Kenny Omega

Canada-born Japanese professional wrestler

Tyson Smith (born October 16, 1983) is an Canadian professional wrestler. He currently wrestles for All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he competes under the ring name Kenny Omega. Besides wrestling, he is also the executive vice president of AEW.[1] He is currently out of action indefinitely after being diagnosed with diverticulitis.[2]

Kenny Omega
A headshot of Omega in 2019
Born (1983-10-16) October 16, 1983 (age 40)
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Kenny Omega
Scott Carpenter
Billed height6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Billed weight219 lb (99 kg)
Billed fromWinnipeg, Manitoba, Canada (by way of North Carolina)
Trained byBobby Jay
Dave Taylor
DebutFebruary 2000

Smith has also competed in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), Ring of Honor (ROH), Impact Wrestling, and Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (AAA). As well as competing on the independent circuit for DDT Pro-Wrestling (DDT) and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (PWG).

Smith has won many Championships in many different companies. In AEW, he is a one-time AEW World Champion, one-time AEW World Tag Team Champion, and two-time AEW World Trios Champion.

Career

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DDT Pro-Wrestling

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During his early career in DDT Pro-Wrestling, Omega was in a tag team with Kota Ibushi called the Golden☆Lovers.[3] They would later team again in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and All Elite Wrestling (AEW).[4]

New Japan Pro-Wrestling

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During his time in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), Omega was known by the nickname The Cleaner.[5] He was the leader of the stable Bullet Club, a group of heel gaijin. He was kicked out of Bullet Club on the Night 2 of The New Beginning in Sapporo after he lost the IWGP United States Championship to Jay White and got hit with the Cross Rhodes by Cody Rhodes.[6]

All Elite Wrestling

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On February 7, 2019, Omega signed a four-year contract with All Elite Wrestling (AEW).[7] Omega made his AEW in-ring debut at Double or Nothing on May 25, 2019 losing to Chris Jericho.[8]

At Chris Jericho's Rock 'N' Wrestling Rager at Sea Part Deux: Second Wave, Omega and Adam Page won the AEW World Tag Team Championship after defeating SoCal Uncensored (Frankie Kazarian and Scorpio Sky).[9] They would lose the titles to FTR (Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood) at All Out.[10]

Omega would focus on single matches afterwards. At Full Gear, he defeated his former tag parter Adam Page in the finals of a AEW World Championship number one contender tournament.[11] He would go on to win the AEW World Championship at Winter Is Coming and turn heel after Don Callis got up from the commentary booth and distracted Jon Moxley. When Moxley turned around, Omega hit him in the head with a microphone and pinned him.[12]

Due to AEW's working relationship with Impact Wrestling at the time, Omega would also appear on episodes of Impact!. He would go on to defeat Rich Swann on Impact Wrestling's Rebellion pay-per-view to win the Impact World Championship.[13] On the August 18 debut episode of Rampage, Omega would lose the title to Christian Cage.[14]

At Full Gear, Omega would lose the AEW World Championship to Adam Page and took time off from wrestling to heal from injuries.[15][16]

On the August 17, 2022 episode of Dynamite, Omega returned to AEW and was revealed to be the third partner for The Young Bucks. The three would compete in a tournament to crown the first AEW World Trios Champions.[17] They would win the Championships against Adam Page and The Dark Order (Alex Reynolds, and John Silver) at All Out. However, they were later suspended and stripped of them because of a real-life backstage fight that took place between Omega, the Young Bucks, CM Punk, and Ace Steel.[18]

Omega and the Young Bucks returned from suspension on November 19, 2022 and faced Death Triangle at Full Gear but lost.[19]

During their feud with the Blackpool Combat Club, Omega and the Young Bucks said that they would they would have a mystery partner join them for their fight at Blood & Guts. On the July 13 episode of Dynamite, Omega and the Young Bucks revealed Kota Ibushi as their mystery parter, reuniting the Golden☆Lovers.[20] They would go on to defeat the Blackpool Combat Club, Konosuke Takeshita, and Pac.[21]

On August 2, 2023, Omega signed a multi-year contract extension to stay with All Elite Wrestling.[22]

Personal life

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Smith is fluent in Japanese, having learned the language after spending many years living and working in Japan.[23] He hosted a show called Cleaner's Corner on YouTube where he reviewed and played old video games.[24]

References

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  1. "Kenny Omega On Being AEW Champion As EVP: "I'm Just A Lowly Executive Best Wrestler Of All Time". Fightful. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
  2. "Kenny Omega health update, situation 'could have been horrendous'". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
  3. "ケニー・オメガ". New Japan Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). Archived from the original on November 24, 2014. Retrieved October 1, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  4. "The Man In Japan: Kenny Omega's Road To The Tokyo Dome, pt. 3". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
  5. "「新日本に100パーセント集中したい」ケニー・オメガが10月でDDTとの契約終了、"主戦場"を新日本プロレスへ!【会見全文】". New Japan Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved October 1, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  6. "NJPW New Beginning in Sapporo Night Two Live Results: Omega-white". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
  7. "Kenny Omega Confirms Four-Year Deal With AEW; Discusses Negotiations Between AEW, NJPW, And WWE". POSTWrestling. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
  8. "AEW Double or Nothing Card Begins to Take Shape". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
  9. "Spoiler notes and results from Jericho cruise AEW Dynamite taping". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
  10. "FTR Beats Kenny Omega And Hangman Page To Win AEW Tag Team Titles At All Out". Fightful. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
  11. "Kenny Omega wins title eliminator tournament at AEW Full Gear". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
  12. "New AEW Champion Crowned". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
  13. "Kenny Omega captures the Impact World Title in victory over Rich Swann at Impact's Rebellion PPV". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
  14. "Christian Cage Dethrones Kenny Omega on AEW Rampage, Makes First Defense Against Brian Myers at Emergence". Impact Wrestling. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
  15. "AEW Full Gear results: Barnett's live review of Kenny Omega vs. Hangman Page for the AEW World Championship, Bryan Danielson vs. Miro in the eliminator tournament finals, Penta and Rey Fenix vs. FTR for the AEW Tag Titles, CM Punk vs. Eddie Kingston, Britt Baker vs. Tay Conti for the AEW Women's Title, Darby Allin vs. MJF". ProWrestling.net. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
  16. "Matt Jackson Teases Kenny Omega's Return On 8/15 Being The Elite". Fightful. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
  17. "Kenny Omega Returns On 8/17 AEW Dynamite, Teams With The Young Bucks In AEW Trios Tournament Match". Fightful. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
  18. "Report: AEW Members receive suspensions after 'All Out' altercation". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
  19. "AEW Full Gear results: Powell's live review of Jon Moxley vs. MJF for the AEW World Championship, The Acclaimed vs. Swerve Strickland and Keith Lee for the AEW Tag Titles, Toni Storm vs. Jamie Hayter for the Interim AEW Women's Title, Death Triangle vs. The Elite for the AEW Trios Titles, Saraya vs. Britt Baker". ProWrestling.net. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
  20. "Kota Ibushi And PAC Revealed As Final Members Of Blood & Guts Match On 7/12 AEW Dynamite". Fightful. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
  21. "AEW Dynamite results (7/19): Powell's live review of Golden Elite vs. Blackpool Combat Club in a Blood & Guts match, MJF and Adam Cole vs. Daniel Garcia and Sammy Guevara in the Blind Eliminator tourney finals". ProWrestling.net. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
  22. "The Elite renew contracts with AEW". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
  23. "Japanophiles – Kenny Omega". NHK World. Archived from the original on May 12, 2015. Retrieved October 1, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  24. "Meet Kenny Omega, the wrestler every gamer should know". GamesRadar+. Retrieved October 1, 2023.

Other websites

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