JAPW Full F’n Force: Omega vs Danny Demanto at Rahway Rec Center in Rahway, New Jersey.
Photos by Scott Finkelstein. More from this match can be found HERE
The video posted below includes Kenny’s pre-match promo, the match with Demanto, and a post-match interview with Kenny. The pre-match promo by itself was uploaded to youtube and can be found here.
Kenny’s robot entrance…
Kenny would do this obnoxious belly pat featured in the top gif years later on opponents (stay tuned, I’ll likely gif it later as comparison).
Hadouken!
His hadouken seems like it was gaining reputation at this time – it was mentioned by wrestling blogs in Japan before he even arrived in the country to wrestle for the first time.
Here is a post-match interview with Japanese wrestling blog Manhattan Drop, in which Kenny expresses his enthusiasm for video games, and his desire to begin wrestling in Japan.
This has been translated from Japanese, and may contain some errors. The original source has been taken down.
May 31, 2008 JAPW New Jersey Tournament
Every time I watch the game, Kenny Omega gets anxious every time. I want to know more about him! I can’t sleep even at night! That’s why it is a Manhattan Drop specialty (?!) Assault interview. Don’t think about it first and read this interview!
–Nice to meet you. I’m afraid this is a story that has nothing to do with professional wrestling, but there are things I’m curious about, so let me ask you a question first. According to MySpace, you’re a big fan of video games, right?
(Kenny Omega): Oh yes! ! There are two things I can’t miss in my life. One is, of course, wrestling, and the other is video games (laughs) For example, when you are depressed, you feel good when you see a good match, and when you play an interesting game you become happy.
–So that’s it. What do you like about hardware? Nintendo school? Playstation?
(Omega): It’s a difficult question (laughs) But if you want to force it, it would be PlayStation. Because there are so many Japanese games out there. Besides, Nintendo has a lot of games for children, but PlayStation has many complete games. For example, Shin Megami Tensei is the best. Megaten, Aishiteru!
――Can you speak Japanese?
(Omega): Sukoshi. I just started studying Japanese recently. Watashiha, Gakuseides.
–In addition, Makoto Nagano (Sasuke All Stars) is also written as a hero in My Space. Why? (In North America, “Sasuke” was broadcasted under the name “Ninja Warrior” and received enthusiastic support from some enthusiasts.)
(Omega): He’s amazing! ! In Canada, most famous athletes are ice hockey players. I know that I was playing hockey, but I think hockey players are not the perfect athletes overall. But Makoto Nagano is a perfect athlete no matter how you look at it! Humans are no longer at the level. It’s an elaborate robot. The speech I had when I was completely overtaken by Sasuke was moving again, and well, well, he said, “I have been able to reach here now because of my efforts.” I know that feeling well. After all, don’t you think these words apply to professional wrestling exactly? I practice hard for matches that I can hardly get, and I live in Canada, so it takes 12 hours a day just to move. Then, I played a game, got a gala, and returned to Canada. I don’t have a regular job or enough money, but I’m trying to do my best as long as there are people who support me. Again, I’m not doing it just for the moment, but because I think that if I make an effort like this one day, this effort will pay off. I wasn’t an honor student and I didn’t go to college, but I have wrestling in my heart. So when I’m working hard and the fans admit me to me, I can say that the path I chose was right.
–So that’s it. So what is your professional wrestling history?
(Omega): It’s been 8 years. But in my local Winnipeg, wrestling isn’t very popular. So in order to be successful, you have to come to America and play a match like this. But I’m really lucky to have a good match in the US. Here in the United States you can appreciate my style.
――Do you want to play a match in Japan?
(Omega): If I could play a match in Japan, I would have achieved my goals since I started wrestling. I think the style of professional wrestling has changed a lot since I started professional wrestling. Right now it’s more story-centric and doesn’t feel like a fighting spirit, right? But Japanese wrestling is different. It’s deeper. I tried to spread that style to Winnipeg, but no one understood it. But here the style is preferred. For example, Low Key is Japanese style, and Davey Richards is Japanese style. I don’t like this style in Canada. But I try to do this style as much as I can. As long as the fans support me.
――As for my space again, Ikuhisa Minowa also wrote that he was a hero. Do you also watch pancras?
(Omega): When was it? I watched a UWF match without any knowledge. The first thing I saw was Takada’s match, which was amazing. Pro-wrestling is a show, but I felt that it needed to be real. So I learned Jiu-Jitsu. I’m also winning the Canadian Jiu-Jitsu tournament. So I’m not only a professional wrestler, but also a Jiu-Jitsu. To be a good professional wrestler, you need to be a good fighter. I think so.
――Have you ever played a MMA match as a professional?
(Omega): Only once. My true weight is 170 pounds (77 kg). But wrestling is too small. So it’s difficult to do Jiu-Jitsu with a body that looks professional. I currently weigh about 200 pounds (90 kilos), but if I were to play a Jiu-Jitsu game with this weight, my opponents would be ridiculously large, right? It’s impossible to play against such big guys! (Laughs) So I have to think about whether to take professional wrestling or jiu-jitsu. Of course it would be nice to live as a mixed martial artist, but now I bet on my last wishes and come to America like this. To succeed as a professional wrestler. Of course I still enjoy practicing Jiu-Jitsu and I continue to train. I may return to Jiu Jitsu in the future, but now I’m just professional!
――To whom did you study professional wrestling?
(Omega): Hmm … In fact, there are no good trainers in Winnipeg. So what I did was watch the video. I learned a lot from it. So should I say self-study? I watched the video over and over, rewound, “Isn’t it too big?”, Rewound again, and practiced “Isn’t that right? It took me eight years to get here, partly because I practiced it through trial and error.
――So you don’t go to wrestling school at all?
(Omega): No, I’ve been there. But I don’t have any good coaches, it’s just a city wrestling school where people with no experience teach. So I had no choice but to learn a lot. For example, if you try to practice in the United States, you can learn from Homicides and Jay Lethal who are in the match today? But in Winnipeg you can’t learn from them. To become a star, you have to learn from the star. If that’s not possible, you have to play a lot of stars and learn a lot from them. My very first big match was the X Division Championship against Pety Williams. Next is Chris Sabin. I learned something from those people little by little, I stole it, and I learned a lot. After that, I signed a contract with WWE, where I learned a lot of things (it seems that I was practicing in deep south wrestling). Then I left professional wrestling and went to MMA. Then, I played AJ Styles. Playing a game with AJ was really a dream. Wrestling was so important to me because I played with AJ! That’s why I’m playing a match in the US right now!
――By the way, did you have a turtle wave at the end of today’s game?
(Omega): Ah, that wasn’t Kamehameha, but it could be Hadouken (laughs) or Zanku Hadouken, or electric blade Hadouken (laughs).
–eh? Is that a Hadoken? (Laughs) Do you know that some Japanese wrestlers use Kamehameha?
(Omega): I know! But I’m Hadouken (laughs)
――You seem to be familiar with Japanese professional wrestling. Who do you like among the Japanese wrestlers?
(Omega): That’s right. My favorite is … (thinking for a while) Kota Ibushi!
–Really? ! Ibushi is a special wrestler for us. When I went to ROH in April, I did a close interview.
(Omega): Really? He belongs to an indie group, right? I’m still young, very enthusiastic, good looking, sharp kicking, and just a great wrestler. Even though you belonged to a small group, you worked hard, and as a result you broke like this and became a rising star, right? The environment is similar to mine, so I’m working hard with the goal of being a Kota. I also want to be a Kota! ! I would love to have a match with him. I also like Ishimori. He used to sing at Sailor Boys. (Suddenly sings) Fly Away with you ~ ♪ That’s good! The best! Will you do it again … But he’s serious now, so can’t it?
――No, you are really familiar (laughs) Then, what is your favorite game?
(Omega): Well, that’s a difficult question. I also like Megaten … Well, Metal Gear Solid 3!
–You’ll be getting 4 soon, right?
(Omega): Yes, but even if 4 comes out, the best metal gear masterpiece is 3. I understand (laughs) Oh, by the way (please give me a portrait)
-(Discovering the letters “Acronym Ω” in the portrait) Oh “Acronym D” (laughs) Do you also like Japanese anime?
(Omega): Yeah, I love it! I like “Initial D”, but my favorite is “The First Step”. I know? That’s the best! !
–We’ve been watching wrestling for many years, but I think you’re a really great wrestler. We will do our best to support you in Manhattan Drop!
(Omega): Thank you! I’m really happy to hear that. Domoigarigato gave me such an opportunity!
Kenny-Omega.com 
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