AEW's Kenny Omega On Working For Marigold Boss Rossy Ogawa: 'I Would Be Very Hesitant'
Former AEW World Champion Kenny Omega has addressed former STARDOM boss Rossy Ogawa's launching of new promotion Dream Star Fighting Marigold. Ogawa was dismissed by STARDOM's parent company, Bushiroad, in February under allegations of talent poaching for a new Joshi promotion, eventually leading to the unveiling of Marigold earlier this month.
Omega spent a significant portion of his career in Japan, wrestling for both NJPW and DDT before making his way to AEW in 2019, and has been instrumental in seeing Joshi stars such as Riho and Hikaru Shida make their way to the US. And while he was reluctant to offer specifics, Omega shared during a Twitch stream why he would be hesitant to praise Ogawa with what he knows of him.
"I'll put it this way ... Rossy's Rossy. He's done this song and dance for his entire life. A leopard can't change its [spots] ... If you like him, you like him," he said. "I've got the actual inside track. Whatever you guys hear in the dirt sheets from American journalists who've got no f***ing clue otherwise. They can say what they want. From someone who lived it, breathed, who has very close friends in the industry. I don't mean necessarily the wrestling industry ... I mean the government issued press. The information they know ... I'm just going to leave it at that. I would say don't be so quick to listen to praise for that individual because someday, I'm not sure when it will be, maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow, but someday, people will know the truth ... A lot of the higher-ups in Japan, they know exactly what kind of business he's up to. And what he's been up to for decades."
Kenny Omega says his issues with Rossy Ogawa stretch beyond Ogawa's WWE relationship
Omega's comments spurred a response in the live chat pointing to Ogawa's relationship with WWE. Ogawa was notably spotted alongside Giulia during "WWE NXT" Stand and Deliver during WrestleMania 40 weekend. But Omega was quick to dismiss that as his leading issue. "Oh I don't care about Rossy being an E-drone. Whatever, that's no big deal. That's not even the tip of the iceberg. Guys, just you friggin' wait."
He said later in the stream, "My comments on Rossy are whatever. There is nothing to say ... I will say one thing, there are a lot of people who refuse to work for him for the very same reason. Some of those people are even in WWE. Some of those people are in AEW. They have a very good reason. It's not just, 'I decided to wake up and not like this guy.' Hey, if you wanna know along what lines they tread amongst ... We already know that he puts underage girls in very revealing swimsuit calendars and books. And I wish that's all he did. Let's put it that way ... Look, I don't have any sort of video evidence, I just have the good word of people that are very close [to the situation] ... For now, I'll say that, people who are deciding to go to Marigold, good luck. I hope you have a great time. I hope it works out for you. For me, I would be very hesitant. I would be very hesitant. That's it, that's all."
The AEW star added that he didn't want to see his words taken out of context or being given meanings that were never intended. But once more pointed out that Ogawa has targeted unmarried women aged 13-30 to become Marigold trainees, as well raiding the roster of Act Wres girl'Z. He closed by saying that he isn't ashamed of what he said, and he stands by Asuka. The "Empress of Tomorrow" previously claimed STARDOM had been created to destroy her.