AEW: Top 10 Kenny Omega matches of all time

6. Kenny Omega vs Kazuchika Okada-G1 Climax Day 18 2017

This will be installment of the Kenny Omega vs Kazuchika Okada wars you’ll see in the top 10 list. In arguably the greatest set of matches between 2 men of all time, this 3rd match would conclude B block action in the 2017 G1 Climax. Omega and Okada were separated by 1 point in round robin play. The winner of this bout moved on to the G1 Climax final the following night.

This match brought a blistering pace, something which favored Kenny Omega on this night. With a 30 minute time limit in play, Omega was desperate to finally defeat his rival Okada. The IWGP heavyweight champion had defeated Omega at Wrestle Kingdom 11. The second bout ended in a 60 minute draw that one upped their first encounter. Omega was out for redemption and it showed.

In a 25 minute contest which included brawling on the outside and many false finishes, Kenny Omega finally connected with a successful “One Winged Angel” attempt for a 3 count on Okada. The result was Omega finally avenging his previous 2 meetings with Okada and advancing to the 2017 G1 Climax final. While this match was not for the IWGP Heavyweight championship, Kenny Omega had to feel like the monkey was off of his back and he was ready to make a run at the title held by the man he just defeated.

5. Kenny Omega vs Kazuchika Okada-Wrestle Kingdom 11 2017

This match was deemed the gold standard in professional wrestling. Kenny Omega had won the 2016 G1 Climax and earned the right to challenge for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at Wrestle Kingdom 11. His opponent, the great Kazuchika Okada. In the 1st installment of this series, we’ll take a look back at this astounding main event.

This was the match which put New Japan on the map worldwide. It received acclaim in the Wrestling Observer as the 1st 6 star match in their rating system. How in the world is this only Kenny Omega’s 5th greatest match of his career? Quite frankly, his body of work over the last 3 years is nothing short of amazing. This list is subjective, but I digress.

In this 45 minute thriller, Kazuchika Okada was determined to put his challenger in his place on this night. Okada back dropped Kenny Omega high through a table on the outside. Both men traded mighty dropkicks, suplexes and other high-profile maneuvers throughout the duration of this contest.

The story being told was how Kenny Omega could not hit the “One Winged Angel” on Okada in this match. Numerous times, Kenny hoisted the champion up on his shoulders. Only for Okada to slip through Kenny’s fingers. After many false finishes and back and forth action. Kazuchika Okada finally closed the door on Kenny Omega with a tombstone and a vicious “Rainmaker in the most incredible main event the Tokyo Dome had seen to date. This was just the beginning for Kenny Omega.

4. Kenny Omega vs Hiroshi Tanahashi-Wrestle Kingdom 13-2019

This match headlined Wrestle Kingdom 13 at The Tokyo Dome. Kenny Omega was the IWGP Heavyweight champion coming in. His challenger on this night, ‘The Ace’ Hiroshi Tanahashi. This match was super charged with emotion and grit. Tanahashi was out to prove he wasn’t washed up, Omega was out to show the Japanese audience that there was a new movement on the horizon for New Japan.

This was a war of attrition between differing philosophies.  Omega believed in pushing the envelope, he’s also shown how much he values eastern tradition many times throughout his career. While Tanahashi represents the rich tradition of New Japan. Yet he had proven his willingness to change and adapt his style in order to remain at the top of NJPW for 10 plus years.

The ability to reinvent yourself in pro wrestling is an art form. Hiroshi Tanahashi has continued to do so for over a decade. He was out to show Kenny Omega that he should respect the promotion that made him a star in the first place. These 2 men went toe to toe in an incredible Wrestle Kingdom main event.

Many false finishes once again, brutal forearms, kick outs of ‘High Fly Flow’s’ by the IWGP champion. This match is a little overlooked in the pantheon of Kenny Omega matches. Especially since he had 4 marvelous matches vs Kazuchika Okada which could easily be seen as Omega’s top 4 contests. We need some originality here.

As is the theme in a lot of Kenny Omega’s best bouts, he came out with a loss. In turn, he left New Japan for the time being and signed with AEW once his contract ran up. However, that doesn’t mean this match wasn’t an instant classic. One could put right at the top for match of the year in 2019. Just another reason why Omega is lauded throughout the wrestling landscape.