Unpopular Opinion: Kenny Omega must stay in New Japan
In about a week from now, Kenny Omega will become a free agent. The Canadian native's current contract with New Japan Pro Wrestling expires at the end of the month. The former IWGP Heavyweight is excepted to join All Elite Wrestling following his exit from NJPW and had reportedly turned down a huge big-money deal from the WWE.
While many think that Omega going to AEW is a done deal, we think that the Cleaner should stay back in the Land of the Rising Sun.
Over the past few years, there has been a huge influx of foreign talent or gaijins in New Japan. Superstars like Juice Robinson, Jay White, The Young Bucks, Will Ospreay and David Finlay have become a prominent feature of the New Japan programming whilst being massively over with the native Japanese crowd. But, none of them have been able to connect with the crowd as well as Kenny Omega has.
Omega will go down in history as the best gaijin to have ever stepped foot in a New Japan ring. While there have many legendary foreign superstars in New Japan like Vader, Eddie Guerrero, and he who shall not be named (I hope you've already guessed who), their accomplishment pales in comparison to what Omega has been able to achieve in the last three to four years.
He was the first gaijin to win the G1 Climax in 2016, thereby becoming the second foreign superstar after Brock Lesnar to be in the main event of a Tokyo Dome show. He broke Kazuchika Okada's legendary title reign in 2018 and is only the second person after Nubuhiko Takada to capture both the IWGP Junior Heavyweight and the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.
In addition to that, Omega is also the inaugural IWGP United States Champion and also held the IWGP Intercontinental Championship on one occasion.
Omega is fluent in Japanese, a trait which perhaps no foreign superstar in New Japan possesses. He has been a permanent resident of Japan for over a decade and has made Japan his second home.
It will be foolish for Omega to give up all of these and much more for AEW. He is the biggest star in New Japan right now and him leaving abruptly will be a huge blow for the Japanese promotion.
Omega has stated in multiple interviews that his biggest goal in life was to go to Japan and has spoken about his love for the Japanese culture on various platforms. Besides, his leaving would mean that his storyline with Kota Ibushi would also meet an abrupt end, which will be a shame considering how much the fans are invested in the duo.
While Omega has achieved everything there is to achieve in New Japan, we think that he should stick around in the promotion for some time as there are far too many loose ends for him in NJPW and given the kind of impact he has made in the promotion, he is more than deserving of a grand farewell.
Omega has been the biggest force in the recent global resurgence of New Japan. 2019 is going to the biggest year for New Japan and they need the Cleaner now more than ever.