According to Japanese wrestling reporter Enuhito, WWE attempted to sign New Japan Pro Wrestling talent and reigning IWGP Intercontinental Champion Kenny Omega, with the wrestler confessing that WWE approached him thrice last year alone according to reports dailywrestlingnews.com.
Omega, whose real name is Tyson Smith, originally hails from Canada, and gave up a career in ice hockey as a goalie in order to become a wrestler due to his peers up taking the sport.
The wrestler first forged his career with local promotion Premier Championship Wrestling before getting his big break with WWE-owned Deep South Wrestling. After quitting DSW in 2006, Omega moved across various promotions before coming into the spotlight with New Japan Pro Wrestling in 2010.
While at NJPW, Omega won various silverware including one IWGP Intercontinental Championship, two IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championships and one IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship, among other laurels.
The 32-year-old also attracted a personal accolade when he was ranked #5 on the PWI 500 in 2015.
Omega isn’t the first NJPW talent to attract the attention of WWE, with the franchise recently snapping up decorated former NJPW star Shinsuke Nakamura, who they signed for their NXT brand.
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