The Best Bout Machine is back, baby! Kenny Omega, the AEW star and wrestling legend, is officially stepping back into the ring after spending all of 2024 sidelined with diverticulitis. The match? None other than a high-stakes clash against NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion Gabe Kidd at AEW x NJPW Wrestle Dynasty on January 5, 2025.
Omega, who last wrestled on December 5, 2023, against Ethan Page on AEW Collision, re-emerged earlier this month at NJPW’s Power Struggle. Fans were thrilled to see him, but his return wasn’t all handshakes and hugs. Backstage, Omega and Kidd had a fiery confrontation that turned into a verbal sparring match for the ages. After initially brushing Kidd off, Omega surprised everyone by formally challenging him—a move Kidd eagerly accepted on social media. NJPW confirmed the match, setting the stage for what promises to be an explosive encounter.
This will mark Omega’s first-ever bout against Kidd, whose star has been on the rise since he dethroned Eddie Kingston for the NJPW STRONG Openweight Championship in May. While the title won’t be on the line, this is easily the biggest match of Kidd’s career, and a chance to solidify his legacy against a man who has held nearly every major title in New Japan history.
Omega, meanwhile, has plenty to prove. Before his illness, he was on a roll, winning a shot at the AEW tag titles with Chris Jericho after defeating the Young Bucks at Full Gear 2023. His sidelining illness threw a wrench in those plans, and the Bucks “helpfully” wrote him off TV with an attack. Omega has hinted he might be seeking revenge—with a little help from his Golden Lovers tag partner, Kota Ibushi.
The road to Wrestle Dynasty is set to be paved with drama, and come January 5, Omega’s long-awaited return promises to make history.