Gail Kim Fires Back At Kenny Omega’s Dig While Doubling Down On Riho Comments

Gail Kim isn’t done speaking her mind. After sparking backlash for her remarks about AEW star Riho, the former WWE and TNA champion used a new episode of the Huge POP podcast to address not only her initial comments but also Kenny Omega’s reaction to them.

Kim originally caused uproar when she said Riho wasn’t “believable” in a particular match, later explaining that her discomfort came from a single segment and the way it was presented. But this time, she shifted the focus to Omega’s response and AEW fans twisting her words. Speaking about Omega’s online post, Kim didn’t hold back.

“Even what he said though, was very derogatory. Again, he was probably reading things online and believing the AEW fans who twisted all the messaging, in my opinion, I don’t know. Maybe he did read my original answer. But, to say I do the splits — I didn’t even know what that meant at first. I’m like, ‘What do you mean I do the splits for TKO?’ I’m like, ‘What is he talking about?’”

Kim said she was shocked at Omega’s choice of words and accused fans of misrepresenting her original answer.

“I’m a little feisty, I’m a little fiery, so when people come at me, I have this need to defend myself… I did budge from my stance because… the view that the AEW fans or maybe the Riho fans had, a lot of them were very misunderstood and I felt like got very twisted inside and out and backwards and forwards and every which way you can imagine.”

She also reiterated that she wasn’t attacking Riho’s skills but rather describing her own reaction to a moment she found uncomfortable.

“I tried to explain myself… I was not, in any way, saying anything bad about her. I was talking about my discomfort in a segment that I had watched, probably when AEW started, because I don’t watch AEW currently. I’ve tried a few times. Wasn’t really my cup of tea. I do support, of course, a lot of the wrestlers over there because our world is very small, and yeah, I always support the wrestlers and what they do.”

Kim also made it clear she’s frustrated by people calling for her to apologize, name-dropping some of the most prominent voices in wrestling media.

“I gave my answer from a question that was asked. I think it stemmed from a Jim Cornette question, who is also very controversial, and I guess people who didn’t like my opinion, and maybe read people’s twisted interpretations of what was said, took it the wrong way… The (Dave) Meltzers of the world and people telling me I need to apologize. It’s just ridiculous in my opinion just because I don’t think he fully understands the situation, and like I said, I would have been happy to have a conversation just like we’re having right now.”

Kim ended by saying she still believes direct conversations clear things up far better than social media arguments.

“I always feel like having conversations clears up things so much more, besides standing behind or sitting behind a keyboard where you’re anonymous, whereas we are all public figures and we have to take accountability for what we say and they really don’t.”

Gail Kim appears determined to stand by her comments about Riho and defend herself against criticism from both fans and AEW insiders, including Omega. Whether this ongoing war of words will die down or escalate remains to be seen.