What happened to Kenny Omega? Why hasn't he been on AEW?

The Best Bout Machine spent much of 2021 swimming in gold

Kenny Omega remains one of the top stars in AEW, having helped build the promotion back in 2019. The Cleaner captured the AEW tag titles alongside Hangman Page as the groundwork was laid for some of the best long-term storytelling in wrestling history.

The storyline received its payoff at Full Gear 2021 as Hangman dethroned Omega for the AEW World title. This officially ended Kenny's run as the "Belt Collector" that had yielded world title reigns in AEW, AAA and IMPACT simultaneously.

So what happened to Kenny Omega? Why hasn't he been on AEW TV lately?

On the Dynamite following Kenny Omega's loss to Hangman, the former champ confirmed that he would be taking a leave of absence to address some injuries. He has since left leadership of The Elite in the hands of the Young Bucks and Adam Cole, who have added Kyle O'Reilly and Bobby Fish to their ranks.

"There's things I have to fix, there's things I have to change and I can't do it here."
After losing the #AEW World Title at #AEWFullGear, @KennyOmegamanX leaves #TheElite in the hands of the @youngbucks while he's away. https://t.co/BaqoybjTo8

The injuries that needed addressing included shoulder and knee problems, a hernia and vertigo, which he had previously revealed he was carrying even while wrestling. After almost eight months, fans are yet to see the return of the Cleaner, even after crowning a new AEW champion in CM Punk.

However, with the impending Forbidden Door bringing the worlds of NJPW and AEW together, it would only make sense for the former IWGP Heavyweight Champion to want some form of involvement. Whether Omega shows his face at the event remains to be seen.

WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray fancies Kenny Omega as a challenger for CM Punk

The Summer of Punk has officially begun 😤 @CMPunk is your AEW World Champion #ANDNEW #AEWDoN https://t.co/4e294kbwzl

While fans await Kenny Omega's return to an AEW ring, there are those who fancy the Cleaner as an upcoming challenger for brand new world champion CM Punk. Punk defeated Hangman Page at AEW Double or Nothing, winning his first world title in nine years and bringing his fairytale return of 2021 full circle.

Speaking of who's next for Punk, Bully Ray mused over the idea of Kenny's return during Busted Open Radio:

"CM Punk is a great story-teller who backs it up in the ring really well. Thats what I would like to see as opposed to just good matches. I don't know where he is right now but is this an opportunity for Omega to come back?" [12:06 - 12:34]

When and where Kenny Omega will return remains a mystery, but fans will continue to speculate every moment he is not on TV.