Kenny Omega Says AJ Styles Helped Launch The Elite and Indirectly Sparked AEW

Kenny Omega didn’t hold back when reflecting on AJ Styles’ legacy during a recent interview on SHAK Wrestling. With AJ announcing his retirement plans for next year, Omega took the opportunity to thank him for three critical moments that shaped his entire wrestling career—and possibly even laid the groundwork for AEW.

Early in his career, Omega was disillusioned after leaving WWE developmental. He wasn’t sure he wanted to continue wrestling at all. That’s when a local promoter booked him in a match against AJ Styles.

“I thought to myself, you know, that’s a great way to go out. A nice good last match would be that one maybe.”

But something changed during the match.

“There were moments in that match where the give and take just felt so symbiotic… the chemistry was naturally there. And I thought, wow, this is what it feels like to wrestle someone at this level. And I’m not embarrassing myself. Maybe I need to push myself harder and I can reach this level.”

That match with Styles reignited Omega’s belief in himself. Then came a second turning point: AJ gave his blessing for Omega to get involved in AJ’s NJPW match against Kota Ibushi. That brief interaction re-opened the door for the Golden Lovers storyline.

“If I didn’t have AJ’s blessing to do that… to add that emotional storyline beat… I don’t think there would have ever been a reforming of Golden Lovers.”

The final and most pivotal moment? AJ’s New Japan exit. Omega, alongside the Young Bucks, turned on AJ in a shocking angle that they didn’t even tell management about. According to Kenny, that unscripted moment helped birth something massive.

“By him turning his back and allowing that moment to happen… whether he knows it or not… I mean, that led to the forming of The Elite—that led to BTE—that led to Hot Topic—ultimately… that kind of led to AEW.”

For Omega, Styles wasn’t just an inspiration—he was a direct spark in moments that changed his life and helped shape an entire promotion. AJ Styles is often hailed as one of the greatest in-ring performers of all time, but according to Kenny Omega, his impact goes far beyond his own title runs.

Do you think AJ Styles gets enough credit for influencing AEW’s origins? Was Omega right to say that Styles helped ignite it all? Let us know what you think in the comments below.