Kenny Omega on Fans Taking Sides in the AEW vs. NXT ‘War,’ Ratings Battle, Says NXT and Impact Are Putting On Good Shows

– Speaking with Wrestling Observer Radio, Kenny Omega weighed in on the AEW/NXT “war” and fans taking sides in the competition. The ratings battle between the two shows has been a big talking point in the wrestling world since Dynamite debuted and NXT went to USA Network in October, with AEW winning in the demo each week while NXT surpassed Dynamite in overall viewers last week.

Omega weighed in on the belief among fans that the two sides are trying to put each other out of business and said that he’s enjoying NXT himself, as well as Impact. Highlights are below:

On fans believing AEW and WWE talent hate each other: “No, it’s incredible that you’d have someone who [would] choose their favorite, and as soon as they feel threatened that their favorite won’t be considered #1 by all of the public, that they have to react in such a manner where they feel really threatened, and they have to put people down and they have to say mean things. They just lash out, and I get it. But like you said, it’s just very preposterous that a fan would make the argument, whose chosen one side over the other. You know, ‘Kenny Omega sucks, and Adam Cole’s the greatest, and I hope that Kenny Omega breaks his neck in the ring’ or whatever. And you know, ‘[I hope] that AEW fails, and he’s out of house and home.’ And I hate to say it, but if Adam Cole’s your favorite wrestler, Adam Cole doesn’t wish that upon me at all. You know? At all.”

On both sides sides just trying to put on their best show: “All we’re trying to do is, we’re just trying to represent ourselves as best we can and on our respective sides. Adam Cole’s not trying to put us out of business. He’s not trying to do that at all, that’s not his goal. He’s just trying to perform to the best of his ability, and put forth an effort that he’s proud of and that fans expect out of him. But it’s not in an effort to hurt us. It’s not in an effort to again, have us without jobs. That’s not it at all. And oppositely, I’ve only just started to watch NXT’s stuff, to be honest. Because I never, even though people call it a war or whatever, I never considered it as such. I was kind of always just at war with myself. We have enough struggles just putting on a week-to-week show. So much to the point where I can’t even worry about other things. If anything, I’m just worried about satisfying the network and trying to deal with the hurdles of having it go up against Major League Baseball or NBA. It’s things like that that I worry about. The sort of make-believe war that everybody’s sort of having fun with, I haven’t really put much effort into thinking about. And I don’t think about counter-programming, or what they’re doing as opposed to what they’re doing. I’m sure other people do, but for me it’s not that at all.”

On his opinion of NXT and other shows: “Yeah, again, I started to watch not only NXT, but I’ve been watching some Impact lately too. And all these shows are really good! I liked what NXT’s doing, I like what Impact’s doing. NXT, geez, it’s like — I don’t want to sound derogatory at all, but I can see how they’re winning that demographic of the 50 and over, because they have a very great, solid wrestling product. And you know, those are probably the people that kind of came up watching traditional wrestling that just kind of happens in the ring. And I think AEW’s more so of a variety show. What we’re doing [is] stuff of all — you’re gonna get that in-ring action, but you’re gonna get some oddball stuff too. I think that they’re two very different shows, but me, kind of being a wrestling fan since a child, I can watch and enjoy all of them.”

On the ratings between Dynamite and NXT: “I think it’s really cool that the ratings are so close together, and it’s not like they’re having a terrible show, but we’re neck and neck with them. Because if they’re having a terrible show and we’re killing it, it’d be like, ‘Aw man, they’re not trying and they’re keeping up with us.’ Now it’s like both products are hitting it out of the park every week, and the numbers are close. I don’t know what to tell you. I saw the numbers this week, I was happy with them. I of course had to deal with the backlash of everyone saying ‘That’s it, game over, your done.’ You know, it’s, ‘Okay, sure.’ But I was quite happy with them.”

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit Arn with a h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.