7 Reasons Kenny Omega might have chosen AEW over WWE

On 1 January 2019 at the stroke of midnight, a group of wrestling rebels gathered together in the freezing cold Tokyo air and announced the unthinkable; the formation of a new wrestling promotion, intended to provide an alternative platform for wrestlers who were tired of more corporate-oriented companies.

The newly minted All Elite Wrestling set out not to be simply another indie promotion, but a major force in sports entertainment which would compete directly against the more established brands of WWE, Impact, and Ring of Honor.

Almost as soon as the video aired on the internet, rampant speculation began among the pro wrestling community. Would wrestlers sign to other companies choose to jump ship to the upstart promotion?

Will a new brand entering an already crowded sports entertainment market be able to find its niche and/or mainstream acceptance? And most of all, which free agents might eschew the older promotions and sign with AEW?

It is the last question that concerns us here, as it pertains to the man who is, without question, the hottest free agent in pro wrestling today. In fact, he might be the hottest free agent in pro wrestling HISTORY, as for nearly five years there has been constant speculation about this individual's contractual status.

His name is Kenny Omega, The Cleaner, the Best Bout Machine, or just plain that guy from Canada if you prefer. For a man who is the focus of so much attention, Omega seems nonplussed. The only official announcement he has made regarding his career is that he is leaving the New Japan Pro Wrestling company.

However, there have been cryptic statements made by the Young Bucks that seem to indicate Kenny Omega is going to sign with AEW, and the usually accurate Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Newsletter is claiming that Kenny already turned down a major offer from WWE.

So, if Omega really is headed to AEW--which isn't official as of this writing--why might he make such a decision? Here are seven reasons why Kenny Omega might prefer AEW over WWE.

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#7 Creative Control

Kenny Omega dressed as Princess Jasmine from Disney's Alladin. It's unlikely Omega would be allowed to pull such a stunt in WWE.

First and foremost, men like Kenny Omega are quite a different breed than, say, Titus O'Neil. Titus O'Neil might like his job, but at the end of the day, pro wrestling is just one facet of his life.

For Kenny Omega, pro wrestling isn't just a job for a paycheck; It's a way of life, an art form, and a science. It's very important to men like Omega that the wrestling product they perform meets certain critical standards, and above all is entertaining.

When you join WWE, you're joining a corporate machine that, for good or ill, is in the business of factory producing wrestling talent. While it's something they do very well, Kenny Omega might prefer more control over his career and creative direction, which he is much more likely to get in AEW.

#6 The bonds of friendship

Kenny Omega flanked by the Young Bucks, Matt and Nick Jackson.

In the pro wrestling industry, friendships tend to matter more than just about any other force. Friendship is worth more than money, matters more than which company a wrestler works for, and can lead to a lifelong association.

Arn Anderson and Ric Flair have been fast friends for four decades. Even when Arn wrestled in the WWF and Flair was NWA world champion, their friendship continued. In fact, when Arn's WWF run came to an end it was Ric Flair who made sure he got his job back with WCW.

Given that friendships are so important in the sports entertainment industry, it might be the bonds of brotherhood that draw Kenny Omega to All Elite Wrestling. He and the Young Bucks, in particular, go way back, though Omega is also close with Adam Page and Christopher Daniels.

#5 A chance to build something grand from the ground up

Cody and the Young Bucks know they face an uphill battle with AEW.

Long before the freezing January announcement officially acknowledging the formation of All Elite Wrestling, there has been industry buzz surrounding the fledgeling promotion.

Most of the buzz has been to question whether or not All Elite Wrestling even has a chance in the crowded sports entertainment market. Independent wrestling had a banner year in 2018, and interest in pro wrestling has reached new heights previously only seen during the Monday Night War.

But All Elite Wrestling has a ton of advantages over its fellow upstart independent promotions, and one of those is its novelty. AEW is literally building itself from the ground up. For a man like Kenny Omega, the lure of being there to nurture and grow a new promotion might be irresistible.

After all, everyone knows Hogan helped build the WWE into a massive machine, and Hogan became a legend in the process. Omega might be able to do the same for AEW, and himself.

#4 Freedom to work outside of AEW

Cody Rhodes and Kenny Omega had the feud of the year in Ring of Honor.

One thing has been made abundantly clear about All Elite Wrestling's business model; They are NOT going to stifle out independent promotions, but will, in fact, try to support the indie wrestling scene.

One way in which they will do so is by allowing their talent to work for other promotions, provided they don't have the initials W, W, and E.

Kenny Omega might be under full-time contract to AEW, but still able to jump on a plane and fly to Europe for an independent event there. Or, he could wind up still working for Ring of Honor, as he has done in the past.

The ability to choose when and where he performs his craft might be an additional incentive for Kenny Omega to eschew the WWE in favour of AEW.

#3 Working with top tier talent

Kenny Omega vs. Pentagon Jr. was a wrestling purist's dream match.

There's an old adage in pro wrestling that you're only going to look as good as your opponent can make you. It's certainly true that it takes two to tango, and it takes at least two to make a good, compelling storytelling pro wrestling match.

While Kenny Omega could no doubt make a ton of money joining the WWE, he might end up booked into programs with relatively green talent, such as Braun Strowman, or wrestlers who only work part-time, such as Brock Lesnar. He might find it difficult to be the Best Bout Machine in WWE under such conditions.

But in All Elite Wrestling, with its emphasis on in-ring action, he is much more likely to be paired with wrestlers who are closer to his skill level, men who are likewise interested in putting on a performance that transcends entertainment and becomes art.

#2 Staying away from corporate culture

Former WWE wrestler CM Punk blames the corporate culture for his burnout and frustration with the company.

If you want to know what really sets the major pro wrestling entities like WWE apart from their independent scene ilk, it's that the bigger promotions aren't just wrestling companies, they're entertainment corporations.

Just think about WWE for a moment. Yes, they put on wrestling shows, but they also produce movies, cartoons, comics, and a variety of other products related to pro wrestling. All of this corporate culture helps expand the bottom line profits, but sometimes it can lead to individuals being lost in the shuffle.

CM Punk often speaks of the WWE corporate culture as being one of the most frustrating things about working for that company. Kenny Omega, being more of an artist than a product, might be more willing to sign with AEW to avoid falling into the corporate trap.

#1 Lingering resentment

Kenny Omega during his WWE developmental days.

As many fans know, Kenny Omega has, in fact, been under contract with the WWE in the past. However, he never appeared on any of their major brands and spent time in their then-developmental territory Deep South Wrestling.

While his experience wasn't all bad--Omega credits Squire Dave Taylor with really helping to improve his in-ring work--overall Omega was left with a sour taste in his mouth. Part of the problems stemmed from Bill "Hugh Morris" DeMott, who was known to rub many recruits the wrong way and led to the departure of wrestlers such as EC3.

Omega may also have run afoul of former OVW head Jim Cornette, who continues to revile the Cleaner to this day. The fact of the matter is, Omega might still harbour some resentment from his former WWE contract days, and that could make AEW the more attractive option to him. There you have it; Seven reasons Kenny Omega might be choosing AEW over the WWE.

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