Kenny Omega Leaving NJPW Is Probably A Work

If you believe Kenny Omega is leaving NJPW, All Elite Wrestling is his most believable destination.

'The Cleaner' formed The Elite with The Young Bucks the night they kicked AJ Styles out of Bullet Club in January 2016. This trio remains the group's core, though their ranks were officially expanded to include Marty Scurll, Hangman Page, and Cody in October 2018. As things stand, Omega and Scurll are the only of these names not signed to AEW.

Scurll's situation is cloudy as well, as he remains contracted to Ring Of Honor, where he recently kickstarted a new angle as the head of Villain Enterprises with newcomers Brody King and PCO. AEW will almost certainly go after him when said deal expires, but his future remains a mystery.

For Omega, signing with AEW would mean continuing a mutually beneficial working relationship with some of his closest friends in the business, making it a natural step after his Tokyo Dome-headlining stint in New Japan. He can keep 'changing the world' as the top star in a brand new wrestling promotion, without the sacrifices required to make it on WWE's main roster. Money wouldn't be an issue, either: Simon Khan is investing a reported $100 million into the project, and AEW are already offering deals comparable to WWE.

But tethering his future to All Elite Wrestling would be a huge risk. Cody and the brothers Jackson haven't even announced their first show, and while Khan is seemingly using his media connections to try and secure a TV deal, the promotion could live or die on his ability to do so. They need a platform. Ending up on a rinky-dink network like Impact's new home or delivering the product exclusively through streaming services would hinder exposure and profitability, putting a bullet in AEW's chances of challenging the monopoly early.

And if All Elite dies, that isn't something a star like Kenny will want his name associated with. At least he knows the other non-NJPW option won't go bust...

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