Magazine Archive: Dream Match: Roman Reigns vs. Kenny Omega

By Jack Goodwillie From FightfulMag.com issue 3

**

“The Head of the Table” Roman Reignsis 6’3” and weighs 265 pounds. From Pensacola, Florida. Second-generation wrestler and a member of the famed Anoa’i wrestling family (son of Sika). The five-time world champion is currently in his second Universal Championship reign, as well as a former WWE Intercontinental, United States and World Tag Team Champion. Made his professional wrestling debut in 2010. Won the 2015 Royal Rumble. Former member of critically acclaimed stable, The Shield and has headlined WWE’s flagship show, WrestleMania, on five different occasions. Managed by Paul Heyman, who has also managed a record six former WWE world champions. Battled leukemia privately for 11 years and announced in 2019 he is once again in remission. Biggest strength: athleticism, punching power, resilience. Biggest weakness: technical mastery.

Kenny Omegais 6’0” and weighs 203 pounds. From Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Holds dual citizenship between his native Canada and Japan, where he worked for 11 years. Took part in the first-ever seven-star match given out by wrestling critic Dave Meltzerof the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Currently in his first dual reign as AEW World Heavyweight Champion and Impact World Heavyweight Champion. Has held every championship NJPW has to offer, nary the NEVER Openweight Championship and reigned as the inaugural IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion. Managed by “The Invisible Hand” Don Callis. Member of cross-promotion stableThe Elite, alongside The Young Bucksand The Good Brothers. Biggest strength: cardio, creativity, lower-body strength. Biggest weakness: size.

---

What a difference a year made for Roman Reigns.

When the COVID-19 pandemic came to be, many suspected Reigns would not be seen again for quite some time. The former WWE kingpin had recently entered remission for a second time following an 11-year privately waged battle with leukemia. Any precaution necessary needed to be and was taken.

While gone, Reigns gave an interview where he called the WWE Universe “fast food fans” and that he was “creating an elaborate omelette.” The aforementioned omelette hit the skillet at SummerSlam 2020 when Reigns returned to wreak havoc on both champion (“The Fiend”) and challenger (Braun Strowman). On the ensuing SmackDown, Reigns shunned the WWE Universe for the first time, aligning himself with Paul Heyman, the former advocate of rival Brock Lesnar. Two days later, Reigns recaptured the WWE Universal Championship when he dispatched both Strowman and “The Fiend” at WWE Payback 2020.

Despite only having competed for the final third of 2020, Reigns jolted into the Wrestler of the Year conversations for nearly every major wrestling media outlet, thanks in part to a new self-centered attitude where relationships, niceties and in-ring etiquette all took a back-seat to Reigns defending his spot atop the card. Without it, Reigns had convinced himself he would be unable to provide for his family.

Reigns had since gone on to defend his title against the likes of Kevin Owens, Daniel Bryan, Cesaro, and the legendary Edge. In April 2021, Reigns was the main event to one of the most important WrestleMania shows in company history when he successfully pinned Edge and Bryan simultaneously at the first WWE event to host fans in over a year. Needless to say, “The Head of the Table” had begun to run thin on challengers. Like any great champion has done before him, he could work his way back down the list of names, but even that list thinned out considerably after WrestleMania.

For the first time since John Cena, the WWE had a megastar on its hands in Reigns. To put it mildly, “The Big Dog”had begun to outgrow his yard, and that sentiment was shared by Reigns himself. He was well aware that because of his ever-increasing popularity, he was becoming more valuable to the WWE by the day due to their inability to produce bankable stars. If he was to secure his family’s financial future, Reigns knew he would need to set his sights on the entire professional wrestling landscape to ensure global domination and a chance to be frozen in immortality at the top of the mountain.

---

It’s entirely possible that Reigns wouldn’t have even considered his options outside of WWE had it not been for Tony Khanand AEW kicking down “The Forbidden Door” in 2020. The phrase “forbidden door” only came to be after Khan and AEW announced a partnership with Impact Wrestling (formerly TNA) that would include a talent exchange and wrestlers from both shows having the ability to win titles on the opposing show.

For both AEW and Impact, this partnership had proven to be great for business. Impact ratings trended upwards after partnering with AEW, but AEW may have gained something even more valuable: the Impact World Championship, which now sat on the shoulder of Kenny Omega, the undisputed World Heavyweight Champion between both companies.

Omega had been described by many as an appropriate face for this era of professional wrestling. “The Forbidden Door” has since been trampled, with AEW accruing partnerships with not only Impact but AAA in Mexico, New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) and the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). Such cooperation between wrestling companies has not been seen since the territory days. If there were ever a time for an undisputed World Heavyweight Champion for every continent in the world, that time was now. If there were ever a wrestler to achieve such a lofty goal, it might be Kenny Omega.

The AEW product was on fire. Business was booming, and ratings were continuing to climb. The company’s flagship show, AEW Dynamite, was set to move to TBS in 2022. Part of the reason for this success can be attributed to AEW holding partnerships with the top promotions in Canada, Mexico and Japan, respectively. With those partnerships came leverage; leverage for more. Meanwhile, the trio of Khan, Don Callisand Omega knew precisely what that entailed: a superfight of epic proportions and an opportunity to cave in the final “forbidden door.”

---

Depending on who you ask, you might hear conflicting stories as to which side contacted who first. What is known is that a phone call transpired between Tony Khan and Nick Khan, WWE’s President & Chief Revenue Officer, in June 2021, with WWE Chairman Vince McMahonsitting in on the call. No promises were made, no terms had been discussed, and no talk of a Reigns vs. Omega superfight even came up in the discussions. All that had been agreed to was that they’d talk again. These talks would lead to a face-to-face meeting to discuss the potential of a business relationship and the “possibility of future collaborations” between AEW and WWE. The eventual meeting was set to take place on a remote island off the coast of Dubai in the UAE to ensure that no one was seen and nothing leaked.

Of course, it did not take Reigns very long to catch wind of the meeting. Reigns is a very connected individual, and his manager, Paul Heyman, is practically a modern-day Iago. He is also a man who demands to be in the know at all times, partially due to his ego and status as champion. An opportunity to attach his name to three more prestigious titles had already been on his mind. With officials from WWE and AEW now set to meet, Reigns’ delusions of global wrestling domination seemed more in reach than ever. It felt like a layup.

Reigns entered Vince McMahon’s office three hours prior to the final taping of SmackDown, which was happening before the big meeting. While he expected pushback from McMahon and possibly even resentment over him learning about the meeting through Heyman, McMahon managed to defy expectations once again. After Reigns filled McMahon in on what he knew and made what could have come across as a demand to create the Omega match, McMahon responded by inviting Reigns to accompany him on the trip, with the only condition being Heyman had to be left at home. Reigns agreed.

While WWE was represented by a five-person entourage (Vince, Reigns, Nick Khan, Triple Hand Stephanie McMahon), Tony Khan showed up to the island accompanied only by his father. Shad Khan, who is not financially affiliated with AEW, only came so his son wouldn’t have to travel halfway across the world alone.

Pleasantries were exchanged, but both sides quickly got down to business. While all parties appeared to have an open mind on where discussions might head, one man had a set idea in his head about what he wanted to get out of this meeting, and that man was Roman Reigns.

“Let’s cut the bullshit,” Reigns said. “I know why you’re here, and you know why I’m here. I’ve got something that you want, and your champion has got something that I want. I can’t deny that. The only difference is, we don’t need you; you need us. We can go our separate ways today and never speak of this conversation again. Our company will continue to gross hundreds of millions of dollars each year, and I’ll continue to dominate grown men on Friday nights without breaking a sweat, all while putting food on my family’s table. However, your company, while being number two in the world, will continue to be dwarfed in profits by the likes of us. You’ll always be seen as the little guy, and I know that must eat you up inside because while you may be content with a silver medal for three, four, maybe even five years, always is a very, very long time. If AEW wants ‘The Head of the Table’ Roman Reigns, I’ll be your huckleberry. But it’s going to be on our time and terms.”

Tony Khan, unphased, fired back.

“Roman, it’s good to see you too,” Khan jabbed sarcastically. “I think you’d be happy to know there is no bigger fan of yours than me. Actually, you probably don’t care, and that’s fine. You want to talk business? Let’s talk business. This meeting actually should come of very little concern to you. To be frank, I actually came here with the intention of AEW and WWE exchanging developmental talent in hopes of building a stronger future for the business, hence why Hunter is here. But on the plane ride in, I couldn’t shake the idea of how great a joint show would look this summer, so I’m going to shoot my shot. Breaking barriers is kind of my thing, after all.”

“See, I knew it,” Reigns said. “Maybe we’re not as different as I thought. But you’ve got one problem. I’m the alpha and omega of this yard. My influence in this company knows no bounds. I’m the most powerful combat athlete in the world. That’s why I’m here. The sun doesn’t rise in WWE without my say-so. And if you really want to unlock this forbidden door, all I have to say is be careful what you wish for and know that without Roman Reigns, there is no main event. And with no main event, there’s no show.”

At this point in the exchange, Vince McMahon chimed in. He said that he loves the idea of a joint show and that maybe he is growing soft in his old age. That said, he also noted that Roman Reigns is the single biggest box-office draw the WWE has and that his inclusion in any type of main event match would be imperative.

“Then the story writes itself,” Khan said. “Omega vs. Reigns. Winner-take-all. Alpha and Omega vs. Alpha and Omega. That wasn’t so hard, was it? I should also add that Mr. Omega has bestowed the trust in me to make him the best deal possible for this match and that anything I agree to here today will be binding.”

However, more details needed to be hammered out. On whose turf would the match take place? Who would be the ultimate winner? Since the stipulation is “winner-take-all,” how would creative look on both shows coming off of it? Would there be any more cross-promotional matches?

The two batteries from WWE and AEW negotiated over the terms frantically for the next eight hours. Eventually, the details were agreed to. A host of intricacies and conditional contractual clauses were included but, for now, the only details worth mentioning were that the match would take place at the Survivor Series and that Reigns and Omega were set for the biggest paydays of their lives.

The Survivor Series was the perfect event for a match of this magnitude. Normally, a “battle for supremacy” would happen between the WWE Raw and SmackDown brands. This time the brands would unite to combat a true foe, a true competitor: All Elite Wrestling.

The build for the match began with Reigns dropping a casual AEW reference during an episode of SmackDown. The Universal Champion said he is fed up with the weakness of his potential challengers and soon might have to “look elsewhere” for opponents. On the following episode of SmackDown, Reigns cut a promo on Khan and called him out by name, causing the announcers to go silent to sell the legitimacy of Reigns’ threats.

From there, Khan appeared on screen in a “paid ad,” trashing the WWE and Roman Reigns specifically for picking a fight with him. Khan’s threats largely fell on deaf ears, but at Hell in a Cell, following a Reigns title defense, the lights went out, and Don Callis appeared in the ring. The lights went out a second time, and Paul Heyman and The Usosappeared incapacitated at ringside. The lights went out a third and final time, and Kenny Omega appeared in the ring to give Reigns the One-Winged Angel before leaving through the crowd with Callis. The official challenge would be made on AEW Dynamite on Wednesday before being accepted later that week. The match was on.

---

The pomp and circumstance brought a unique vibe to the Survivor Series. As a result, the crowd was split 50-50 between Reigns and Omega. Per pre-match stipulations, it was decided that Paul Heyman and Don Callis would be banned from ringside. With The Young Bucks and Usos booked to square off on the undercard, the main event was set to be a one-on-one confrontation with the future of wrestling up for grabs.

DING DING

Reigns opens the match with a vicious spear that finds the mark. After all, oddsmakers favored his chances early, with Omega gaining betting equity the longer the event went on. The spear knocked Omega halfway across the ring, so Reigns had to corral his opponent before making the cover. However, he only got a two-count from referee Charles Robinson and must regroup. This time, he decides to measure Omega up for the Superman Punch, but Omega ducks the shot and hits the ropes, rebounding into a V-Trigger. Reigns catches Omega by the leg on the way up and, in an incredible feat of strength, is able to transition his opponent into a Samoan Drop. Reigns shakes off the adversity and mutters, “let’s try this again.”

Instead of returning to his feet, “The Best Bout Machine”opts to lay on the ground and wait for Reigns to initiate the action with him. As Reigns approaches, Omega catches his adversary in a small package, which only draws a two-count, but serves more as a momentum breaker. Reigns is not having it. He opts to burst into a double leg on Omega as they both return to their feet and inflict some ground and pound punishment. Omega takes some big shots but manages to give up his back and slide out the back door. The lag time between Reigns getting back to his feet to face his foe allows Omega to successfully fire off the V-Trigger, stopping“The Tribal Chief”dead in his tracks. Omega then gets greedy and hits the ropes looking for a second V-Trigger, getting backdropped over the top rope. Reigns makes his way outside the ring and begins to pepper Omega with right-hands. Omega is firing back, but Reigns has too much power and gets the advantage. Then Reigns, seeing an opportunity, attempts to whip Omega into the steel steps where he gets reversed, flipping the momentum back Omega’s way. Omega walks up to Reigns, willing him to “come on,” slapping him upside the head a couple of times to let him know who’s taking charge. He smashes Reigns’ head against the ring post and throws him back in the ring, beating the count of ten while grinning from ear to ear.

Back in the ring, Omega hits Reigns with a missile dropkick to the back of the head and manages to claim the closest fall of the match thus far. Feeling loose, Omega decides to mount Reigns and land some ground and pound of his own. Reigns reverses it, landing in Omega’s guard where he’s able to reign down some hammer fists. Once again, Omega escapes the bottom position and finds his way back to the feet with wrist control. With a hand on Reigns’ wrist, Omega ambushes his opponent with the Rain-Trigger, then scoots around his back to hit a vicious Dragon Suplex. Reigns flies through the air in slow motion, and Omega is able to hang on, bridging into a pin attempt. He only manages a two-count, and frustration begins to boil over.

As both men rise to their feet, Omega calls for yet another V-Trigger. This time, he is not playing around. He hits his signature move and then hoists Reigns up for the One-Winged Angel. Reigns wiggles out and contorts his body into a Standing Guillotine. At first, it’s not yet known if the submission hold is locked in or if Reigns is using it as a transition back to his feet, but he is soon able to sink the choke in, putting the pressure on Omega to either tap or go to sleep. However, Omega doesn’t go to sleep. In fact, he hangs on just long enough for Reigns to release the hold after gassing his arms out. The Universal Champion is still moving at a brisk pace, setting Omega up for not one but three non-dominant hand Superman Punches, with the third one finally knocking him into referee Robinson, sending both men to the canvas.

At this point in the match, Jon Moxley makes his way to the ring for what appears to be a premature celebration with his old friend. However, shades of Roddy Piper at WrestleMania XIX ensue, and Moxley kicks Reigns right in the family jewels in a stunning turn of events. The capacity crowd cannot believe it as it appears Kenny Omega is going to steal the match. He covers Reigns but gets a slow count from Robinson, who is still getting his bearings. Yet, he’s only able to get two and seven-eighths on the count! Omega goes on to have a temper tantrum in the ring before guiding Reigns back to his feet for one more Rain-Trigger into a One-Winged Angel. Omega slingshots Reigns but then pulls him back in for the knee. Reigns sidesteps the attack, running loose into the opposite side ropes and coming back to hit Omega with a crushing spear. With Omega now laying flat on the canvas, Reigns contemplates a cover but instead beckons Omega up for a third and final spear. Fans could be heard swearing they saw Omega’s soul leave his body on the last spear he took from Reigns. He then drags himself over to the carcass of Omega to obtain the definitive three count to become the unquestioned champion of the wrestling world, the likes of which have never been seen before.

---

The dream match between Kenny Omega and Roman Reigns paid big dividends for all parties, and both men continued to make their mark on each other’s shows in the months to come.

As a result of Moxley’s actions at the Survivor Series, Reigns would go on to defend his world titles against his former Shield-mate in AEW. For a three-month period, Reigns had the busiest schedule in wrestling, bar none. Traveling between the United States, Canada, Mexico, and later Japan, Reigns averaged three title defenses a week and took on about a year’s worth of media obligations in just 12 weeks. The schedule may have taken an unenviable physical toll on “The Big Dog,” but at least he had plenty of money to help “feed his family” now.

As for Omega, he spent the duration of Reigns’ title reign chasing his new rival around the world, looking to lock down a rematch, but obstacles, namely in the form of Jon Moxley, Eddie Kingston and Christian Cage, kept getting in his way. He and the Elite would also make sporadic appearances on WWE television as per the terms of the two companies’ limited-time-only working relationship. One day, Omega caught Reigns coming off a long travel bender and succeeded in regaining his AEW, Impact and AAA world titles. Don Callis has said that Omega, “will be coming back for the blue belt as well… on our time, of course.”

Jack Goodwillieis a freelance sports journalist and a regular contributor to The Wrestling Estate. The former athletic administrator got his start covering high school sports for The Philadelphia Inquirer after receiving his journalism degree from Temple University in 2015.

Twitter: @jackgoodwillie