Kenny Omega on Changing His Ring Style, Says His Performances Will Be ‘More Limited’

In an interview with Dave Meltzer for Wrestling Observer Radio (via the Wrestling Observer Newsletter), Kenny Omega said that due to the injuries he’s had over his career, he is toning down his ring style somewhat. Omega spent over a year away from AEW due to a battle with diverticulitis, and before that he had extended time away for a litany of injuries.

He said: “Now that I’m getting up there and my performances will be a little more limited in amount, I really do value each and every singular performance. I really hope that every single one of them means something, because the ones that don’t mean anything… it’s like chipping away at what’s left, and there isn’t much left. So I want to make sure that what is left, the meat that’s still on the bone, that it’s good tasting meat, you know? Hopefully. It’s as you said, I feel in the pursuit of just staying at the same pace that the younger healthier talent are moving at, I feel in situations like that I wouldn’t be able to stand out or oppositely, I would be able to stand out, but I would stand out in different kind of way, a negative way…I try not to bring attention to that. I don’t want people to feel scared or sorry for me, or I don’t want anyone’s opinion of a match to be hampered because I simply just can’t move consistently as fast all the time…there’s still a number of issues I’m working through, and it’s really day to day.”

When asked about his issues, he added: “I have these adhesions in my stomach, quite a few, and when you’re breathing heavy, when you have to use a lot of core, when you have to twist, when you have to stretch, the adhesions that are binding to my inner organs, they’re pulling apart, and it’s causing a lot of discomfort, kinda sorta like a lot of flu like symptoms to emerge. It’s not meant to scare anybody, I’ll be in bed until 5 p.m., 6 p.m. for almost an entire week…I just don’t have the energy, I can’t move. That was the most scary part to me. Knowing my own limits and being okay I do have a limit is what’s important. And again I’m also very lucky I have a boss that has an understanding of that…my safety and health is always paramount to the company.“