Kenny Omega Reveals Health Battle Changed His Outlook on Wrestling – AEW International Champion Kenny Omega is approaching his wrestling career with a renewed sense of caution following a harrowing health crisis in late 2023. The former AEW World Champion nearly lost his life to a severe case of diverticulitis, which forced him to step away from the ring and eventually undergo surgery in May 2024. Since returning to competition this past January, Omega has wrestled seven matches and captured the AEW International Title by defeating Konosuke Takeshita.
In a candid conversation with Devil May Cry creator Adi Shankar, Omega reflected on how the ordeal has changed both his mindset and priorities. He credited his longtime agent Barry Bloom with playing a vital role during his recovery, especially in helping him resist the temptation to rush back for financial or professional reasons.
“He’s [Bloom] really like a family member to me, absolutely,” Omega said. “It wasn’t, ‘Show me the money.’ It was like, ‘Show me your doctor’s report and tell me you’re healthy or if not, no one’s getting their hands on you.’… He’s like, ‘No, no, you have to know you can do it. I don’t care about the money. You need to be healthy.’”
Omega admitted the experience gave him a new awareness of his own vulnerability. “And this is coming from someone now who is understanding of his own mortality now,” he shared. “I’m being way more cautious, and as cautious as I am Barry is still more cautious than I am. Whether it costs me or him money or not, that’s not the primary concern. At all.”
Omega’s most recent in-ring appearance saw him team with Mark Briscoe, Kevin Knight, and “Speedball” Mike Bailey in an eight-man tag against Kazuchika Okada, The Young Bucks, and Ricochet—a continuation of AEW’s ongoing collaboration with NJPW and strong emphasis on high-caliber multi-man bouts.
As Omega continues to compete while managing his health, his story serves as a powerful reminder of the real physical toll pro wrestling can take—even on the industry’s elite performers.
Kenny Omega Reveals Health Battle Changed His Outlook on Wrestling
