10/28/18
"All of the world is full of suffering..."

As Omega released the pin on Owens, the crowd cheered for the victorious superstar. The crowd was more so cheering for the a hard fought match more so than Omega himself. Omega rose to his feet and stumbled back until he was leaning up against a turnbuckle. His music hit on the PA system in the Staples Center and he stood against the turnbuckle and looked up high to the rafters. After a bit of self-reflection, he fell to the mat and rolled out of the ring. He walked up to the top of the ramp and turned back around to see the fans still pouring into the Staples Center. He nodded his head and turned and headed towards the back.

As he pushed through the curtain entering the backstage area, he walked some down a couple of halls and turned towards the refreshments area. Omega stopped and looked around to see what was being given out for superstars to eat and drink. Omega walked forward with a slight limp and asked the two stage hands back there question.

Kenny Omega: Hey, I need two cups of ice. No soda. No water. Just the ice.

The two interns looked at each other in an awkward manner rather surprised at what Omega had requested. One of the interns walked around the table that had soda, water, and Gatorade on it and managed to fulfill Omega's request of two cups of simply ice. He handed it to Omega still with a peculiar look on his face.

Kenny Omega: What? It's because of my iron deficiency!

The two interns looked even more confused as Omega smirked and turned his back. Omega walked down another hall and approached his locker room. The locker room was Omega's own personal locker room due to the number of possible locker rooms that the Staples Center offered. He walked in and walked over towards the bench and locker section and immediately sat down. He set the two cups of ice besides him, grabbed his gym bag and threw it in front of him. Omega rolled up his tights on his right leg to take a look at his recently repaired leg. It was clearly swollen as he began to remove the knee brace he was wearing. As he removed it, he winced in a bit of pain.

The discoloration as well as swelling made it clear that Omega was still feeling the impact of his surgery earlier in the year. He took the ice from one of the cups and began to rub it on his knee. He let out a deep sigh as he slouched a bit, almost feeling a bit more comfortable with the ice applied to his knee area. All of a sudden, there was a knock on the door. Omega was rather startled at this and threw the ice cubes he was holding across the room. He got up and let out another wince as he walked glacially towards the door. He opened it up.

Kenny Omega: Hi, Hope. What, uh, brings you here?

Hope Clemente stood in the doorway with a smile on her face. Omega rested his left arm against the door frame disallowing Clemente to enter his locker room.

Hope Clemente: Kenny...I just wanted to stop by to see how you were holding up. Surgery. Returning earlier than expected. Your first match against Kevin. How are you feeling after that?

Omega cleared his throat and flipped back his hair before answering.

Kenny Omega: Hope, I've worked my ass off for the past 5 months to get back out there. I would never jeopardize it by coming back too soon or against doctor's orders. I feel great. The surgery...the physical therapy...all this time off...I needed it all. I needed it all so I could get back out there and do what I just did.

Hope Clemente: That's all great, Kenny. I'm really glad to hear that. I'd love for you to come by the EBWF medical staff office at some point today to have one of my workers check out your leg and knee a bit more. Would you do that?

Kenny snickered as Clemente posed the question.

Kenny Omega: I know what you're doing, Hope. I know you're doing your job checking in on me and ensuring that I'm able to perform at the top of my game. I get all of that and I'm really appreciative of it. But...I want you to know...I'm fine. I really am. I feel great. It was great to get back out there and step into the ring and do what I do better than any one else back here. I'm really okay. I know my body and I know what I am and am not capable of. Right now, I just want to soak in this feeling. I'll stop by later if I have time.

Hope Clemente: Thanks, Kenny. I appreciate all of that. Tonight is going to be a monumental and busy night for all of us so I better go. I hope you to decide to stop by later.

Omega nodded his head acknowledging he heard what Clemente had said. Clemente then turned and left the area of Omega's locker room. Omega turned and rolled his eyes as he shut the door. It was clear with his body language that he wasn't going to see one the EBWF medical staff later.

He turned and headed back to where he was seated previously. Using the ice from the second cup he had requested earlier, he applied that ice to the swollen area of his leg. With his free hand, he rummaged through his gym bag until be pulled out a bottle of ibuprofen. He let out a sigh and shook his head before flicking off the lid of the medicine bottle.

11/05/18
"....It is also full of overcoming"

The weekly Warfare pre-show was underway which could only be accessed via EBWF Mobile. It returned from a video package hyping the ending of Fanniversary and how it will translate into the future of EBWF. As the pre-show returned on the app, Renne Young stood in front of the camera and stood alongside Kenny Omega.

Renee Young: Ladies and gentleman, we are just a handful of minutes away from another exciting episode of Warfare. With the time we have left, please welcome my guest...Kenny Omega!

Omega smiled as Renee introduced him to the audience.

Renee Young: Kenny, welcome back to Warfare. I know tonight is very special for you as it is your first Warfare back from the injury you suffered earlier this year.

Kenny Omega: You're right, Renee. Tonight is the night I fully return...home. At Fanniversary, it was great to get back out there. It was great to step foot in the squared circle once more, but tonight...Warfare...Warfare is where it all happens. My last memory of Warfare? Limping out, looking back in the ring at The Miz, knowing that I'd be out for quite some time.

Omega spoke a bit somberly reflecting back to his injury he suffered at the hands of the Miz.

Renee Young: Kenny, you mention Fanniversary. For those that don't know, on the pre-show at Fanniversary, the EBWF universe saw you walk out victorious against Kevin Owens. What-

Omega interrupted Young.

Kenny Omega: For those that don't know...for those that don't know! Yes, I'm sure there are many that do not know, Renee. I was disrespected at Fanniversary. I was disrespected by the EBWF brass being placed on the pre-show at Fanniversary. A former Royal Rumble winner returning? Yes, put it on the pre-show. A former world champion returning? Yes, put it on the damn pre-show. I doubt many people saw it. I doubt many people understand what occurred. I'm sure everyone's talking about LEGION and Team EBWF, but little do people know that oh, I don't know...that the best in the world is back? That's right. At Fanniversary, yes albeit on the pre-show, I entered that ring again. For the first time in five months, I walked through that curtain, I stepped through those ropes and I made my presence felt.

Renee Young: How has the past five months been? Are you 100% back?

Omega snickered as Young questioned him and began to rub his chin as if he were pondering his thoughts before answering.

Kenny Omega: Ever since I entered this business I've always prided myself on putting my all into everything that comes my way. That means kicking ass in and outside of the ring. Believe it or not, for the past five months this rehab process has kicked my ass, but you know what? It's kicked my ass so I can kick more ass out there. I'm back. I'm bigger. I'm faster. I'm stronger. I'm better than ever. I feel like a million bucks, Renee. The handful of people that were watching the pre-show saw it at Fanniversary and I guarantee everyone will see it tonight.

Renee Young: You mention tonight; tonight is much different than performing on the pre-show because you will be main eventing Warfare going one on one against Andrade Cien Almas.

Omega nodded his nod and smiled in approval to Renee discussing the placement of Omega on tonight's Warfare card.

Kenny Omega: The main event...it's where the big dogs come to play. You know something, Renee...when I first got injured earlier this year it was clear what the Miz was trying to do. It was clear his intentions were to ensure that I never step foot back in that ring again. I not only proved him and all the others wrong at Fanniversary, but tonight...I main event the damn show. I think EBWF brass smartened up when they saw what type of shape I'm in. Like I said, bigger, faster, stronger...better. Isn't that a scary thought? How can the best be even better? Scary. A very scary thought.

Renee Young: You're up against a rather daunting opponent in Andrade Cien Almas. He not only was also victorious at Fanniversary, but he left the Staples Center with EBWF Gateway Championship.

Omega let out a clear laugh. He shook his head as he replied to Young.

Kenny Omega: Gateway Championship, huh? That's cute. It really is. For Andrade, that's great. It fits him. He's at that point in his career where he needs that stepping stone before he truly enters the spotlight. I'll give it to Andrade Cien Almas: from the looks of things, he seems to have a lot going for him. He's got the attitude, dare I say it, of royalty. He has some good looking women at his side and he has a shiny, new belt on his shoulder. Earlier this year, I wasn't concerned with Gateway Championships. I wasn't concerned with other superstars who could potentially challenge me. Want to know what I was concerned with? I was concerned with beating 30 other superstars and winning the Royal Rumble. I was concerned with winning the EBWF World Title. I was concerned with being the best. I was concerned with how I can go out there and PROVE that I was the best.

Being the great sports entertainment reporter she is, Renee Young was quick to propose a new question for Omega.

Renee Young: So are you not concerned with Almas?

Omega, a bit caught off guard, stopped and thought about an answer before replying. He shook his head back and forth as he spoke.

Kenny Omega: I wouldn't say that. Like I said, Andrade has quite a bit going for him. With that belt he has, he has options. He has the ability to cash that bad boy in at an event and challenge a World Champion. But let's be honest...are we really going to sit here and think that Almas has any real estate in Jimmy Havoc's head? Are we going to honestly say that Andrade Cien Almas is a threat to win the world champion? Renee, I think you, me, and everyone watching right now knows the answer to that. To be blunt, the answer is no. Almas isn't a threat at all to do anything with the Gateway Championship. It's a great accomplishment for him, sure, but to do anything useful with that? I highly doubt that he has the capability to.

Renee Young: I think you are really underestimating Almas, Kenny. He's one of the brightest, up and coming superstars that EBWF has to offer.

Kenny Omega: That's my exact point. My. Exact. Point. Almas has all the potential to do great things. He really does. As you put it, he's one of the best up and comers in the business. But you know what? He's up and coming. I'm already up here.

Omega used hand signals to signal where "up and coming" was and where "here" was. When he mentioned "here," his hand was significantly higher than when he mentioned "up and coming" in relation to Almas.

Kenny Omega: Andrade is coming and he still has some bumps to scuff out on his journey to the top, but me? Me....I'm already at the top. I've been at the top my entire damn career. I was at the top before I got injured and I sure as hell am at the top now. The big difference between Andrade Cien Almas and myself? Almas is content where he is at. With him being Gateway Champion, he has options. He can either hold that title for a while or he can cash it in at the next large EBWF Pay-Per-View. He's comfortable in that spot. He's comfortable with that label. He's comfortable being an "up and comer." He's excited to be the "next, big thing in EBWF."

Omega used air quotes around the two phrases talking about Almas.

Kenny Omega: I've gotten past being the up and comer label. I've gotten past being the next big thing label. Renee...I became that thing. I became the guy. I became THE best. Years ago, when I heard those phrases describing myself...that was just fuel for my fire. I never wanted to be an up and comer. I never wanted to be the next, big thing. I wanted to be a star. I wanted to get to the top. I wanted to be the best. Over the years, I've worked to achieve that. All the ups and downs in my career...from wrestling in front of less than 100 people in park district gyms to winning the EBWF World Title, I always strived to prove that I was the best. I was never content. Almas...he's content. When you get content...you soon realize that there are people out there that are bigger...better...and stronger than you. I have a feeling Mr. Gateway Champion is going to realize that tonight.

Renee Young: If this doesn't get you pumped for Warfare, I don't know what will. Warfare...begins...next!

Omega pointed a finger gun to the camera before smirking with malicious intent. Warfare was set to begin!