At King of Pro-Wrestling on Monday (Oct. 8), after his successful title defense against tag partner Kota Ibushi and faction mate Cody Rhodes, IWGP Heavyweight champion Kenny Omega had a moment in the ring with G1 Climax winner Hiroshi Tanahashi. The resurgent ace of New Japan had completed his latest defense of the winner’s contract earlier in the show, and was there to make it clear he thinks he has one more run with the company’s main belt in him after he defeats Omega at Wrestle Kingdom 13 next January.
Kenny, who’s gotten some real heat for (probably) worked comments about Tanahashi and being a gaijin (foreigner) competing in Japan, didn’t shy away from controversy at the post-show press conference. Omega vowed to put the old dog out of his misery... metaphorically speaking, of course.
“I respect your legacy, Tanahashi. But like Old Yeller - I’m not sure if you guys know that story, very famous story back in my youth - it’s time to put you out to pasture, Tanahashi. It’s time to take you back to the yard with that big old shotgun and put a bullet to your brain. Again, there’s space in the battle royal. There’s space in the opening card. But this, I guarantee you, I promise you, will be your last main event.”
Adding some more intrigue to this is the real (we think) revelation from the champ that he’s working through a fractured rib. While playing Mario Party on Being The Elite’s Twitch channel, Omega discussed the injury:
“The foot is doing much better, it is my rib actually that is fractured right now... My ribs are in a bad way, but what can you do, right? So, it’s - I’m not one of those guys that likes to try to brag, like, ‘Hey, look. I’m injured and I’m so tough and I’m gonna keep fighting.’ It’s not like that at all. It’s just you gotta do what you gotta do. I am in a position right now where it’s - you just gotta go when you’re the champ, ya know? You can’t disrespect the belt. You can’t take days off. I ask for days off, if possible, but...”
Kenny doesn’t have Nov. 3’s Power Stuggle off, but he will get to share the load with fellow Golden Lover Ibushi. And, he’ll have a chance to deliver one of those shotgun blasts to the head, since they’re facing David Finlay & Tanahashi!
Stay tuned. And have some tissue ready... if you haven’t seen it, Old Yeller is a tearjerker.