10 Wrestlers WWE Could Poach From NJPW Next

6. Kenny Omega

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NJPW

We’d be very surprised if the two parties haven’t already talked on a preliminary basis. Omega is a perfect fit for WWE - his chiseled look is in the classic FCW graduate mould, one which we again suspect Vince McMahon much prefers over the likes of, say, Eric Young.

Unlike the FCW prototype, however, Omega is a veritable wrestling machine - equally adept at mixing it up with heavyweights and juniors, Omega, in his DDT comedy matches with inanimate objects and pre-pubescent girls, has even managed to make Ric Flair's old 'I can wrestle a five-star match with a broomstick' boast an impossibly entertaining reality.

His star is shining to such an extent that NJPW had even entrusted him to wrestle their first-ever ladder match with Tanahashi, who had to drop out due to ongoing injury concerns. That the stipulation wasn't also revoked - he still tussled atop the steel with replacement Michael Elgin - is telling.

Omega is also a force in the personality department - his wild-eyed Brian Pillman-esque look sets him apart from the comparatively bland likes of Michael Elgin and David Finlay. A recent trend has seen WWE acknowledge previous rivalries and affiliations outside of their own domain - with longstanding rival Kota Ibushi mooted for a major role in the upcoming WWE Cruiserweight Classic, there's a great chance we'll see a continuation of their feud sooner rather than later.

Omega is enjoying a career high in 2016, but would he risk his current standing to join the long queue of indy darlings in NXT?

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Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential 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 former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current 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!