The New Day and the Elite are headed for a blockbuster, interpromotional street fight!
Well, they’ll be playing Street Fighter V, which is probably as close to an actual street fight these two rival factions will get as long as they remain on different continents.
BREAKING NEWS: We just spoke with @XavierWoodsPhD and @KennyOmegamanX and they've agreed to settle their #SFVAE feud in one week – June 14 during E3! pic.twitter.com/QolOVdzE9n
— Street Fighter (@StreetFighter) June 7, 2018
Since 2016, New Japan Pro Wrestling‘s Kenny Omega and World Wrestling Entertainment‘s Xavier Woods have been immersed in a gaming feud over Street Fighter V and later, other video games. The two avid gamers had their first showdown at CEO 2016, which was won by Omega along with a fancy CEO wrestling belt. Woods, who won the Dance Dance Revolution battle (also at CEO 2016) took the Tekken 7 rematch a year later, leaving the feud of who is better at combat games, tied at 1-1.
The feud began to escalate recently on social media as Creed (Xavier Woods) and Kenneth (Kenny Omega) challenged the other to prove they were a better gamer. This led to Capcom, the makers of the game, offering both men a platform at E3 in Los Angeles, for their all-important rubber match. In classic wrestling style, the two even had a contract signing to make the match official.
Both men agreed to the showdown, in order to settle things once and for all, but before the verbal signing came to an end, the stakes were raised. Omega challenged not just Woods but Woods and anybody else he wanted to team with in Street Fighter V’s team mode.
As I said, ive already got my team for #E3. Who you bringing Kenneth? @kennyomegamanx @streetfighter @upupdwndwn pic.twitter.com/6a5ivHZsSZ
— Austin Creed (@AustinCreedWins) June 10, 2018
Woods had his backup in mind in Kofi Kingston and Big E, the other members of New Day, but staying true to current kayfabe, Omega didn’t quite have his partners yet. He did, however, make a funny fake phone call to AJ Styles asking him if he was still mad about that thing (kicking him out of Bullet Club) before realizing the phone had been hung up.
Following Dominion however, and on a recent episode of Being the Elite, Omega found his backup in the form of his new Golden Elite partners, Matt and Nick Jackson, the Young Bucks.
I appreciate the sentiments on my historic win, @XavierWoodsPhD , but for you to assume that I wouldn’t find any friends for #E3 is about as silly as your mid card comedy act partners. Get ready for your first main event, boys. https://t.co/VOID0xornN #theElite
— Kenny Omega (@KennyOmegamanX) June 10, 2018
The two factions, who have been going back and forth on social media for years, even hinting at a match at various points in time, seem to finally be getting their wish in some capacity. While no actual wrestling is set to take place, it will be the Elite vs the New Day and perhaps surprisingly, WWE has taken notice. More than that, however, the company, which is referring to Omega as an “independent star” and even referencing his time in WWE developmental, has even been promoting the showdown.
“The six-man tag team showdown you’ve been dreaming of is happening today,” reads the first line of an article that WWE.com posted on the day of the battle. The video will stream both on the UpUpDownDown Youtube channel as well as Capcom’s Twitch for those interested in watching the “battle that many sports-entertainment fans thought would never happen.”
Interestingly enough, while WWE did make sure to reference the Young Bucks as IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions, they did not offer Omega that same courtesy, choosing to leave out his own IWGP Heavyweight Championship and any connection to NJPW. Instead, Omega was referred to as an “independent star.” Omega, however, was referred to as champion in the video that WWE produced detailing how the head-to-head came to be.
The New Day/Elite feud began to take shape the same year that Omega and Woods’ gaming feud did. In 2016, the two factions went back and forth on social media with Omega even appearing on Woods’ UpUpDownDown channel and the Elite donning mock-New Day shirts featuring the trio riding what appeared to be a caribou while standing on top a pile of money. Shortly after, the Elite actually came to the ring for a match at Kizuna Road using New Day’s music and wearing their shirts with Omega using his signature broom to imitate Woods’ trumpet. On an episode of Being the Elite, the Bucks suggested the wardrobe change was the reason for their losses that night.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLjLZohJouk
As has been mentioned, this Street Fight(er) match is about the closest we’ll get to seeing these two top factions mix it up. As such, it’s time to enjoy the showdown and hope there is some good trash talk that comes from it!
