AEW International Champion Kenny Omega has spoken out on his current day-to-day battles after fighting diverticulitis in late 2023.
The former World Champion was hospitalised with the condition and missed more than a year of action. While Omega was out, it was also revealed that at one point there was a 50/50 chance that the illness could have been fatal had they not caught it quickly enough.
Making his return at Wrestle Dynasty on January 5, Omega defeated Gabe Kidd and reminded the fans why he is known as the best bout machine. However, The Cleaner is also aware that he is not the wrestler he once was.
During an interview with Dave Meltzer of F4WOnline, Omega admitted that he is still working through a number of issues, but did not want the fans to be more leniant to the quality of his matches just because he has battled diverticulitis:
“It’s as you said, I feel in the pursuit of just staying at the same pace that the younger healthier talent are moving at, I feel in situations like that I wouldn’t be able to stand out or oppositely, I would be able to stand out, but I would stand out in different kind of way, a negative way…I try not to bring attention to that,” he said. “I don’t want people to feel scared or sorry for me, or I don’t want anyone’s opinion of a match to be hampered because I simply just can’t move consistently as fast all the time…there’s still a number of issues I’m working through, and it’s really day to day.”
Omega also spoke about the long-term effects of contracting the illness, stating that there is a lot of discomfort, and at times he is exhausted:
“I have these adhesions in my stomach, quite a few, and when you’re breathing heavy, when you have to use a lot of core, when you have to twist, when you have to stretch, the adhesions that are binding to my inner organs, they’re pulling apart, and it’s causing a lot of discomfort, kinda sorta like a lot of flu like symptoms to emerge. It’s not meant to scare anybody, I’ll be in bed until 5 p.m., 6 p.m. for almost an entire week…I just don’t have the energy, I can’t move,” he recalled. “That was the most scary part to me.”
The former World Champion went on to speak about knowing his limits and credited AEW owner Tony Khan for prioritising his health above all:
“Knowing my own limits and being okay I do have a limit is what’s important. And again I’m also very lucky I have a boss that has an understanding of that…my safety and health is always paramount to the company.”
Kenny Omega To Face His Greatest Rival At AEW All In
Omega is set to be in action at AEW’s biggest show of the year, All In, on July 12. Omega’s opponent will be the current Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada. The Okada vs. Omega series of matches in New Japan is arguably the most famous rivalry in the history of the promotion and is regarded by many as some of the greatest wrestling matches of all time. Whoever wins the match will become the first Unified Champion in AEW.
Featured image: AEW
