Kenny Omega knows exactly what he needs in order to win the IWGP championship.
“One more chance,” said Omega.
Omega has made headlines throughout the past week—first for his bold comments that he’s the best in the world, better even than WWE’s best wrestlers, and then for his match against Kazuchika Okada at New Japan’s Wrestle Kingdom in Tokyo. Despite a brilliant performance of storytelling and unparalleled in-ring athleticism, Omega revealed that he was heartbroken after the loss.
“Of course,” admitted Omega. “After feeling like I’d evolved to a superior level as a performer, I had so much I’d wanted to show the world. Winning the belt at the Tokyo Dome would have been the greatest end to the greatest one-year run in—possibly—wrestling history. I wanted to roll that directly into a legendary 2017, but it wasn’t meant to be.”
“I’m leaving to consider my future options,” Omega said. “Returning so quickly after a huge loss would be unwise. I’m finding my next plan of attack in wrestling rather than blindly rushing forward just to be in a ring.”
Omega’s comments have triggered an eruption of rumors that he will appear at WWE’s Royal Rumble on Jan. 29. There is precedent, as WWE lured AJ Styles away from New Japan last January and had him make his debut at the Royal Rumble. A pair of Instagram posts from John Cena only added fuel to the fire.
I will be stepping away from Japan to reassess my future. The path of my journey may change, but my goals will not. pic.twitter.com/E4vDiGgAwe
— Kenny Omega (@KennyOmegamanX) January 6, 2017