Breaking Down The Belts: Kenny Omega's AEW World Championship

For perhaps the last time in his career, Kenny Omega is the reigning AEW World Champion, having dethroned MJF at "AEW Dynamite: Beach Break."

There is no doubt that Omega is staring down the tail end of his career, admitting that himself on multiple occasions, especially since returning from over a year on the sidelines due to diverticulitis. Omega's last World title reign lasted 346 days before "Hangman" Adam Page beat him at Full Gear 2021, which in itself preceded a spell on the sidelines to address injuries incurred in the years previous. 

Omega himself, at least on TV, had expressed doubts over whether he could even hold the title again before time runs out. Will Ospreay, a fellow pursuer of the World Championship at the time, had been the one to talk Omega out of that rut and encouraged him to go back after MJF in the first place. 

So this title run feels of the same ilk as that of Bryan Danielson's previously, wherein the loss of the title communicates something about the immediate future for the former champion. So this is it. The road to terminus. 

Omega already has two title defenses booked as it stands, with Kevin Knight due to challenge him at this weekend's Redemption in Montreal, Canada. If he wins that, then he will surely go on to defend the title against Owen Hart Cup winner Ospreay at All In in London, England.

Champions have to lose eventually. The questions just remain over whether one of those two previously mentioned challengers will be the one to beat him, whether another option is lurking in the wings, and whether there is someone else out there who should be the one to end his run. 

So, with that in mind, let's break it down.

Omega will be going from a home national crowd at Redemption to an away crowd against Ospreay at All In if he beats Knight. A moment seemingly booked to be the crowning glory of the "Aerial Assassin" as he faces one of his idols in his home nation, looking to become the English World Champion.

Plus, this is an Ospreay that has been gradually mentored and shaped by Jon Moxley and the Death Riders with the expressed intent of getting him across that finishing line. Put this version of Ospreay against an Omega ailed with injuries and the undeniable fact that his best years are behind him. It feels like basic arithmetic to say that Ospreay emerges the winner and finishes his story. 

Were Ospreay to win, it would not only be his first World title but also level their singles saga at 2-2, naturally setting up a rematch should that be desired. It would also end Omega's second title reign at 53 days. That would be just 15.32% of his initial run with the title, and it would be the third title run in 2026 that ended before reaching triple digits. 

So maybe it feels a little soon to be closing the book on Omega's main event career, if that is the case. While it feels an almost foregone conclusion that Ospreay will, in fact, be the one to end the title reign, there might still be a better option. One that has the potential to step into the role of arch-villain with a win over "The Cleaner" and one that has already got a singles saga going with him this year. 

At the beginning of the year, there were a handful of challengers to emerge in the pursuit of the World Championship held by MJF. 

Darby Allin eventually took the title from him before dropping it back at Double or Nothing. Omega lost his first opportunity at the title at Dynasty before going on to be the one dethroning MJF in his second run this year. And Ospreay will now be challenging for the title at All In.

Omega and Ospreay both beat Swerve Strickland in their chase. First, Strickland got the win over Omega in February singles action. Then, Omega beat Strickland to level their saga at Revolution in March, securing number one contendership in the process. 

Strickland was last seen losing the Owen Hart Cup final to Ospreay, thus securing the All In title shot. But that's hardly going to be the last of him in the World title picture. In fact, one would argue that Ospreay as a babyface would work much better taking the title from Strickland eventually instead, and that Strickland would be a more than feasible option to oust Omega. 

Wrestling is founded on the idea of good and evil, a hero and a villain, a face and a heel. It doesn't have to have that to be good, but it certainly helps. Strickland beating Omega, potentially even after costing Ospreay the title at All In, would establish him as the villain for the roster, namely Ospreay, to overcome. 

In that vein, Ospreay beating Strickland to avenge his rival-turned-friend would surely establish him as the hero, which is surely what's intended. Strickland feels like the bridge between two very compelling babyface champions, someone who deserves a run in his own right, but also can tell the story of a failing legend and then the coronation of that legend's would-be successor.