Kenny Omega Says Getting Older Has Made Him 'Soft'

Former AEW World Champion Kenny Omega turns 40 later this year. Despite putting his body on the line in the ring since 2000, "The Cleaner" has disclosed that his feelings about performing riskier moves have changed with age when comparing himself to Will Ospreay in a recent interview. 

"There are thoughts that don't even cross his mind, and because they don't cross his mind, he's able to commit wholeheartedly into something so crazy he could end his own career," Omega said on the "Swerve City Podcast." "Whereas now that I'm too old and I've seen so many terrible things in my life – the hamster wheel is always turning, and it's like, I get gun-shy sometimes ... Now, sometimes it's like, 'Oh, boy.' I'm in the thick of it, I'm actually in this match, and I know I've gotta do this thing, or might do this thing, and I'm getting scared, and I need to get that out of me. That's sort of like one of the cruxes of getting older. You know what I mean? It's getting older, wiser, but at the same time, you kind of get a little soft a little bit."

Omega defeated Ospreay on the first night of New Japan Pro-Wrestling's Wrestle Kingdom 17 pay-per-view on January 4 to win the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship. During that high-octane encounter, "The Cleaner" appeared to sustain a facial injury following a kick. However, it was later reported that there was no serious damage despite his eye becoming visibly swollen. Omega previously took a hiatus from wrestling in November 2021 to seek treatment for numerous injuries. He eventually returned to action in August 2022. 

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Swerve City Podcast" with a H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.