Kenny Omega Wins Gold At NJPW Wrestle Kingdom

After four years away from New Japan Pro-Wrestling, Kenny Omega returned at Wrestle Kingdom 17 and reclaimed the IWGP US Heavyweight Championship. After a long back-and-forth bout with Will Ospreay, Omega hit the former champion with Kota Ibushi's Kamigoye followed by his own patented One-Winged Angel to pick up the win and the championship.

The returning star made his way to the ring to the tune of "One-Winged Angel," the "Final Fantasy 7" boss Sephiroth's theme that is the source of his finisher's name. Alongside the music, Omega was also wearing a long coat reminiscent of the character. Omega's last NJPW match was four years ago at Wrestle Kingdom 13, where he lost the IWGP Heavyweight Championship to Hiroshi Tanahashi. Omega left the company afterwards to help found the fledgling AEW, alongside the rest of The Elite.

This victory for Omega begins his second reign with the US Heavyweight Championship, having first served as the title's inaugural champion from 2017 to 2018. Ospreay was champion for 206 days, the third-longest reign in the title's history. Omega's future with the championship and NJPW itself remains to be seen, but his next big match will see him shooting for more championship gold alongside The Young Bucks. On the January 11 episode of "AEW Dynamite," The Elite will be finishing their best-of-seven series with The Death Triangle for the AEW World Trios Championship. The series will be settled in an Escalera de la Muerte match, which translates to English as "Ladder of Death."