Wrestler Kenny Omega went all out with a new entrance directly inspired by the iconic Final Fantasy 7 villain Sephiroth for his NJPW Wrestle Kingdom match against Will Ospreay. Involved with both New Japan Pro-Wrestling and AEW (All Elite Wrestling), Omega has had a colorful career and won a host of championships, earning the adoration of fans as well as many titles.Starting out in Winnipeg, Omega made a name for himself in the Canadian wrestling scene. He got picked up by WWE and went on to perform stints in both AWE and NJPW. He initially adopted a Hawaiian surfer character, but that was soon dropped for an otaku-inspired persona, as much of his personal interests revolve around gaming, anime, and Japanese culture. The wrestler now lives in Japan and is fluent in the language. Omega even starred as the street brawling Cody Travers in a Street Fighter 5: Arcade Edition commercial.Earlier today, Kenny Omega made a stunning entrance at the NJPW Wrestle Kingdom event where he took on Will Ospreay. The two faced off to earn the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship belt, IWGP being New Japan Pro-Wrestling's governing body. As the sequence began, Omega's aliases flashed across the rear of the stage, including "The Cleaner," a name that helped him solidify his world presence. A metallic "K" was then slashed down the middle and, after a beat, the two halves of the image collapsed in some very anime-inspired imagery. Omega appeared, extending his left arm sharply as an enormous black wing was seen, and the iconic One Winged Angel track from Final Fantasy 7 began.
When Omega finally faced the audience, it was clear that he was enjoying himself, as he strutted down the aisle with a grin. Not just borrowing the song most closely associated with Sephiroth, the wrestler was decked out in costume inspired by the complex Final Fantasy villain: a long black coat adorned with silver pauldrons. The flames that often accompany the character raged across the screens behind Omega and spouts of fire shot up around him as he descended to the ring adding a nice touch to complete the package. As for the match itself, it's already being hailed as an astonishing display of athleticism and entertainment. Four days into the year, many are calling it a match of the year contender.
Kenny Omega's love of gaming and Final Fantasy 7 in particular is evident in much of his persona, especially his finishing move, named after the game's iconic One Winged Angel song. Gaming and wrestling fandoms have become largely intertwined, and the latter's growing appeal likely has something to do with the more inclusive, modern, and generally more positive attitudes that many of its stars and fans espouse.
In fact, Omega himself is lauded as a pioneer for LGBTQ acceptance in wrestling, as he portrayed an implied love story with tag team partner Kota Ibushi. It can't be understated how important it is to have personalities like his involved in both the pro wrestling and gaming worlds.