Here's the thing: Tanahashi has this idea that wrestling has to be a certain way. There are borders that you shouldn't cross. Wrestling should be wrestling; there's a 'classic' way. But the thing is, when I watch a Tanahashi match, I feel nothing.
Really, Tanahashi belongs in the WWE. He can be the next Roman Reigns.
As a professional wrestler in the position I am in, I would rather have people remember my matches for an emotion or for a certain thought it evoked when they saw it.
Everything we do in general, there's gonna be a percentage of risk. Me, making my entrance to the ring, there's actually a percentage of risk I'm going to trip and fall and hurt myself. Me, getting up on the apron, there's a percentage of risk.
While I'm still healthy, while I still have ideas in this crazy head of mine, I want to contribute, and I want to do things that are going to make wrestling fans happy and are going to make new people into wrestling fans that were wrestling fans before. I want to contribute in that manner.
Not to knock TNA, but there's too much hokey talking and segments that don't really involve wrestling.
I went from being a junior - and probably set to be Kushida's arch-nemesis until the cows came home - to suddenly being vaulted into the heavyweight title picture for the Intercontinental championship. That taught me a lesson: I couldn't put a limit on myself.
Of course I'm not stupid enough to think that we could take on WWE head-on and win, because they're too big of a monster.
Back in the day, when I was getting into the business, you could watch Pro Wrestling Noah. You could watch Ring Of Honor Wrestling, and a lot of people would say, 'the best wrestling in the world is actually at Ring Of Honor.'
We're always driven by our mindset and feeling on a particular show day, so you'll never know what you'll get until you see it happen in the ring.
If I were ever in a position to appear more for ROH, I would accept nothing less than to be recognized as the best - which would mean having to challenge the top dogs/champions.
I had always wanted a top spot, ever since I came to Japan in 2008.
When you are in WWE, you're really strapped down by their rules and writing.
The Bullet Club has sort of become this pop-culture phenomenon. You don't even have to like wrestling or follow our product, and you can wear a Bullet Club shirt, and it's cool.
Even my most physical matches in New Japan have all been athletic contests, and generally, they've all been fair and square. It's been this new, strong style we've been trying to create in New Japan, with my own personal style.
I still feel there is more to this Kenny Omega character, and there are more stories I need to tell, and New Japan allows me that freedom. That is a freedom I earned through the hard work I put into the company.
There are people who would love to see me fail.
The WWE belt means nothing; it means absolutely nothing. They pass around that belt like a hot potato. I probably have a neighbor on my block who held that belt at one point. There is no prestige to that belt whatsoever.
There's a lot of deep emotional connections between wrestlers.
'Virtual Pro Wrestling 2' remains the best wrestling game ever, in my opinion.
