Kenny Omega compares himself to 57-year-old WWE Legend; questions "dangerous" style

Kenny Omega might be one of AEW's biggest stars, but how does he match up to WWE/Boxing legend Mike Tyson? According to the star himself, both men were criticized for the same thing.

Omega recently faced off against Will Ospreay in a match that has drawn polarizing reactions. While many praised the bout as a whole, some pointed out how dangerous the Tiger Driver finisher was, especially for Kenny Omega, who was previously out of action for nearly a year.

During a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, Kenny Omega defended the dangerous move by comparing it to Tyson's highly criticized boxing style.

“Look at the way Mike Tyson boxed. His style was so dangerous, he stayed so close to his opponent. What was he doing boxing in-style? Shouldn’t he have fought more stick-and-move and waited for the counterpunch? Wouldn’t that have been better for his brain? Didn’t he understand how dangerous it was? But that’s what made him Mike Tyson.” (H/T Sports Illustrated)

Mike Tyson returns to the ring 5 months after being released from jail... https://t.co/sVpABqBlW4

Chris Hero (Kassius Ohno) recently spoke about the bout, and unlike all the critics, he praised the match. The ROH veteran even went as far as saying that the match would inspire future generations of pro wrestlers.

Missed out on last week's AEW Collision? Catch up with the results right here.

Kenny Omega doesn't believe his critics have his best interests at heart

AEW and the roster are often on the receiving end of harsh criticism online or by veterans. Booking missteps often fall under heavy scrutiny by what many consider "bad faith actors," and it seems like Omega agrees.

Earlier in the same interview, The Cleaner claimed that his detractors want to take his pride in the match away.

“There are a lot of people criticizing who do not have my best interests at heart,” says Omega. “They just want to put a dark mark on that match, which is a performance I’m extremely proud of. And performances like that will be few and far between as I get older and older.”

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Kevin Nash recently responded to one of Kenny Omega's earlier retorts against the criticism about the match. Instead of hitting back, the nWo legend instead opted to sarcastically make fun of the former AEW World Champion.