Will Kenny Omega Be at WWE Royal Rumble 2017?

Is Kenny Omega going to show up at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view on Sunday night?

Kenny Omega has been subject to WWE rumors and speculation over the past month. This came after he sent out a tweet about “stepping away” from Japan just days following his match at Wrestle Kingdom 11. Kazuchika Okada defeated Omega in a 45-minute match, one that received six stars from Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer.

Part of the speculation around Omega has been if he will show up at WWE’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view on Sunday night. The show is seen as one of the biggest WWE events of the year, featuring the Royal Rumble match to close the show. This has seen surprise entrants in recent years, including former NJPW star AJ Styles in 2016. He made his debut during this battle royal just three weeks after leaving New Japan.

So will Omega show up at the Royal Rumble? It doesn’t sound like it. He went on Wrestling Observer Radio (subscription required) to talk about his status on Thursday. This resulted in him saying he will not be at the Royal Rumble and will look to talk to NJPW about a contract in February. The former IWGP Intercontinental Champion noted that he’s looking for a one-year deal to stay in Japan.

That should pretty much close the book on fans hoping Omega shows up at the Royal Rumble. It seemed like a slim chance of happening, to begin with. So this should put to rest the idea that he will be coming to the WWE, for now. That could always change if his contract talks with NJPW don’t go as well as planned, which may lead to him coming stateside.

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Kenny Omega not being at the Royal Rumble shouldn’t detract from the show. It will see two World title matches and the Royal Rumble to close things out. This should make for an entertaining six-hour event on January 29.