January 4, 2025, marks an important date for Gabe Kidd and Kenny Omega. At Wrestle Dynasty, both men will collide in the Tokyo Dome—each with a statement to make. Their collision will mean more than we realize.
This isn’t some ordinary match. They have different goals that could shape the trajectories of their careers.
Ahead of their battle, I’d like to talk about that.
Kidd and Omega’s Story So Far
Kenny Omega’s 2024 largely saw him out of the ring. He did make a rare appearance on the May 1 episode of AEW Dynamite. On that night, he was ambushed by his former colleagues in The Elite. He later confronted AEW Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada at December 28’s Worlds End.
But in New Japan Pro Wrestling, Omega announced his intentions to wrestle upon return. At November’s Power Struggle, he declared an open challenge with a new, young NJPW talent in the opposite corner. Later that night, Gabe Kidd confronted Omega, ultimately leading to a brawl.
Kidd’s 2024 was vastly different.
In the summer of 2023, Gabe Kidd joined the Bullet Club’s War Dogs stable. After a shaky 2021-22, Kidd came in strong with an attitude. Winning tag team gold and defending it alongside then-stablemate Alex Coughlin, Kidd’s journey had momentum.
Following worked-shoot promos and a May 11 victory over Strong Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston at NJPW’s Resurgence event, eyes were on the young War Dog. His brash foul-mouthed demeanor and brawling style keep him in the conversation.
With each man’s stories tied to the Bullet Club in some way, it seems like destiny that their paths cross.
What Does This Mean for Kenny Omega?
Fresh off his emergency treatment and recovery from diverticulitis, Omega appears to be raring to go. This poor health denied him a full year’s worth of match catalogs which some may argue was one of many reasons AEW struggled in 2024.
With a somewhat cleaner bill of health, he gets to feel the exhilarating breeze of winter Tokyo as he runs the ropes. He gets to see if he can still do this; he had done the same during and after treatment from injuries and vertigo years prior.
However, this isn’t like letting injuries heel and making the world stop spinning. Twenty-five inches of his colon has been removed from his body. Can he still do this? This should be nothing to him; Kidd is a loud-mouthed punk who needs to be put in his place. The cerulean blue belongs to Omega, not a cantankerous youth.
Of course, he can. He’s Kenny freakin’ Omega. We fans know from experience that Omega can pull off matches that make us stand up or sit on the edge of our seats. His penchant for storytelling and movement has made him a legend before he’s finally retired. He is one of the best to have laced up a pair of boots.
What Does This Mean for Gabe Kidd?
Kidd has a heavy chip on his shoulder. He’s a member of wrestling’s most important groups with loads of potential. The young Brit stands out with a divisive and polarizing presence. Omega is exciting and aesthetically pleasing, whereas Kidd is the opposite.
Angry with a penchant for profanities, Kidd’s veins pulse with venom. Having suffered mental health crises in the past, he’s a highly emotional man, prone to outbursts. Omega is a superhero, and Kidd is an ugly truth.
Capturing the wrestling industry’s attention with his promos and destroying Eddie Kingston for his title has already put Kidd on the map, Bullet Club aside. Yet, he hasn’t had an exact moment that has propelled him to stardom.
That’s where Kenny Omega comes in. Kidd is Captain Ahab, and Omega is the white whale. So much rests on the War Dog to prove his bark isn’t worse than his bite.
The claim of dismantling the Best Bout Machine is one he salivates over. Calling his shot, he aims to prove that Omega doesn’t have “it” anymore. To Kidd, this opportunity will cement him as a top name in the industry. After all, he’d love nothing more than shooting down AEW in favor of NJPW.
Either he crushes the returning megastar, or he goes down trying.
Conclusion
There is very little story going into this match. I like it that way. In respects, it’s reminiscent of the rivalry between Bret Hart and Stone Cold Steve Austin in 1996/97. Omega, much like Hart, is coming into his old stomping grounds after time away, whereas the Stone Cold Kidd struts in with nothing but unexplained hate in his heart.
And yet the implications of the match stretch far into the realm of possibilities. The stakes, while unspoken, are palpable. There is no gold to lose, no career is on the line, and nobody is being excommunicated from the promotion.
The stakes are to stamp one’s place in 2025. The future therein is to lay claim to the top star in professional wrestling courses through their veins. Either this ends in one of two ways.
One, Omega passing the torch to the phenomena that could be Kidd. The other, Kidd, is a confidence booster and just another Tuesday for Omega. (I know, the match takes place on a Saturday/Sunday, but he’s a fan of Street Fighter. I’m sure he’ll love the reference).
Or, this could be the start of a fresh feud that leads both wrestlers on a longer yet action-packed road. Wrestle Dynasty could be the start.
Whosoever boldly stands above the crumpled body of their opponent sets the stage for their year. Kidd’s just starting to rack up names for himself, while Omega’s an entirely different beast in NJPW than in AEW; furthermore, this match will undoubtedly tear the house down regardless.
This is a match that grants the victor bragging rights. A chance to make a statement. And what’s more dangerous than a person with something to prove?
More From LWOS Pro Wrestling
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