AEW's Kenny Omega "DONE" In Event Of Another Setback?
Former AEW World Champion opens up on his brutal rehab process.
All Elite Wrestling star Kenny Omega has claimed he is "done" if he suffers another major setback in his ongoing rehabilitation.
The former AEW World Champion, who has been out of action since November 2021, made this statement during a stream on the CEO Gaming Twitch channel on Wednesday.
Said Omega of the "scary" situation (h/t Fightful):-
“If I get another major setback, that’s it. That’s it, I’m done, I can’t do this ever again. Two times, three times a day, really painful rehab, not even knowing what it’s going to be like when I get back in the ring. I have no clue. It’s scary, actually. You see people, they come back to the ring and you’re just happy to see them back. There is a different kind of expectation put on me, and I think that anything less than what they are expecting, which is already unrealistic, is going to lead to a lot of ridicule, which is what I get every day anyway.”
Amongst other things, Omega is currently recovering from multiple surgeries to ease neck and knee issues and a sports hernia, all of which he had been working through for an extended period prior to announcing his pro wrestling hiatus. In addition, the 38-year-old had been suffering from vertigo - even in the ring.
Continuing, Kenny spoke of unrealistic expectations when it comes to his recovery, claiming people have treated the situation as if he can just snap his fingers and come back:-
"You can probably understand and imagine how difficult it is, struggling twice, three times a day, trying to get things to work that maybe never worked before, and trying to re-route things in your brain to get around the things that aren't going heal. People think, 'Kenny is hurt, he took time off,' snap your fingers, I come back and I'm 100%. Life doesn't work that way. Bodies don't work that way. Athletes don't work that way. It's very difficult to formulate a plan and to execute it. We'll see how I do."
Omega's use of the word "done" will automatically lead to assumptions that he is planning on retiring should he face another roadblock in his recovery. Alternatively, the former AEW World Champion's words could be interpreted as him not wanting to go through another long, gruelling rehabilitation process, which is seemingly proving too much for him to take at the moment.
Later in the stream, Kenny spoke of a desire to do more storyline-heavy work as opposed to performances carried by extreme, hyper-athleticism in the future, citing his acclaimed 'Hangman' Adam Page feud as an example. "Done" could refer to deviating from the explosive in-ring style that has made Omega such a success in professional wrestling, but has almost certainly accelerated his physical decline.
Whatever the case, Omega's rehabilitation continues. All the best to him.