AJ Styles has put a permanent stop to the dream match conversation of his career, telling Phenomenally Retro listeners that a singles bout with Kenny Omega is officially not happening, regardless of fan demand.
They worked two matches against each other in singles competition on the independent scene in 2000 and 2006. They only shared the ring once in NJPW, at New Year Dash 2016, in a tag team match where Styles teamed with Omega to defeat Shinsuke Nakamura and YOSHI-HASHI. The two never had a singles match in any major company.
“The same dream match that everybody wants me to have with Kenny Omega. The match that’s never gonna happen unless something crazy happens, and I can’t imagine that. Kenny’s my buddy, so to be in the ring with him would be fun, and we’d tear the house down, I have no doubt about that. But again, that’s not gonna happen.”
He added, “I would like to have had a match with him anywhere, but it didn’t happen. You know, we just kind of ran out of time. I got too old, and we were in different places, and it is what it is. It just wasn’t meant to be, and it’s never going to happen. Just so I’m just throwing that out there: NEVER going to happen.”
Styles retired from in-ring action in a loss to Gunther at the Royal Rumble. He has since transitioned to a behind-the-scenes WWE role focused on scouting and developing the next generation of WWE Independent Development talent.
If you use quotes from this article, please credit Phenomenally Retro and include a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
