Kenny Omega On Working With Xavier Woods, Ideal New Day Vs. Bullet Club Scenario, Joining WWE, More

Kenny Omega joined Ring Rust Radio this week to discuss Wrestle Kingdom 11 on January 4th. You can check out the full episode in the video above, they sent us these highlights:

On January 4 at Wrestle Kingdom 11, you challenge Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. After winning the G1 Climax tournament and becoming the first non-Japanese wrestler to ever earn that honor, what is the pressure like for you to perform at an elite level and what would winning the title mean to you?

“It’s strange because I don’t feel a lot of pressure. Tokyo Dome is a strange place to say the least. From the outside looking in, it would seem like this is our biggest show and guys will feel like it’s time to turn it up and give it your all because it’s that one and only time of year where everyone’s watching and this is why. You have to show why New Japan Pro Wrestling is one of the best and biggest promotions on the planet. I look at the Tokyo Dome as more of a celebration. We work hard all year and it’s kind of like a reward for that year of long and hard work leading up to the Tokyo Dome. It’s a beautiful building, huge capacity, we have the pyro, the light show and special attractions galore. It’s just a fun experience. A lot of guys bring their families out and that’s a rare opportunity for a lot of our families who live in Canada, the US or different countries to come out and watch us live. It really is just a fun time to do what we love to do in front of the largest audience we have all year. To be in the main event, I should feel pressure and there are a lot of people that are expecting a lot from me, my company included. I expect a lot from myself. You’re going to have people that want you to fail, people that doubt you should be in that position, and I just want to shut those guys up. I do feel confident that if I just bring the package that I’ve been bringing all year, the match should be fine and the fans should be going home happy, so looking I am forward to it.”

One interesting aspect of Wrestle Kingdom 11 is that it will not only be available to English-speaking fans through New Japan World, but also on AXS TV a few days later. With more international fans than ever watching the product, how has that impacted your approach to your championship match and your performances in general?

“In general, I try to make the company appeal to a broader audience. There once was this idea that we really had to protect old school, strong-style wrestling and the company didn’t really want to change up the style that made them famous since the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s and 80s. They really wanted to be New Japan: King of Sports. This is where we do strong style, but as of late, they’ve really taken this more hybrid entertainment approach. I think they recognize that as a performer, I really do take pride in being an all-around performer and I can do whatever style is required for the match and whatever style is required for the crowd. Really, what I’ve been trying to do all year is I’ve been trying to have matches that the live house is going to appreciate, but also whoever’s tuning in around the world won’t get lost in …

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