Why Dave Meltzer Is RIGHT About Kenny Omega

Trent Kenny Omega
AEW/Lee South

Trent, sensing an opportunity for something more than that - a win over one of AEW's biggest stars - targeted Omega's injured hand to alter what was a plain dynamic and mutate the tone of sportsmanship into something far nastier and more compelling.

This transgression opened up the narrative and justified the brutality of the final third, in which Omega and Trent, driven now by something else, spiked each other onto the apron and the floor with vicious suplex variations. Omega, surveying this new and theoretically constrictive environment - this was QT Marshall's tiny, barely-dressed wrestling school - looked at the pillar, saw an opportunity to do something cool, and smashed Trent into it with a powerbomb. This was a gruesome spot earned by the theme of vengeance developed in the match. Everything that might have felt excessive did not because of the level of detail Omega applied to his work. It was a situationally perfect match in the least ideal situation pro wrestling has ever found itself in.

Omega didn't just do a bittersweet, uncanny emulation of wrestling in lockdown; Omega did lockdown wrestling.

His iconic, controversial Lights Out war with Jon Moxley at Full Gear was another match loaded with detail. Omega's condescending dig at Moxley's pure wrestling ability - "What, are you gonna chain wrestle me Jon?" - was avenged, literally, with a steel chain wrapped around his teeth. In a match in which Omega "lowered" himself to Mox's artless level, Mox transcended his perception as a dumb, tough meathead in victory.

CONT'D...(2 of 6)

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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 surefire Undisputed WWE Universal 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!