Kenny Omega has provided a recovery update and has discussed his eventual return to AEW.
The former AEW World Champion has not been seen since late 2023 when he announced on social media that he was battling illness. This was later revealed to be a battle with diverticulitis and if Kenny Omega did not catch it when he did there could have been a 50% chance of fatality.
While appearing on a Twitch stream, Omega detailed his recovery process and stated that although he did feel great for a couple of weeks, emergency treatment caused a setback:
It’s been really touch and go. And I was feeling great for I would say, like a week or two. So for two weeks I was doing great. Then I ran into a little bit of a roadblock and I had to get some emergency treatment again.
Because I understand how I feel physically, and I’ve been through the ringer in terms of injuries and getting banged up and all that, I kind of now know when I feel like I can come back. This is the first time I’ve ever been put out with a sickness. And it’s hard to know what’s going on on the inside when you feel a little bit of pain but you don’t really understand the inner workings of what’s going on.
So I’d love to say, ‘Hey guys, I’m on track to coming back next week, next month, or in half a year. I don’t have that confidence this time.
The former World Champion then confirmed that he was close to dying due to an infection and addressed his return to the ring, noting that there is no definitive window:
When they’re explaining to me I was 24 hours away from getting a terrible blood infection and possibly dying, this is like news to me. I’ve never heard of anything like that. I thought it was like, just shrugging it off. I was close to dying? Like are you kidding me? No way.
The doctors are there to ensure my safety and kind of to educate me as to how important this stuff is.
So, I don’t want to talk out of my ass too much and just say ‘Yeah, for sure, I’m going to be back, I’ll be back at a certain day or a certain time because I don’t know.
As was seen on the March 6th episode of Dynamite, Omega was “fired” by The Young Bucks and effectively replaced in The Elite by Kazuchika Okada, who made his long-awaited debut with the promotion and will be a full-time performer moving forward. Reacting to the angle and acknowledging the sheer amount of talented performers on the roster, Omega feels like he has a duty to come back and prove he is the best wrestler in the promotion:
But I will say one thing, that after watching Dynamite this past week, I’m kind of getting a feeling for the lay of the land. If I can come back, I feel like I have to. There are too many great… I may never get an environment like that again. I don’t know if I would call that fun, more of a responsibility.
I’ve got a responsibility to mix it up with these guys that call themselves the best, because I used to be that guy. I used to have that confidence. And now instead of being that guy with that chip on his shoulder, it’s my job to be the old guard as that gatekeeper. You want to call yourself the best? F—ing prove it, bitch. That’s what I’m here for, or that’s what I will come back for.
Ending the comments on a positive note, Kenny Omega stated that when he does come back, it will be when he is at his optimum:
Whether it be on the pay-per-view or on Dynamite or on Raw or SmackDown or NXT or anybody, it makes me want to get back in that ring shape. So I’m doing this weird balance of trying to balance the sickness and the pain, but also train and make sure things don’t get too out of hand. If suddenly I’m healed and I’m cleared, I want to be able to hop back in. The bar is so high, I don’t want to come back and be below that bar if I can. I’m just gonna try the best I can.
Kenny Omega Announces New Collaboration
Although not cleared to compete, Omega has made multiple appearances to discuss and promote upcoming video games. The latest collaboration will see Kenny Omega partner up with the popular Final Fantasy franchise.
In recent news, Kenny Omega has stated he would have a “magical” match with Ilja Dragunov.
H/t to F4WOnline.
Inside The Ropes would like to continue to wish Kenny Omega a full and speedy recovery.