AEW's Kenny Omega Wins First Match In 13 Months (& Instant Classic) At Wrestle Dynasty

After 13 months away from the ring, Kenny Omega returned to action at AEW x NJPW Wrestle Dynasty, hardly looking like someone who had been sidelined by diverticulitis, as he defeated Gabe Kidd in an instant classic. The bout was Omega's first match back at the Tokyo Dome since his much-acclaimed IWGP United States win over Will Ospreay in 2023, and he was doing so in a grudge match that Kidd started with an altercation back in November. 

"The Best Bout Machine" entered to a new entrance theme composed by "Final Fantasy" soundtrack artists Masayoshi Soken and Nobuo Uematsu — alongside vocals from Jason Miller — and was described by commentary as a threat to NJPW. As such, he was placed in the heel role for his comeback, as the crowd chanted for NJPW's own Kidd later on. 

The match started strong, with each exchanging strikes and kicks before the action spilled to the outside. Kidd took the advantage here, driving Omega into the guardrails before setting up tables next to one another; he would go through them himself in a cruel twist of fate, only to later find another under the ring to finally put his opponent through. 

The pair exchanged unprotected chair shots to the head, before Omega delivered a series of V-Triggers to set Kidd up in the corner. Omega then hoisted Kidd onto the top rope, landing a Dragon Suplex as he looked for the One Winged Angel, only for Kidd to escape and lock in an abdominal stretch. Kidd followed up with a piledriver only for Omega to find a rope break in the pin, allowing "The Cleaner" to get back into the fight with another series of V-Triggers followed by the One Winged Angel for the pinfall.