time off, there's a ready-made storyline seemingly already in the works. The Young Bucks came down to ringside toward the end of Page's victory over Omega but chose not to interfere. In fact, the Bucks seemed to give Page their seal of approval for finishing off Omega in the waning seconds of the match.

With Adam Cole in AEW to reform the Supercliq with the Bucks, they could turn on an injured Omega to write him off television while he recovers. That turns Omega babyface in the process while giving him an immediate storyline for when he returns to action. 

Think: D-Generation X turning on an injured Shawn Michaels, with Triple H taking over the leadership role.

Danielson Held Out of Independent Show

While Bryan Danielson and all AEW workers have the freedom to work independent shows, sometimes Tony Khan does ask them to refrain from making certain appearances. That was reportedly the case with Khan requesting Bryan turn down an independent appearance in a market where AEW has yet to appear, per the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (via WrestlingInc).

The report did not specify which event, but the Nov. 20 DEFY event in Washington seems like a strong bet. Jon Moxley was advertised as the main event attraction but will be unable to make it as he continues his treatment for alcohol abuse. 

Danielson, who was born in that state, would have been a natural replacement—one that would arguably sell the show even better to the market. 

It's understandable that Khan would want Danielson's first post-WWE appearance in his home market to take place with AEW. Don't be surprised if AEW looks to book the Seattle area early in 2022.

Sasha Banks Admits to Jealousy over Rousey Salary

It wasn't exactly a secret that Ronda Rousey had backstage heat during her year in WWE. While the MMA star-turned-wrestler made significant improvements over her run with the company, some felt she was pushed over talents who put the work in.

Sasha Banks admitted to feeling some frustration over Rousey's high salary and treatment. 

“I can only speak for myself; there might be a little tension. I am not sure about any real heat. I was pissed off that Ronda Rousey could come in, get more money than me, bigger locker room than me and bring all these people backstage and get more time than me," Banks said on the Kurt Angle Show (h/t Ringside News). "I’m like, ‘Excuse me! Who is you, and what you do?’ Besides respecting everything that she has done in the UFC and the fight world, when it comes to the squared circle, that is my home. That is why I’m the legit boss, not Ronda Rousey."

From a pure wrestling perspective, Banks is right. She's nine levels above Rousey. It's not close. The difference in their skill level is about the same as Rousey's advantage in a shoot fight.

That said, Rousey's name carries mainstream cache and she got WWE the attention that it wouldn't have otherwise gotten without her arrival. 

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At All Elite Wresting's Full Gear event Saturday night, "Hangman" Adam Page and Kenny Omega etched a classic in the most important match in the young promotion's history.

Page, as expected, walked out of the main event as the AEW world champion. But it was so much more than that—it was a testament to the fact that pro wrestling can and should implement long-term booking to reward loyal fans and to perhaps even turn casual onlookers into hardcore types too.

The prolonged ascent of Page, as well as the careful storytelling Saturday night around the jaw-dropping wrestling performances of those two, is precisely where WWE stumbles so often with its own main event scene. AEW leaning into these strengths where the big company on the block struggles is exactly why it has ascended so far so quickly.

Saturday night was, after all, the culmination of two years of storytelling aimed at building Page as a homegrown top guy. He started as the fast-riser, fell out with his friends as they earned championships and success without him, weaved in betrayal, revenge, millennial-style musings and anxiety, if not depression.

And in the match that tied a bow on the entire story that started alongside AEW itself, Page even got the nod of approval from The Young Bucks—not interference from bitter friends—before he pulled off the finisher that won it. It was a nod that this is Page's time after an incredible journey.

It's an epic, 5-star lesson that this sort of long-term storytelling is possible today. Were AEW not even a thing, though, fans might think otherwise.

WWE just can't pull off something like this because it doesn't often even try with its main event scene. Look at, say, the anointing of Drew McIntyre as a top guy in recent years. WWE accomplished something special by bringing in Brock Lesnar at the Royal Rumble to help prop him up. That was especially cool because McIntyre was the guy who was once Vince McMahon's chosen top guy, only to leave the company and remake himself in other promotions before returning.

The payoff after beating Lesnar? A year or so title reign, but he never got a special 'Mania moment as champion in front of fans.

Even now, Big E's reign as WWE champ seems to shy away from the long-term storytelling that could be had with his New Day counterparts. And Roman Reigns' universal title has been hot-potato'd to an embarrassing degree, with the likes of Goldberg derailing full-timers such as Bray Wyatt's Fiend in the process. There's a similar feel on the women's side, where Charlotte Flair has held the Raw and Smackdown women's belts six times apiece.

Seeing the above compared, is it so hard to wonder why WWE has a hard time creating new main event stars? Or why a competitor like AEW has been able to explode out of a niche into the mainstream faster than anyone would have dared predict?

It's not just about the inevitable thrilling end of the ride like Saturday night, either. It's about what comes next. While Big E's list of potential challengers looks shrug-worthy at the same time it's clear that no challenger will dethrone Reigns for more than a year until WWE can set up a possible match with The Rock, the possibilities are endless with Page.

It's just layers upon layers. How is Omega going to react to the Bucks signing off on Page's win? What about the Bucks and their relationship with Page? Or does Omega evolve and everyone reunites?

And as for Page specifically, the specter of a rematch with Omega looms large. But so does the fact that Bryan Danielson just got the best of Miro, securing a title match. That's a feud worth building for a year or more should AEW want to slow-burn it.

Keep in mind plenty of others could emerge as contenders. There's a guy named CM Punk who only has so many years left. A heel like Adam Cole could enter the conversation at any moment. So could a beloved babyface, homegrown AEW talent like Darby Allin. Speaking of homegrown, what about MJF. Don't forget about Jon Moxley.

Because that's the point: It feels limitless (yes, that's a nod to free agent Keith Lee) because this wasn't random. Page didn't spend years toiling in tag team purgatory and running through all of these matches already. He was meticulously booked and positioned for this endpoint. And now, with a classic, historic moment achieved, AEW is free to set sights on its next batch of long-term booking.

In a way, it feels like AEW is heading into its second act. Chris Jericho was the first champion and veteran presence necessary to lure in fans. Moxley was the second, the first major crossover star to make it work. Omega was the third, a nod to the hardcore fans and a hell of an introduction to those who previously only watched WWE.

Now there's Page, the fourth champion—a testament to the fact that long-term booking can work. And frankly, it should make WWE squirm. Not that AEW cares much. It has just pulled off what pro wrestling is all about, reaffirming a historical blueprint can work in 2021 and beyond to unforgettable results.

"Hangman" Adam Page defeated former tag team partner Kenny Omega at AEW Full Gear on Saturday night to become the new AEW World champion.

Page took to the air numerous times to take down the ex-champ.

He moonsaulted from the top turnbuckle onto Omega below the apron:

Page also nearly got the pinfall after landing the Avalanche Blockbuster:

Hangman found himself getting kicked in the face later in the match, but he countered with a booming lariat:

Page eventually won by hitting a pair of Buckshot Lariats for the pin and the title. Afterward, he celebrated with The Dark Order.

Saturday's match had been a long time coming, as Omega and Page were formerly friends before things went sour and, they embarked on different paths.

They were once members of The Elite until The Young Bucks threw Page out of the group last year. That came amid Omega and Page holding the AEW World Tag Team Championships for 228 days, although they dropped them to FTR at All Out 2020.

After losing the titles, Omega and Page tried their hand at singles competition, and they were both part of a tournament to determine the No. 1 contender for the AEW World Championship.

Omega and Page met in the finals of that tournament last year at Full Gear, and Omega won the match to earn a title shot. Omega went on to beat Jon Moxley for the title in December 2020, and he cemented his heel turn with that win as well.

During that time, Page found himself in an alliance with Dark Order and was working his way back up through the ranks. By July of this year, Page had gotten himself into the top spot in the AEW singles rankings.

At Fight for the Fallen, Page teamed with Dark Order in a 10-man tag team elimination match against Omega, The Young Bucks and The Good Brothers with a title shot on the line.

Page and Dark Order lost, meaning his championship opportunity would have to wait. Hangman took some time off following that loss before resurfacing on the Oct. 6 episode of Dynamite and winning the Casino Ladder match for a guaranteed AEW World Championship bout.

The AEW fanbase was firmly behind Page entering Full Gear in hopes that he would finally become AEW World champion after falling just short on several previous occasions.

AEW's fans got what they wanted Saturday, as Page finally reached the top of the mountain and ended Omega's title reign just short of the one-year mark.

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