Kenny Omega is opening up about the life-threatening health scare that kept him out of the ring for over a year.
In an interview with Adi Shankar, the AEW star discussed the diverticulitis attack in December 2023, a condition that nearly cost him his life. Omega, who was already dealing with multiple injuries before the attack, admitted that the experience changed his outlook on wrestling and his role in AEW.
While it was initially unclear if Omega would ever return to regular in-ring action, he underwent surgery in May 2024 and made his comeback in January 2025. Since then, hes competed in seven matches, including a hard-fought victory over Konosuke Takeshita to capture the AEW International Championship. That win was particularly significant as Takeshita had been positioned as one of AEWs rising stars and Omegas biggest threat.
In the interview, Omega praised his agent Barry Bloom for how he handled the situation, focusing solely on Omegas health instead of money. Hes really like a family member to me, absolutely, Omega said about Bloom. It wasnt, Show me the money. It was like, Show me your doctors report and tell me youre healthy or if not, no ones getting their hands on you.
Omega acknowledged that the health scare made him more aware of his own mortality, leading him to adopt a more cautious approach to wrestling. Im being way more cautious, and as cautious as I am, Barry is still more cautious than I am. Whether it costs me or him money or not, thats not the primary concern. At all, Omega added.
Since his return, Omega has been involved in high-profile matches, including a brutal six-man tag match on Dynamite two weeks ago. He teamed with Mark Briscoe, Kevin Knight, and Speedball Mike Bailey in a losing effort against Kazuchika Okada, The Young Bucks, and Ricochet. The bout was a significant moment as it marked the first time Omega and Okada had faced off in an AEW ring, reigniting their storied NJPW rivalry.
Omega admitted that while hes physically back in action, hes holding back in some areas to avoid further injuries. Hes opted for a more methodical, less reckless style, focusing on storytelling rather than high-risk maneuvers.
For now, Kenny Omega is back in the ring, but his cautious approach shows just how much that health scare changed his outlook. Whether he can maintain his top-tier performance without taking the risks that made him a star remains to be seen and with AEWs summer schedule heating up, the spotlight will be on Omega to prove hes still got it.
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