Kenny Omega is returning to New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) as he appeared via video promo at Sunday’s NJPW X STARDOM Historic X-Over event to challenge Will Ospreay to a match at Wrestle Kingdom 17 on January 4, 2023.
Ospreay accepted the challenge to make the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship official.
Omega cut a promo about how once AEW started, nothing kept him in NJPW, and Ospreay replaced him but blamed him for drawing smaller crowds and not cheering at events. He said that people blame the COVID-19 pandemic for this, but he blames Ospreay. He said for the good of pro wrestling, he would face Ospreay at the Tokyo Dome.
Omega last wrestled for NJPW on January 4, 2019 in the main event of Wrestle Kingdom 13, where he lost the IWGP Heavyweight Championship to Hiroshi Tanahashi before going to AEW.
Here is the updated card for NJPW’s biggest event of the year:
IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Jay White (champion) vs. Kazuchika Okada
IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship: Will Ospreay (champion) vs. Kenny Omega
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: Taiji Ishimori (champion) vs. Hiromu Takahashi vs. El Desperado vs. Master Wato
IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: FTR (champion) vs. TBA
NJPW World Television Championship tournament finals: Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Ren Narita
IWGP Women’s Championship match: KAIRI vs. Tam Nakano
BREAKING@kennyomegamanx has challenged @willospreay for the IWGP United States Championship at Wrestle Kingdom 17!#njpw #njwk17 #NJPWxSTARDOM pic.twitter.com/BCPxPr6olo
— NJPW Global (@njpwglobal) November 20, 2022
BREAKING@KennyOmegamanX has challenged @WillOspreay for the IWGP United States Championship at Wrestle Kingdom 17!#njpw #njwk17 #NJPWxSTARDOM pic.twitter.com/MGPCQcAhFL
— NJPW WORLD (@njpwworld) November 20, 2022
