Kenny Omega’s long-awaited announcement regarding his future in pro wrestling has been made, with the former NJPW IWGP Heavyweight Champion revealing at the Double Or Nothing ticket announcement party in Las Vegas that he has officially signed with All Elite Wrestling.
PWInsider adds Omega’s contract with AEW is a multi-year deal, and he will act as an Executive Vice President in the company in addition to being an in-ring performer.
As for Omega’s first AEW match, he will be facing his old NJPW nemesis Chris Jericho at the Double Or Nothing PPV taking place on May 25th.
During this week’s ticket announcement party in Las Vegas, Kenny Omega spoke with Dave Meltzer, and explained why he chose to sign with AEW after receiving what was reportedly a major offer made by WWE.
“I felt like I needed to go to a place where I could do more, and Japan will always be a home to me and I’m always going to be back,” explained Omega, h/t to 411Mania for the transcription. “In fact, that’s the next destination for me, I’m going back to Japan. It’s not for wrestling, it’s just for personal life. I’m working with ESPN doing the video game thing, so I’ll be there for Evil Japan.
[lawrence-related id=878198]”Japan is still going to have a place in my heart, a place in my life but AEW, for me, or even WWE, kinda seemed like the next step,” Omega added. “[With] potential dream matches and all that, and sort of using the new platform, not necessarily a better one, or a bigger one or whatever. I just wanted a new platform to reach new people, to use my voice and my unique way of telling stories and all of that. I wanted just to change the stage that I had been performing on.”
Omega continued by saying “the most surprising thing to me was just how accommodating and how cool it was to discuss, you know, future with WWE. I didn’t think they’d ever be in the running. I was like ‘yeah, I’ll hear you guys out’ but I didn’t think it’d be good because everyone was telling me, well, what to expect.
”I have nothing but great things to say about them, but in the end, AEW was the best thing for me and, you know, it’s the most exciting choice I’ve made in my career.”
Finally, Omega revealed he signed a four year deal with AEW, saying, “I’m signing four years, and it just felt natural. I didn’t feel nervous, it’s a large contract for me. The largest one I’ve signed. But, I didn’t feel like I was making the wrong choice. So, it was cool to feel that way.”
You can listen to more of the interview in the above video player.
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