Omega Credits Styles for Career Turnaround and AEW Roots

Kenny Omega, a founding executive vice president of All Elite Wrestling, credited fellow wrestler AJ Styles with reshaping his career and contributing to the origins of AEW during a recent interview with CBS Sports. The discussion, tied to promotions for this weekend's AEW Full Gear event, highlighted a pivotal 2006 singles match between the two that Omega viewed as a potential endpoint to his wrestling journey.

The bout occurred in September 2006 for Premier Canadian Wrestling in Winnipeg, Canada, shortly after Omega requested and received his release from WWE's Deep South Wrestling developmental system. At the time, Omega questioned whether he wanted to continue in the industry. "I wasn't sure if I'd continue wrestling after I left developmental," Omega said. "Thought the bout with Styles would be a good last match."

Despite no prior interactions, Omega described an immediate rapport during the match. "We had no interactions ever before, but there were moments in that match that really felt like the give and take felt so symbiotic," he recalled. "The chemistry was naturally there. I thought, 'Wow, this is what wrestling someone at this level feels like. I'm not embarrassing...