quicklistener | NJPW OnTheRoad Kenny Omega (Reply)

Disclaimer: This is just my rough notes to remind myself/others what was covered in this interview, it is NOT a transcript, please do not use it as a primary source.

October 9th 2016
NJPW OnTheRoad : Kenny Omega #1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnT87a0w0CM

NJPW OnTheRoad: Kenny Omega #1 (October 2016)

- Footage of Kenny winning the G1

- Airport Interview (Kayfabe@50%)

o How will you spend your time in Canada? I take my training time seriously, knees are bad but I can work around it. Going to do a special type of training I can only do in my cottage in the summertime.

o What was your year like big change? Changing a company based off tradition. I love the idea of pro-wrestling, but I hate was pro wresting is. New special ideas.

o No two wrestlers feel the same about the road. The young bucks and Kenny think about being on the road in the same way – they don’t switch off/compartmentalise while being on the road. Journey might be lonely but we have to succeed. Those feelings of emptiness, loneliness make you stronger.

o Calls Jason Geiger over. He’s Kenny’s training partner. Kenny’s really happy to have him on the flight home.

o How would you describe Kenny? (to Jason) He’s a hard worker but has a fun side. He knows how to turn it off. But even when he’s turned off he works hard.

o Being at the airport is our only rest.

o Training in Canada. Resets the clock, its still a break even though I’m training. Dials back stress. He’s alone but its okay.

o Airport montage, Kenny says goodbye

NJPW OnTheRoad: Kenny Omega #2

- Kenny and the young bucks are out on the town. (Kayfabe@40%)

o You guys often hang out together: We both have very full schedules. We eat together. We’re alike, we don’t like to go to strip clubs or drink so its easier to hang out together

o Why do you think you have chemistry: We’re all the same, we’re diy. We don’t sell out. Good wrestlers will get along better with good wrestlers.

o My grandfather and my father were watching a long of different types of sport (neta). I liked hockey and cartoons/superheros. Wrestling is the ultimate crossover between the two things. Ninja turtle biceps.

o Once Kenny’s dad was filming a home movie at Christmas and he asked Kenny (5ish) who do you want to be when you grow up? A: Hockey goalie or a ninja turtle. Dad said okay, if you can’t be a ninja turtle, pick a normal job. Kenny: Zamboni driver.

o Training: He knew you had to train, he watched Rocky IV at a young impressionable age. Dad convos

NJPW on theRoad: Kenny Omega #3

- Restaurant Interview

o First experiences in Japan: Bucks- culture shock, had to wait for their ride in the airport for a while, couldn’t call anyone. They were 18-22? No wifi in 2008. They had to use payphones to call home, matt was really homesick. Nick slept in matt’s room because he was so scared/homesick.

o Impressions of Japanese pro wrestling: Stiff. Watching Taka Michinoku in wwe turned Kenny on to Japanese pro wrestling. Then he watched the legendary matches. He wanted to wrestle the physical athletic style. Young Bucks answer the question too.

o Current state of bullet club. Kenny winning the G1 saved the bullet club. Bullet club was really cool- bullet club shirt is cool. Then company found LIJ to push. LIJ guys are very talented/passionate and they have great chemistry. They want to succeed but we haven’t stopped caring either. The company started pushing LIJ merchandise. Copying – fist bump – black and white. In the G1 true talent will be shown and a lack of talent will be exposed. Not saying LIJ aren’t talented but the bullet club are better. Naito had one motn during the G1 because Kenny carried him to it. I can’t wait for you to thank me Naito!

o Bucks and Kenny are together all the time. Group chat. Do LIJ have a group chat?

o Feelings on AJ, Anderson and Gallows leaving. Shocking sad disappointed but they knew it was going to be good for the elite. Sometimes AJ would hang out with Kenny and the Bucks, he gravitated towards the non-drinkers.

o AJ: Sorry Kenny I really wanted to keep you in the loop on this (but he didn’t) Kenny thought maybe they were closer than that : (

NJPW Kenny Omega #4

- Restaurant Interview (Kayfabe@30%)

o Thoughts on NJPW any complaints? A: No one tells him how to be Kenny Omega, that’s why he left WWE. NJPW came up with The Cleaner but Kenny had creative input in it, he could choose how to do the character/matches. Bucks: NJPW is the best place they’ve worked with.

o Thoughts on Okada: Sweet dropkick. He was handed everything and told to make it work. It sucked at first but now he’s great. He’s a true champion.

o Thoughts on Naito: It was good that he turned heel. Before he turned heel they used to tease him about his hair. He’s been on a journey to Mexico and found out who he was meant to be. You need a combination of commitment and people recognising your soul. Sometimes if you have soulless talent your just flipping around for no reason like in transformers

o Tana: He’s never tired and he’s doing great. He’s wiped out, takes one day off a year. He’s the ace. He’s is the New Japan lion. He held the fort for the last decade. But he wants to protect what wrestling should be. He believes in very heavy and firm heels, very heavy and firm babyfaces, its black and white. It’s hard to question Tanahashi but times are changing.

NJPW Kenny Omega #5

- Restaurant Interview

o Do you think its more difficult to be heel or babyface, what’s your heel philosophy. A. I say my real feelings, I might say offensive things about the company, internet trolls. Getting hate for thinking different. I’m an asshole but I really think I’m right, and that’s the most annoying type of people. Nick: I think if you’re a good heel its easier to know how to be a good babyface. K: I do things that people like because they look pretty, but my personality is very hateable, it’s easy to dislike me. I’m trying to be but as a bullet club guy I’m a heel. But to be a heel I’m just myself.

o Ultimate Goal as a pro wrestler: Nick: Make money, raise my kids, retire with a million dollars. Matt: I want us to go down as the greatest tag team of all time, take care of my family and retire in one piece. We can do this style for 9 more years. Kenny: Money has always been secondary to me in wrestling, past relationships have failed because of that. I wanted to be on the list of guys who’ve fought in Japan and become a legend in Japan. But I want to be the best. I don’t even want anyone else to come close. I want to be the grand champion of the best foreigners to be in Japan. After that I can start being an adult, getting a family. I can’t fail now. I can’t search for a wife or a boyfriend even though I want all those things. I can’t take it away from my creativeness as a wrestler. I can’t multitask. (neta)