{"id":129272,"date":"2025-01-03T04:11:55","date_gmt":"2025-01-03T09:11:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/?p=129272"},"modified":"2025-07-09T14:21:20","modified_gmt":"2025-07-09T18:21:20","slug":"wrestle-dynasty-omega-kidd","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2025\/01\/03\/wrestle-dynasty-omega-kidd\/","title":{"rendered":"What Wrestle Dynasty Could Mean for Kenny Omega and Gabe Kidd"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">January 4, 2025, marks an important date for Gabe Kidd and Kenny Omega. At Wrestle Dynasty, both men will collide in the Tokyo Dome\u2014each with a statement to make. Their collision will mean more than we realize.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This isn&#8217;t some ordinary match. They have different goals that could shape the trajectories of their careers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ahead of their battle, I&#8217;d like to talk about that.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kidd and Omega\u2019s Story So Far<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/5Fqip0sqem4?si=KRy_KVOsPWrcbZK2\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kenny Omega\u2019s 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\u2019s Worlds End.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But in New Japan Pro Wrestling, Omega <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.f4wonline.com\/news\/new-japan\/kenny-omega-in-ring-return-against-gabe-kidd-official-for-wrestle-dynasty\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">announced his intentions to wrestle upon return<\/a>. At November&#8217;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.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kidd\u2019s 2024 was vastly different.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the summer of 2023, Gabe Kidd joined the Bullet Club\u2019s 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\u2019s journey had momentum.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Following worked-shoot promos and a May 11 victory over Strong Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston at NJPW\u2019s Resurgence event, eyes were on the young War Dog. His brash foul-mouthed demeanor and brawling style keep him in the conversation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With each man\u2019s stories tied to the Bullet Club in some way, it seems like destiny that their paths cross.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What Does This Mean for Kenny Omega?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/m2IRAOQdxQg?si=hRvnq06dQLjvUeAp\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fresh off his emergency treatment and recovery from diverticulitis, Omega appears to be raring to go. This poor health denied him a full year\u2019s worth of match catalogs which some may argue was one of many reasons AEW struggled in 2024.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">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.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, this isn&#8217;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.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Of course, he can. He\u2019s Kenny freakin\u2019 Omega. We fans know from experience that <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2024\/09\/25\/aew-five-year-anniversary-creating-aew\/\" target=\"_self\">Omega can pull off matches<\/a> 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&#8217;s finally retired. He is one of the best to have laced up a pair of boots.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What Does This Mean for Gabe Kidd?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/OYvA_2ELKEI?si=kq94h_nFNgg3phAL\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kidd has a heavy chip on his shoulder. He\u2019s a member of wrestling\u2019s most important groups with <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2019\/07\/01\/the-next-chapter-begins-gabriel-kidd-to-train-at-new-japans-la-dojo\/\" target=\"_self\">loads of potential<\/a>. The young Brit stands out with a divisive and polarizing presence. Omega is exciting and aesthetically pleasing, whereas Kidd is the opposite. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Angry with a penchant for profanities, Kidd\u2019s veins pulse with venom. Having suffered mental health crises in the past, he\u2019s a highly emotional man, prone to outbursts. Omega is a superhero, and Kidd is an ugly truth.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Capturing the wrestling industry\u2019s attention with his promos and destroying Eddie Kingston for his title has already put Kidd on the map, Bullet Club aside. Yet, he hasn\u2019t had an exact moment that has propelled him to stardom.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That\u2019s 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\u2019t worse than his bite. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The claim of dismantling the Best Bout Machine is one he salivates over. Calling his shot, he aims to prove that Omega doesn\u2019t have \u201cit\u201d anymore. To Kidd, this opportunity will cement him as a top name in the industry. After all, he&#8217;d love nothing more than <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.fightful.com\/wrestling\/gabe-kidd-i-don-t-want-anything-do-aew-they-re-embarrassing-nerds-aren-t-helping-us\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">shooting down AEW in favor of NJPW<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Either he crushes the returning megastar, or he goes down trying.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Conclusion<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is very little story going into this match. I like it that way. In respects, it\u2019s 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.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">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.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The stakes are to stamp one\u2019s 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. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">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\u2019s a fan of Street Fighter. I\u2019m sure he\u2019ll love the reference).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">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.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whosoever boldly stands above the crumpled body of their opponent sets the stage for their year. Kidd\u2019s just starting to rack up names for himself, while Omega\u2019s an entirely different beast in NJPW than in AEW; furthermore, this match will undoubtedly tear the house down regardless.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is a match that grants the victor bragging rights. A chance to make a statement. And what\u2019s more dangerous than a person with something to prove?<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>More From LWOS Pro Wrestling<\/h3>\n<p><em><span class=\"s1\">Header photo \u2013 NJPW\/AEW &#8211; Stay tuned to the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/\" target=\"_self\">Last Word on Pro Wrestling<\/a>\u00a0for more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world, as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world.\u00a0 You can rewatch all 2021 NJPW events and plenty more tremendous wrestling content from New Japan Pro-Wrestling on\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/njpwworld.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">NJPWWorld.com<\/a>; The King of Sports Streaming.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>January 4, 2025, marks an important date for Gabe Kidd and Kenny Omega. At Wrestle Dynasty, both men will collide in the Tokyo Dome\u2014each with a statement to make. Their collision will mean more than we realize. This isn&#8217;t some ordinary match. They have different goals that could shape the trajectories of their careers. Ahead [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5361,"featured_media":129279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4677,13,14,6,2192],"tags":[149,9111,8965,386,423,9112,9110],"class_list":["post-129272","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-aew","category-international","category-njpw","category-north-america","category-wrestling","tag-bullet-club","tag-bullet-club-war-dogs","tag-gabe-kidd","tag-kenny-omega","tag-the-elite","tag-war-dogs","tag-wrestle-dynasty"],"modified_by":"Marilee Gallagher, Manager","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129272","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5361"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=129272"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129272\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":129282,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129272\/revisions\/129282"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/129279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=129272"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=129272"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=129272"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}