Kenny Omega On If WWE Has Contacted Him, New Day Feud, How Nakamura Will Fare On Main Roster, More
Recently on The Ross Report, WWE Hall Of Famer and current lead announcer for New Japan Pro Wrestling on AXS TV, Jim Ross, caught up with IWGP Intercontinental Champion, Kenny Omega. The Bullet Club member talked about whether WWE has been in touch with him recently, dream matches, and how Shinsuke Nakamura will fare in WWE.
According to Omega, WWE has not been in touch with him recently about joining its ranks, although many of his friends are finding success with the company at the moment.
"No, they have not [reached out to me lately]. Yeah, I mean, a lot of exciting stuff is going on there right now. A lot of my friends, I was going to say old friends, but they are my friends today, from The Bullet Club, they've joined. Shinsuke Nakamura, who [Ross] met at Wrestle Kingdom [9], he's there now. That's really cool for the company. I think it's always sad when you see your friends leave and these are guys that you see almost every day of your life. And then, one moment, they're gone."
Omega admitted that he would be happy if he could attain just a fraction of the success as his fellow Manitoban, Chris Jericho. Omega said facing Jericho in the squared circle would definitely be a dream matchup. Also, Omega named Sami Zayn, Shawn Michaels, Mick Foley, and Vince McMahon as dream opponents.
"I've got a ton of guys that I'd love to wrestle, both past and present, even some guys I've already wrestled before, but I'd love to wrestle them in front of a different fanbase. For example, I have wrestled Sami Zayn before, but I would love to wrestle Sami Zayn in front of a WWE crowd. I really think it could be something magical and I think he's the greatest. He's unbelievable! And that, of course, is just my opinion, but, to me, anyways, from seeing talents from all around the world. He's the complete package. He's incredible. A couple go-tos that pretty much everyone says, but I will say Shawn Michaels. I will say I would have loved to have worked Shawn Michaels. Mick Foley as any one of his personas. Just such a genius, incredible performer, and such an unbelievable human being as well. And this one is kind of out of left field, but it is a dream match of mine. With a really cool storyline and a lot of cool promos to hype it up, Vince McMahon. I would love to wrestle Vince McMahon. Anytime Vince has wrestled, I've been thoroughly entertained. I think his big matches are awesome!"
On the subject of challenging The New Day on social media, Omega acknowledged that it was really intended to get fans talking and analogized it to comic book fans fantasizing over crossover battles between DC and Marvel characters.
"I was a fan of comics, I still am, and one of the cool things that comic book collectors would talk about was 'what if' stories. Do you know what I mean? Like, what if Batman fought Wolverine? That's impossible because one's from DC and one's from Marvel. Two different companies. But it'd be cool if it happened. We are sort of presenting the 'what if' scenario and it got people talking. 'Wow, that would be cool! That would be awesome! They should just go ahead and book it.' Of course, we live in a business oriented world and that makes it very difficult to do it because the powers that be may not want the mixing of presences from one company into another."
Moreover, while Omega would not have suggested the angle if he did not think it would do well with fans, 'The Cleaner' was not entirely serious about challenging The New Day.
"I just sort of felt like we live in a world where nothing is really impossible now and I truly do believe that there are people in WWE that are in a managerial position and have some power that want the best for [professional] wrestling, not just for the wrestling itself. For the business end of things, they want to make money, they want to make dollars, [and] they want to make wrestling cool and fun. I wouldn't present anything and go public with anything if I didn't think it could be successful. I would just embarrass myself. I truly do think that if for some reason parties could agree to it that, a match, one match, two matches, three matches, anything, anything between the two of us would make a lot of money. I really do think so. And it's pro wrestling! I don't care. I'm not challenging New Day because I want to go over on them on WWE TV. It has nothing to do with that. It's literally all for the fans and for the people. So was I seriously challenging them? I mean, yes and no. Mostly no."
When asked how Nakamura will do in WWE in light of the company's poor track record of promoting Asian performers, Omega claimed that Nakamura's natural charisma will transcend any bad gimmick he may be saddled with when he moves onto the main roster.
"At the end of the day, I think WWE, even if they messed up beyond belief and gave Nakamura the new version of Kaientai where he was doing the bad voiceover acting or whatever they used to do, they could give him the worst character that they could possibly ever create. I think regardless of it all, he has a charisma that could supersede that all. He is too much of a star to let that hold him back. And I think, eventually, regardless of what happens, as long as he's in front of a camera [and] as long as he's in front of fans, that will shine through. And I think, if I was a betting man, that he will definitely be at the big show doing something huge at some point in time."
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Source: The Ross Report