10 Major Moves AEW Could Make On Its Debut TV Show

7. Turn Kenny Omega Heel

Okada Omega
AEW/James Musselwhite

Kenny Omega is one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time.

His critics and opponents have weaponised his immense artistry against him, as if he is more concerned with putting on a show than simulating a fight - but Omega in reality intersects the physicality and spectacle better than any pro wrestler that has come before him. His work is melodramatic, and balletic, but it also looks incredibly painful. His V-Trigger is a triumph of physical timing, his snap dragon suplex a lip-purser of a signature.

If there's an issue with the presentation of his character thus far in AEW, it's that it feels like a residual version of the star that left New Japan Pro Wrestling. He is presented as simply the best professional wrestler on the planet, only without the affected a*shole element that cast him as such an unbeatable, formidable figure in the east. There is an earnest quality to this Omega character that doesn't quite resonate without the knowledge of the journey he took to restore his heart.

Omega could and perhaps should lose to Jon Moxley at All Out. Moxley is the hotter act, and Omega will retain his aura among Elite diehards. How Omega reacts to this defeat - his second in as many big shows - is crucial to his character development.

A return to the Cleaner character would more effectively showcase the performer who seduced a whole new audience, and provide the necessary major angle to maintain momentum.

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Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick (Creative Writing BA Hons) is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over a decade of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential UK institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!