"I just stay in my shell now and do what I’m paid to do" - Kenny Omega gets honest about sad AEW change

Kenny Omega is one of AEW's founding pillars. He has served Tony Khan's promotion both as a top-tier in-ring performer and one of the company's original Executive Vice Presidents. However, the former AEW World Champion recently opened up about how the EVP role that once symbolized creative power has instead become a source of personal regret.

In an interview with Adi Shankar, Omega revealed the difficult truth about the toll of his EVP responsibilities and how it has creatively stifled him. He further stated:

“For me, one of the most regrettable things about becoming an EVP for AEW was that we were now responsible for everything we did or said. If something didn’t align with what the network wanted, or if it offended fans who filed a formal complaint, we could be taken off the air immediately. That’s a huge responsibility to have—not just to our fans, but to the hundreds of people employed at AEW. It made me miss the days when we were just a ragtag group of guys being creative, doing whatever we thought would entertain our fans and bring in new ones." [H/T: ringsidenews.com]

So now, instead of challenging boundaries like he once did, Omega, who had earlier mentioned that he didn't want to become an EVP, has to resort to playing it safe. “I just stay in my shell and do what I’m paid to do,” he said.

AEW star Kenny Omega misses the good old days

In the same interview, Omega spoke fondly of earlier years when he and his fellow EVPs, including the Young Bucks, Hangman Page, and Cody Rhodes, operated as a tight-knit crew. Back then, they were their own bosses. They would challenge higher-ups, run with their own ideas, and if something went sideways, “just apologize for it after."

Omega further mentioned watching old clips with the Bucks, laughing at how silly and fun those days were. The fans were in on the joke, and there was a shared understanding that it was all in good fun.

The reigning AEW International champion also touched on how social media has made it harder to play a character—especially a villain—convincingly. Fans now get “a little too close for comfort,” often confusing scripted storylines for real-world personalities.

Watch the full interview here:

All in all, for Omega, the system has changed, and perhaps it's the cost of leadership. But for someone so attuned to creativity, making peace with the current landscape is bound to hurt.