"It was like being star-struck" - Top AEW Star opens up about meeting Kenny Omega in Japan
AEW star Mercedes Martinez recently shared her experience in Japan, including when she met Kenny Omega.
Omega rose to fame during his time in Japan, leading to him being one of the biggest names by the time Martinez met him. Mercedez spent a short time in Japan during 2011 where she took part in the STARDOM Title Tournament, which was held in honor of Nanae Takahashi.
During her appearance on AEW Unrestricted, the interim-ROH Women's Champion shared her awe for the Japanese wrestlers as well as Omega.
"That’s the first time I met Kenny Omega. Watching him wrestle and everybody? It was like [being] star-struck in a different way than being star-struck. Not in the sense of fan-girling, but like wow this is where my career has taken me at this part of my journey?" - Mercedes said. (29:12)
NJPW OnTheRoad Kenny Omega #3
Battling Ishii for glory! THIS IS NEW JAPAN!
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Kenny Omega's wrestling skills have been praised by many critics and fans alike. The star is currently recovering from a slew of injuries, and it's unknown when he'll fully recover and return to All Elite Wrestling.
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AEW star Mercedes Martinez views her match against Nanae Takahashi as a milestone
During her time in Japan, Mercedes Martinez got the opportunity to wrestle the legendary Japanese wrestler, Nanae Takahashi. According to the star, her match against the Japanese legend pushed her to her limits.
"I’ve only had five matches in my career that I really could say pushed me to my boundaries, and that [vs. Nanae Takahashi] was one of them. Japan is a whole different world, it really is. I would like to go back one day, but I think my favorite places will always be UK and Australia." - Mercedes noted. (30:22)
Nanae Takahashi & Iris vs. Natsuki Taiyo & Yuzuki Aikawa. Opening opening bout on the very first Stardom show in 2011. This match was awesome. 🔥 https://t.co/20xjhYfNlt
In light of the crossover pay-per-view between NJPW and AEW, many more stars could have experience like Mercedes Martinez. With the "Forbidden Door" open, the lines between promotions have grown increasingly vague.
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