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In a shoot heard around the world, Kenny Omega declared that he will not be re-signing with New Japan Pro Wrestling.
This, of course, fuels even more rampant speculation that he will be joining the WWE once his contract with NJPW expires. Kenny Omega has made a huge impact on sports entertainment in the past several years, catapulting to mega-stardom based on his five-star match with Rainmaker Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight championship.
Though that was a losing effort for Omega, he still made his mark on the industry with his stellar performance. At the time, his contract was coming up with NJPW, much as it is now, and many fans believed he would jump ship to another promotion, and of course, the biggest of them all, the WWE, was at the top of the list.
The rumours were further fueled by longtime WWE legend John Cena tweeting a simple picture of Omega, which made many fans believe Kenny Omega would make his debut at the Royal Rumble that year. As history tells the tale, Omega wound up re-signing with NJPW, dashing the hopes of WWE fans that they would see the Cleaner in a WWE ring.
But now, everything is pointing toward Omega signing with the WWE, considering there is a big money offer on the table. Omega has played coy and hinted he will take a break from pro wrestling, but still many believe he might end up joining the WWE sooner rather than later.
Here are ten possible plans for Kenny Omega should he sign on the dotted line and join WWE.
#1 A long arrival tease, like Chris Jericho in 2000
Granted, this is one option that many Kenny Omega fans do NOT want to see. They would prefer to see the Cleaner in a WWE ring as soon as possible, but the WWE might want to stretch out his arrival for full dramatic effect, much like they did for Chris Jericho in 2000.
Video packages and vignettes are quite normal before a wrestler debuts, but when the superstar is considered to be special, the WWE sometimes creates a gimmick like Jericho's clock.
#2 Feud with Brock Lesnar
One of the many reasons that WWE fans are excited about the prospect of Kenny Omega coming to the promotion is the possibility of matches against talent he would never otherwise face.
Probably the biggest name at the top of that list is Brock Lesnar. The current Universal Champion and UFC Heavyweight has received a lot of criticism for his part-time schedule in the WWE, and for some less than stellar performances against Roman Reigns and Braun Strowman. However, he is still, without a shadow of a doubt, the most recognizable name on the WWE roster, especially to mainstream media sources.
If Kenny Omega is truly to become the next big thing, he must defeat the current big thing. This may be what WWE has in mind for the Cleaner.
#3 He might begin a new version of Bullet Club
Bullet Club has become one of the most popular stables in modern wrestling, even with the departure of many of its founding members and megastar athletes like Adam Cole and AJ Styles.
Given the success of the group, it was only natural that WWE would try to replicate it. Their version, simply dubbed the Club, comprised of AJ Styles, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson. However, the Club fizzled quickly, mostly because WWE believed that AJ Styles worked better as an underdog babyface.
But that doesn't mean WWE won't try again with new blood, and Kenny Omega has the natural charisma to lead such a group in spades. If this is the route WWE takes, then the next question is who would he lead in such a group?
#4 Make his debut at the Royal Rumble and win
Two years ago, when Kenny Omega was first rumoured to be interested in moving to WWE, fans were rabid with the possibility he might make his debut at the Royal Rumble and win the match. This was pure speculation, without a shred of evidence, but it still worked the sports entertainment world into a lathered frenzy.
Considering how much heat was generated by what seemed to be quite a popular idea, it is possible the WWE will go ahead and actually do it should Kenny Omega sign on the dotted line.
He would join AJ Styles as a man who made his debut at the annual battle royal but might be able to up the ante by actually winning the Royal Rumble, and claim his main event spot at Wrestlemania 35.
#5 He might join NXT and have a run there first
The path to the WWE leads through NXT...or so the saying goes (unless your name is AJ Styles.)
Even major stars who have held championship gold in other promotions often have to run through WWE's ostensibly developmental brand first, though NXT seems to have taken on a life, and fans, of its own.
Triple H has explained this need for wrestlers to go through NXT as a way of learning the WWE style of wrestling. What makes WWE style unique is that it is designed to take full advantage of television and video streaming, meaning the athletes have to not only be aware of their opponent but which camera they are currently appealing to.
It is entirely possible that Omega might be persuaded to run through NXT before he makes it to the main roster for this reason. And honestly, aren't you excited about the prospect of Omega vs. Ricochet?
#6 He might not play the Kenny Omega character
One can well imagine the great, sputtering cry of exasperation many Omega fans have at reading the title of this slide! Nothing is set in stone as of yet, but if Kenny Omega joins the WWE, it may not be as the Kenny Omega character.
WWE has a long history of changing pro wrestler's names if they made their fame outside of the company. For example, Scott Hall was a big star in the NWA territories under his real name, but when he joined WWE he was repackaged as a Cuban-born Razor Ramon. Likewise, independent wrestling darling and ROH alumni Chris Hero has been re-Christened Kassius Ohno, a name chosen primarily because WWE already had it trademarked.
There are examples of wrestlers being allowed to keep their original name and character, of course, such as Adam Cole, Booker T, and AJ Styles. However, Kenny Omega fans might want to prepare themselves to see their hero debut in WWE under a different name.
#7 He might end up being part of the Golden Lovers again
Oftentimes, when a young wrestler debuts for a new promotion in Japan, if they have not proven themselves yet, they will be given a gimmick considered embarrassing or even shameful. This is a way of the young rookie to pay their dues in the industry, and also has the added bonus of getting them noticed, as the gimmick will often be extreme or attention-grabbing.
This was the case with Kenny Omega and his partner Kota Ibushi. However, what was intended to humble them only gave them a tremendous springboard into sports entertainment consciousness, because Omega and Ibushi played the role they were given to the hilt.
In fact, many fans and even wrestling journalists were fooled into thinking they were actually in a relationship with one another. Omega plays it coy about the gimmick, even to this day, but by all indications, he and Ibushi are just very good friends.
WWE has used this gimmick before, with Billy and Chuck, and it was in the old WCW as well with the West Hollywood Blondes. It's not likely to happen -- Ibushi's contract isn't up for a bit after Omega's expires -- but in the world of pro wrestling, never say never.
#8 Kenny Omega might portray a 'free agent'
Back in the year 2006, a Montel Vontavious Porter -- better known by his initials MVP -- started showing up in the crowd at Smackdown events. Despite the fact that he hadn't wrestled prominently in other organizations, the announcers and then Smackdown general manager Teddy Long all described him as a coveted free agent.
Oddly he would not appear in the crowd on Raw, which somewhat lessened the effect his gimmick had. After all, wouldn't a hot free agent be courted by both brands of WWE?
WWE might try a similar tactic with Kenny Omega. They realize that he is well known to many fans, and he might show up in the crowd and Raw and Smackdown events, or be 'wined and dined' by the general managers of both brands. This technique would build up anticipation of Omega's eventual debut, and add to the overall drama of his arrival.
#9 He might face off against John Cena and defeat him
John Cena has been a fixture in the WWE for a very long time, as long as some fans have been alive. He is known alternately as The Face that Runs the Place, Big Match John, and Mr. Hustle Loyalty and Respect.
If Kenny Omega signs with WWE, then he will need to beat some established WWE stars in order for his character to resonate with fans. When it comes to the WWE, Cena is perhaps the biggest name that is still currently employed by the promotion.
In a match between John Cena and Kenny Omega, the whole impetus would be for Cena to pass the torch to the newly signed Cleaner. Cena has done this before -- most recently with Roman Reigns -- but that doesn't mean he still isn't qualified to do so for Kenny Omega as well.
#10 Omega might debut at Wrestlemania by interfering in the main event
If there's one thing guaranteed to generate a ton of interest in a wrestler, it's when they make their debut on the grandest stage of them all: Wrestlemania.
Very, very few athletes are afforded this highest of honors, the most recent example being Ronda Rousey. Kenny Omega is probably deserving of this prestige as well, but WWE may be reluctant to have him just arrive out of the blue. They would miss out on great promotional opportunities if they did so, because obviously, Kenny Omega's first Wrestlemania match would be a big draw.
He might still be a surprise, however, and if so he would likely inject himself somehow into the main event, which is yet to be determined. If WWE takes this route, expect at least some hints and vignettes of the Cleaner to air before the big event to fuel fan frenzy and speculation.
There you have it: Ten possible scenarios for Kenny Omega should he join WWE. What would you like to see WWE do with the Cleaner? Please comment and let us know, and thanks for reading!
