Kenny Omega

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.

Omega vs. Danielson Rematch to Occur in Mexico?

A rematch between Kenny Omega and Bryan Danielson seems virtually certain, but it may not be guaranteed that their next encounter will take place in AEW.

According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Felix Upton of Ringside News), AAA executive Dorian Roldan saw the match between Omega and Danielson on the Grand Slam edition of AEW Dynamite last week, and it gave him an idea.

Roldan reportedly wants to have Omega vs. Danielson on a AAA card, and it may not be outside the realm of possibility since Omega is the reigning AAA Mega champion.

Even dating back to his time in WWE, Danielson has always been outspoken about his dreams of wrestling in Mexico, specifically in a hair vs. mask match.

There is plenty of meat left on the bone in the Omega vs. Danielson feud since their first AEW match went to a time-limit draw.

Omega has since said he doesn't intend to give Danielson a rematch, although it will undoubtedly happen at some point. AEW Full Gear, which is scheduled for November, could be when the rematch occurs.

Doing Omega vs. Danielson either before or after that in AAA would be a great way to further their rivalry, however, and it would likely result in great publicity for both AEW and AAA.

Rumored NXT Names for WWE Draft

Night 1 of the WWE draft is scheduled for Friday night's episode of SmackDown, and there reportedly could be some surprising names included.

According to Meltzer (h/t Upton), there is internal belief within WWE that former NXT stars Dakota Kai, Aliyah and Xia Li will be part of the draft.

Meltzer noted that none of them have been seen on NXT recently, and all of them have worked dark matches before main roster shows during their NXT absences.

Kai is the biggest name of the group, as she was involved in several high-profile matches and feuds in NXT. That included vying for the NXT Women's Championship against former partner Raquel Gonzalez at NXT TakeOver 36 in August.

Aliyah's last NXT match was back in July when she and Jessi Kamea lost to Kacy Catanzaro and Kayden Carter. Aliyah attacked Robert Stone after the match and it was assumed at the time that she was poised for a call-up.

Li's most recent NXT match was also in July when she unsuccessfully challenged Gonzalez for the NXT Women's Championship. Prior to that, Li had been a part of the Tian Sha stable with Mei Ying and Boa, but only Mei Ying and Boa have been seen on NXT over the past few weeks.

Meltzer added that WWE desires to build a Chinese star after seeing how China reacted to Zhang Weili holding the UFC women's strawweight championship. Because of that, Li could be in for a big push.

Kai, Aliyah and Li all bring unique skill sets to the table, and they will all add some much-needed depth to the Raw and SmackDown women's divisions if they have indeed been called up.

Cole Believes NXT 2.0 Was Born from AEW's Success

After four years with WWE as part of the NXT brand, Adam Cole left the company and made his AEW debut at All Out last month.

Cole and NXT went head to head with AEW Dynamite on Wednesday nights for a period of time before NXT moved to Tuesdays.

Recently, NXT underwent a significant change, as it is now known as NXT 2.0. In addition to a new name and logo, NXT has clearly shifted its focus as well with younger, more inexperienced wrestlers getting the spotlight over veterans from the independent scene.

During an appearance on Talk Is Jericho with current AEW and former WWE star Chris Jericho (h/t Subhojeet Mukherjee of Ringside News), Cole expressed his belief that AEW consistently scoring higher ratings than NXT led WWE to change NXT's presentation:

This is all just me guessing. I think, for sure, [AEW beating NXT] played a part [in the rebrand]. I also understand the thought process of … there were so many guys in NXT who were presented a certain way and then they'd go to Raw or SmackDown and it was a complete 180. I see the standpoint of, if I am Vince McMahon, him looking at NXT as this breeding ground for guys on Raw and SmackDown, he wants his hands in it a little bit more and he wants bigger guys. Not saying everyone is going to be big, but more guys who are geared to be ready to go for Raw and SmackDown.

I understand that. When I was there at NXT, it was treated as a third brand. We got on television because of it, we had the big Survivor Series month, which was really cool. It was the more athletic pro wrestling storytelling and style. Them going back to this, certainly, AEW has to play a factor in my mind. It just has to. More important, I do think it's so they don't have to change a thing about guys when they are in NXT now.

Cole is the longest-reigning NXT champion of all time with a reign lasting over a year, and he was one of the faces of the brand when it was at its highest point.

For a period of time, WWE was signing all of the hottest talent from the independent scene, as well as Ring of Honor and Impact Wrestling, but its philosophy has clearly changed.

Now, AEW is signing independent talent, while WWE is signing amateur wrestlers and other athletes with the goal of building them into stars from the ground up.

That already seems to be paying dividends to some degree given that Bron Breakker is viewed as one of WWE's future top stars just a few weeks after debuting.

Cole undoubtedly felt AEW was the best fit for him given his background and skill set, although it would have been interesting to see what the former leader of Undisputed Era could have done on the WWE main roster as well.

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

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.

Reason for Danielson vs. Omega Opening Dynamite

AEW delivered a dream match on Wednesday night's Grand Slam edition of Dynamite at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York City with AEW World champion Kenny Omega facing Bryan Danielson in a non-title match.

While the match was excellent, it was somewhat surprising that AEW put it on first rather than making it the main event. Apparently, there was a calculated reason for AEW's decision.

According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t WrestlingInc.com's Marc Middleton), Danielson and Omega opened the show so that they could have a long match with fewer commercial interruptions.

Danielson vs. Omega went for 30 minutes and ended in a time-limit draw, and there was only one commercial break during the contest.

With Danielson and Omega going on first, the main event saw Britt Baker successfully defend the AEW Women's World Championship against Ruby Soho thanks to interference from Jamie Hayter and Rebel.

In addition to the rationale reported by Meltzer, the finish of Danielson vs. Omega likely had something to do with the decision as well.

Ending the show with a time-limit draw may not have sat well with the fans in attendance, which is why it made more sense to do the match earlier in the show.

After Danielson and Omega fought to a stalemate, it seems likely that they will go at it again in the near future with the title on the line.

WWE Discussing Logistical Plans for WrestleMania 38

WWE is reportedly considering making WrestleMania a two-day event once again next year after doing so each of the past two years.

According to Meltzer (h/t Middleton), WWE officials have discussed several ideas with AT&T Stadium officials regarding WrestleMania 38. The event is currently scheduled to emanate from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on April 3, 2022.

Among the ideas reportedly discussed is for WrestleMania to be a two-day event on both April 2 and April 3.

WWE made WrestleMania two days for the first time last year with WrestleMania 36, opting to try something new in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. WrestleMania 37 in Tampa, Florida, earlier this year was held over two nights as well.

Another reported idea being talked about is to hold WrestleMania at AT&T Stadium on April 3, followed by Monday Night Raw occurring at AT&T Stadium the next night as well. Both WrestleMania and Raw would reportedly have 40,000-seat setups.

Regardless of what WWE opts to do, WrestleMania 38 promises to be one of the biggest events in company history.

When WWE last held WrestleMania at AT&T Stadium over five years ago, the company reported an attendance of over 101,000, which was the highest in WWE history.

If WWE breaks up WrestleMania 38 over the course of two days, it is possible the total attendance could eclipse what WrestleMania 32 did in one night.

Cole Talks Owens Possibly Signing with AEW

Amid speculation regarding Kevin Owens' future in WWE, newly signed AEW star Adam Cole discussed his thoughts on KO possibly signing with AEW as well.

During an appearance on Oral Sessions with Renee Paquette (h/t WrestlingInc.com's Eric Mutter), Cole was asked about what he would like to see Owens do in the future:

"I mean this because I'm friends with Kevin. I want Kevin to do what makes him happiest. I really mean it, I mean it in my soul. However, of course I would love the idea of him joining me, and The Young Bucks, and everyone else here. That would be incredible. However, I do want Kevin to be happy. So there's no part of me that would be angry or upset with whatever his decision is."

Earlier this month, Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select (h/t Aaron Rift of NoDQ.com) reported that Owens' WWE contract is set to expire in January 2022, which is earlier than originally thought.

Sapp noted that WWE restructured several contracts prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Owens' was among them.

Prior to Sapp's report, Middleton noted that Owens tweeted and deleted the coordinates of Mt. Rushmore. That was significant since Owens, Cole and The Young Bucks were once a stable known as Mt. Rushmore on the independent scene.

Cole made his AEW debut earlier this month at All Out after his WWE contract expired. Cole was a top star in NXT for four years but decided to jump ship to AEW.

Bryan Danielson did the same at All Out, signing with AEW upon the expiration of his WWE contract.

With so many high-profile WWE stars making the move to AEW, it is possible Owens could be next on the list, especially since he has no shortage of friends over at AEW.

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

In his first match as a member of the AEW roster, Bryan Danielson wrestled AEW World champion Kenny Omega to a time-limit draw in a non-title bout on the Grand Slam edition of AEW Dynamite at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing, New York, on Wednesday night.

The New York crowd was scorching hot before Danielson and Omega locked up.

What ensued was an emotional match that featured both men dealing out intense punishment before the time limit hit with neither wrestler able to get the finish.

Danielson unleashed this hammer shot:

Omega soon front-flipped over the top rope onto Danielson below:

Omega later nailed Danielson with the V-Trigger down the ramp:

Bryan took some more punishment on the ramp:

However, Bryan had what was possibly the move of the match when he reversed the One Winged Angel:

Near the end of the match, the two exhausted men traded headbutts and shots as the time limit was hit.

They kept fighting even after the match was over, and Bryan got Omega in the LeBell Lock.

That's when Adam Cole and The Young Bucks stormed into the ring to tend to Omega before attacking Bryan. However, Christian Cage and Jungle Boy came to Bryan's defense.

After over a decade in WWE, Danielson made his surprise debut for AEW at All Out earlier this month, confronting Omega and The Elite after they attacked Cage and Jurassic Express.

Danielson quickly made it clear that he had his sights set on a dream match against Omega, and in order to entice Omega to accept, he said the AEW World Championship didn't have to be on the line.

Even before he became a five-time world champion in WWE under the name Daniel Bryan, Danielson was considered one of the best in-ring workers in the world based on what he did in Ring of Honor.

While Danielson was establishing himself as a top star in WWE, Omega was building quite the reputation as well in New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Omega had so many memorable matches against the likes of Kazuchika Okada, Hiroshi Tanahashi and others that he became known as "The Best Bout Machine."

Omega continued to solidify his status once AEW began in 2019, and he entered Grand Slam having held the AEW World title for nearly 300 days, which is a record.

At the same time, Danielson was showing he is still one of the best in the world at the age of 40 and even competed in the main event of WrestleMania 37 in April against Roman Reigns and Edge.

After losing a Universal title match to Reigns on an episode of SmackDown in late April, Danielson became a free agent, and there was instantly speculation regarding him joining AEW.

Danielson has made it clear since leaving WWE that he loved the company but wanted a new challenge and viewed AEW as precisely that.

Perhaps the biggest challenge was going up against Omega and proving that he can meet or exceed the level of performance Omega has displayed over the past several years.

Danielson undoubtedly proved that he belonged in the same ring as Omega on Dynamite, and he is now likely in line for an AEW World Championship match in the near future.

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

AEW has already signed several former WWE stars since coming into existence in 2019, and AEW World champion Kenny Omega believes many more would love to make the jump.

In an interview with Tokyo Sports (h/t Wrestling Inc's Robert Gunier), Omega said: "Absolutely, more will come out in the future. I think about 90 percent of wrestlers in WWE want to be in AEW."

Some of the most notable former WWE stars on the current AEW roster include CM Punk, Bryan Danielson, Adam Cole, Chris Jericho, Jon Moxley, Cody Rhodes, Ruby Soho, Miro, Malakai Black, Andrade El Idolo and Pac.

Danielson and Cole are among AEW's most recent signees, and they opted to let their WWE contracts expire before signing with AEW. That is in contrast to some of the others who were released by WWE before joining AEW.

Omega was also asked which current WWE star he would like to see sign with AEW, and he named perhaps the biggest star in WWE today: "There are already a lot of people coming… So I don't really know who. If I was forced, I'd say Roman Reigns. I think it's a good opportunity to prove who the real champion is."

Reigns is the current Universal champion and one of the most recognizable figures in wrestling. He is also in the midst of the best run of his career, and it can be argued that there is no more complete performer in all of wrestling.

Omega vs. Reigns would be a massive match given that they were voted the No. 1 and No. 2 wrestlers in the world over the past year by Pro Wrestling Illustrated.

Given that Reigns is a WWE homegrown talent and part of a family that is deeply rooted in WWE, it seems unlikely that he would ever make the leap to AEW.

While Omega vs. Reigns is a dream match that may not happen, Omega vs. Danielson is coming to fruition Wednesday night.

On the Grand Slam edition of AEW Dynamite at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York City, Omega will clash with Danielson in a non-title match.

AEW has undoubtedly put itself on the map in the wrestling world thanks to some of the talent it has attracted, and if Danielson tears the house down with Omega on Wednesday night, perhaps it could inspire even more WWE stars to join AEW in the future.

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

The year 2021 has been a monumental one for All Elite Wrestling, as the company has signed some of its biggest stars to date. However, the biggest question on many fans' minds is what the addition of Adam Cole, Bryan Danielson, and CM Punk means for growing names like "Hangman" Adam Page.

Over the summer, the 30-year-old enjoyed some of the loudest reactions at live shows and seemed destined to dethrone Kenny Omega. His rivalry with his former tag team partner has been building since they lost their title at All Out last year. In fact, he had seemed set to challenge The Belt Collector at this year's event on Sept. 5 until he took some time off.

It's hard to imagine now but before Punk's return and the debuts of Cole and Danielson, their inevitable clash was the hottest storyline on Dynamite. Viewers were invested in the 10-man elimination tag match at Fight for the Fallen in July, which would've made Page the No. 1 contender for the AEW World Championship.

Instead, everyone's favorite cowboy fell short and was written off of television on Aug. 4, leaving many to question such an abrupt shift in momentum. Although he confirmed he was going on a hiatus in the following week, it's still unclear when he will return to exact his revenge on his old friend.

Patience is Everything When It Comes to Page's Return

Page is going to garner a massive response no matter when he returns to the ring. The fans are immersed in his storyline with Omega, so the longer AEW builds up anticipation, the more satisfying his reemergence will be. Even more, the returning star could always come back more focused and determined than ever.

This all could have been a blessing in disguise for the company, as well. Page should be the one to beat The Best Bout Machine to become the new champion, but his potential win would have been upstaged by all the other major occurrences at All Out.

The conclusion for such a long-running plot shouldn't be the third or even fourth key moment of the night. After all, his quest to win AEW's top prize has been in the making since the company's inception. So, this payoff should have the proper time and gravitas befitting the continuity and care that went into it.

There are also more stories to tell with The Belt Collector gimmick, and Omega could even set his sights on more rare championship gold in the meantime. It also could be a great idea to let the Canadian secure some more title defenses.

Could November Be the Sweet Spot? 

There's no need to rush back into this feud with his estranged friend; there are a plethora of new opponents on the roster. Still, the timing around Page's reintroduction into the title picture will be important. This is something that should be planned for an upcoming event or a special episode of Dynamite.

It may not seem like it but Page has only been off of television for seven weeks. He could conceivably return in time to build toward a match at Full Gear on Nov. 13. That would be fitting because the event is named after his challenge to get in shape from Being the Elite.

Omega also defeated him in the AEW World Championship Eliminator Tournament finals at last year's show. As such, The Cleaner became the No. 1 contender and went on to successfully challenge Jon Moxley for the title on Dec. 2.

That seems like the most likely option because of their history together. It's also the last AEW pay-per-view of the year but we simply don't know how much longer Page plans to stay at home. The company could easily drag this out until next year, but the next event may not take place until March.

Omega has already beaten Moxley's record as the longest-reigning AEW world champion but he could be the first to hold the title for a full year. That is unless Page returns to take him down on the Dec. 1 edition of Dynamite. If not then, New Year's Smash is a feasible option.

However, it's difficult to fathom a scenario where Omega will make it into 2022 with the championship still in tow. For now, Full Gear seems like the best bet as a destination for this highly anticipated title match.

It's tough to predict how things will pan out over the next few weeks with Danielson on board and Orange Cassidy climbing back up to No. 1 in the ranking. Regardless, we're just along for the ride.

There is enough material here to stretch this out until Revolution, but it seems like it could happen sooner.