Welcome back to the third installment of The Characters of NJPW! Before we get on, a quick reminder of what this is all about.

This series will try to give newcomers to New Japan, as well as people curious towards its product, a feel as for how each of their wrestlers operate, what their motivations are, how their story drives them to be who they are, and how their actions inside and outside of the squared circle further their personas. Although this will contain historical data and a brief description of each wrestler’s past, its main goal is not meant to be a comprehensive guide to a performer’s history and achievements. Rather, we intend focus on two main topics: Character and in-ring work, to see how each wrestler on NJPW sets themselves apart from the rest of the roster, and what makes them truly unique and worth investing. If you want to check the first two installments, which talked about Kazuchika Okada and Hiroshi Tanahashi, you can do so by clicking on their names. Ok, now back to the task at hand today.

Change is the one constant in life. And yet in most cases, it seems to be brought about by necessity, only for us to find out what it could have been all along. Life is funny like that. Wrestling, as it turns out, is under the rather large umbrella of “life”, like most things. And when NJPW lost two of its biggest stars, an opportunity arose. What happened next was unexpected. A wrestler who was formerly in a position deemed unfit to be a heavy player took the ball and ran with it like you wouldn’t believe. His talent sparked a buzz. His actions became a hot topic. And his performance is now a major factor to New Japan’s current global expansion. Today we talk about a man seemingly destined for stardom. Let’s discuss Kenny Omega.

Kenny Omega

aged 34
183 cm
92 kg
Current IWGP United States Champion, since July 2, 2017 (first reign, inaugural champion)

Introduction: Kenny Omega. What a dynamic performer. What a fantastic, tremendous performer. Also, what a weird, captivating personality. This is someone who stuck to who he is at his core, even when people wanted him to change because deep down he knew he was already larger than life. His work just had to show it. And over the years, steadily, the doubts cast upon him were dispersed. Some say, how can a guy accused of “killing the business” by its old heads be one of its major stars today? Maybe they just couldn’t see that the change was coming. Evolution, as they say, is a mystery.

Omega could, though. He had a clear vision and unwavering confidence in himself to see it through. After an unsuccessful run in WWE’s DSW developmental system, he started to make a name in the independent scene. Soon, that transitioned into an inspired run with DDT, a Japanese promotion that, despite its success, has many detractors for its unusual brand of professional grappling. He nonetheless caught the eyes of NJPW, who brought him to take its Junior Heavyweight division by the horns. After two reigns at the top, it was time for another change. When the writing was on the wall that Shinsuke Nakamura and AJ Styles were leaving, Omega took matters into his own hands, becoming a Heavyweight (another move questioned by many) and the new leader of the very popular Bullet Club, which he reshaped in his own image. So, let’s see what exactly is in Omega’s constitution that makes him prove the increasingly diminishing doubters wrong, shall we?

Character: When the subject is Kenny Omega, two words come to mind: dramatic and determined. The Cleaner accomplishes big things, and he does them in loud fashion. When he first became Intercontinental Champion, Omega immediately made history by having New Japan’s first-ever ladder match. He put himself at the forefront of NJPW’s USA expansion and flat-out argued that if they wanted any kind of success, none other than himself would have to be their guy. When he proved his words were correct, becoming the first ever US Champion in front of a full crowd in Long Beach, California, he spoke of doubling the audience next time that he came around. This is a performer both aware and highly confident of his own uniqueness.

What stands out about him is that his way of expression is quite different from the standard wrestling fare. A huge fan of video games, Omega is influenced by that world’s lore and its grandeur. Also, his experience being around Japanese culture informs his character traits, from his penchant for trademark poses, to his distinct, eloquent anime-villain flavored form of speech, as well as his taste for humor. As such, his presence in a ring is reinvigorating and connects well with his very modern fan base. Yet it is his unwavering confidence that becomes his driving point.

Omega, through his career, had many people doubting him from the start, and sometimes those doubts came in the form of setbacks. As a defense from those attacks, his character evolved into a being that deeply believes on himself, almost to the point of arrogant parody. While Omega has no problem telling you how great he is when he wins, its when defeat comes that we see this confidence develop even further. If you listen to him speak then, it is almost like each loss is just another obstacle someone else has put in his way to complete domination of the world. Kenny Omega knows that he is almighty. His distinct charisma will have you believing that as well. And if he falls down, it’s just a matter of time before he regroups and soars again.

In-ring work: Kenny’s character is fully on display on his matches, as a complete, high-octane performer. He has thunderous strikes, powerful slams, and amazing acrobatic maneuvers. Don’t expect many submissions though, that’s not his style. He does big moves, he does them well, and he is successful for it. Don’t confuse that with not being smart, though. Omega will use those gifts along with an inventive brain to his advantage, formulating numerous new ways of dishing out punishment.

Most of his usual arsenal targets the opponent’s head and back. The One Winged Angel displays his strength by putting the other wrestler sitting straight atop his shoulders before driving him to the canvas. His V-Trigger knees and Dragon Rush suplexes are done in quick, explosive fashion, multiple times if necessary. He also has moves like the rolling fireman’s carry slam into a middle rope moonsault, the Terminator tope con giro, and the Kotaro Killer leg-drop bulldog at hand to display complete prowess, as well as a knack for pulling things from his friends and rivals’ move-sets out from time to time.

Kenny does all of that because of his sheer capacity and also a gloating belief on himself, which he will express in the ring. Such a risky style can lead him to situations where it may backfire and leave openings, if his opponent manages to endure and/or counter such a barrage. There are very few that can withstand this kind of punishment, though, and along the years Omega learned how to better dose those tendencies to great effect. As such, The Cleaner is an exciting individual to watch, but also a very dangerous opponent to try your hand against. He won’t stop coming at you no matter how hard you attack, and has all the tools and talent any athlete will ever need to pull out the victory. You can’t escape.

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