Kenny Omega has emerged as one of the best wrestlers in the world in the past few years and he especially gained reorganization after signing with NJPW in 2014.
However, his historic run with the promotion was almost cut short and according to the former world champion himself, he almost retired from wrestling due to an injury in 2015.
Omega opened up about the injury during his recent interview with Fightful.com and he recalled how it was the first time he had ever asked for time off in professional wrestling:
“I remember right before we did the AJ Styles turn. But earlier on in the year before, I had a very terrible herniation in my neck. It was the first time I ever had asked for time off in professional wrestling. I lost all power on the right side of my body and I thought that that was it. I thought that I was going to have to wrap it up and maybe I was already sort of winding down. I was able luckily enough to turn it around.”
Continuing on the topic, the former NJPW star said that one of the greatest things he can ever ask for is being able to decide when to retire but he acknowledged that as a wrestler, it’s possible to not have that ability:
“I think one of the greatest things I can ever ask for is being able to decide what time that is. It’d be great if I could, but unfortunately, as wrestlers, and doing what we do, we sometimes don’t have the ability to choose. In a heartbeat, these things can just fade and or they can be taken away from you. So all I’m trying to do is just kind of dip my fingers and toes as much as I as long as I can. I’m making sure that all these things that that I do take on as responsibilities are things that I enjoy outside of wrestling so that, you know, there’s never a dull moment.”
