Why Dave Meltzer Is RIGHT About Kenny Omega

Virtually every weapon used was a visual extension of the story and character - Omega, the artist, built a torture device, Moxley crawled through broken glass to symbolise his perseverance - and the finish used symbolism to put over its gravity. With the ring canvas torn up, Omega, his wrestling heart still in Japan, attempted best friend Kota Ibushi's Phoenix splash. He failed. Much like the wooden boards, he was, poetically, exposed as the failed U.S. singles TV star. He had lost, and had to enter tag team competition in a bid to prove himself.

On the February 26, 2020 Dynamite, Omega defeated PAC in a phenomenal 30 minute Iron Man match. PAC had countered his One-Winged Angel at every turn (with a poison 'rana in just one electrifying moment). Omega had to draw on something else to secure the win. He did not use the Buckshot lariat nor anything else from the arsenal of his partner and fellow World Tag Team Champion Hangman Page. He used Ibushi's Kamigoye finish before finally executing his own.

The PAC bout contrasted with Hangman Page's performance in the seminal Revolution match against the Young Bucks - his own arsenal exhausted, he respected Omega's enough to hit the One-Winged Angel - to a level of pathos that was aching, were you informed enough to detect the story beat. Was Hangman Page the glory hog, exploding into the win after the hot tag? Or was he just desperate to prove himself Elite? In the same, incredible match, Omega showed the most fire he ever has in AEW when kicking out of the Golden Trigger at what was barely a one count. The Golden Trigger was his double team finish with Kota Ibushi.

Would Omega have shown the same fire, had one of the Bucks used the Dead Eye?

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