Kenny Omega Discusses The Progress Of AEW's Women's Division

AEW Executive Vice President Kenny Omega has been heavily involved in the development of the women's division of the company, playing a major role in scouting and recruiting the talent along with overseeing the roster as a whole. Omega, during his appearance on Renee Paquette's "The Sessions" podcast, explained why he took an interest in the division from the start, stating that an experience watching Trish Stratus as a teen inspired him to try and help women's wrestling in the future. 

Omega detailed that when he first saw Stratus, he noticed she had few talented stars to work with compared to women's wrestlers in Japan, and wanted to see the "epic clashes" he saw there replicated over on American television. The former AEW World Champion said clashes between Manami Toyota and Aja Kong showcased a passion in the ring that was different, bringing something extra that "you just didn't see from the male counterparts."

Omega feels in today's wrestling landscape, fans are eager to watch shows with equal representation because women stars are "just as dedicated, or more so than the males to become stars." He thinks there's been a bit of complacency from AEW's male stars knowing they're going to be the focus of the show, despite not earning the spot.

"And it's like, 'No, you guys got to be careful because they're [women stars] coming for you, and not only that, they deserve your spot,'" Omega said. "Now I feel that we have earned that trust. There are people we have to convince on the business end of things as well, that this is a proven thing, this can be successful, and that people want to watch it. We have proven that, yes, people will like it, people want to watch it and yes, it is good."

Kenny Omega believes the AEW women's roster hasn't reached its potential yet, stating they can continue to push forward and build off their momentum. He feels they've looked like "absolute superstars" and couldn't be happier for those who have stuck with AEW from the beginning.

On the February 15 edition of "AEW Dynamite," Ruby Soho defeated Britt Baker and Toni Storm in the show's main event, a position that they were thrust into at the last second. Omega respects talent being able to show up to the arena without knowing what's going to happen and then being thrust into the main event spot and doing the best they can.

"One thing that I respect more than anything, part of the process that the normal person may not be keen to, is that when we show up to an arena and we don't know what the card is, we may know that we'll be performing. But for the women to show up and be like, 'Oh, by the way, for the first time in forever, you guys are going to be the main event,'" Omega said. 

"And it's kind of like, 'Whoa, I'm going to be the main?' And it's like, 'Yup, do or die, this is your big chance, you screw this up it sets the whole division back because we can't trust you to be the main event anymore.' That's so much pressure, that is so much pressure."

As far as what's next for the women who wrestled that night, Soho will look to capture the AEW Women's Championship at AEW Revolution as she takes on current champion, Jamie Hayter, and Saraya. Omega will also be on the card, teaming with fellow World Trios Champions The Young Bucks to take on The House of Black.