Kenny Omega Defeated Mike Angels
Won: January 31st, 2008 - The LID Nightclub - Winnipeg, Mb
Lost: March 6th 2008
How: Lost to Mike Angels
Length: 35 days (21st longest)
Cumulative Length: 237 days (3 reigns)
Kenny Omega shocked the wrestling world when he, on September 14th 2006, walked out live onto a Premier Championship Wrestling (PCW) live event and announced he had quit World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and was back in PCW.
It was truly a monumental surprise. It was December 1st 2005 when Omega returned to PCW from his brief time with rival promotion Action Wrestling Entertainment (AWE) to announce he had signed a contract with WWE. It took several weeks to complete all the contractual and medical details that go into a WWE contract but on March 6th 2006, Omega challenged Rawskillz for the PCW Heavyweight Championship in his farewell match.
He was defeated by the exceptional Rawkills and then reported to WWE's development promotion in Georgia, Deep South Wrestling (DSW). Omega trained and wrestled for WWE for much of 2006. Back in PCW, Rawskillz had lost the PCW Championship to Mentallo but continued to be one of the very best wrestlers in the company.
On August 31st, Skillz defeated Michael "Bubbles" Draven & "Diehard" Greg Romijn to advance to the finals of a tournament to determine who would face "Phenomenal" AJ Styles at the Back to School Bash. One week later he defeated Anderson Tyson Moore in the final match to earn the AJ Styles opportunity.
But Skillz had gone from most popular wrestler in the Country to a man fully embracing his own headlines. Referred to by many as the most decorated champion in PCW history, Rawskillz took every opportunity to remind everyone that he was the best there was. When he arrogantly announced he'd put his match against Styles on the line against any challenger, neither he nor anyone else for that matter, could have expected that Omega would answer the challenge.
At the time, it was clear to most observers that Omega was one of the most talented young wrestlers in the world. His road to WWE went through World League Wrestling (WLW) promoted by legendary former World's Heavyweight Champion Harley Race. In 2005 he attended a joint camp between WLW and Pro Wrestling Noah. Kenny was excited about the prospect of showing his skill to representatives from Noah as he always felt his career path would take him to Japan.
Also at the camp was Johnny "Ace" Laurinaitis, the Vice President of Talent Relations for WWE. While the camp was mostly a vehicle for Race's own WLW talent to be scouted by Japanese and WWE reps, Trevor Murdoch immediately recognized Kenny's talent and ensured he was placed in the advanced group.
Omega was singled out by Laurinaitis and compared to Brian Pillman. By the end of the camp, Kenny was asked to attend a formal try out for WWE and by December, had been offered a contract.
Between Kenny's trip to WLW and his announcement of signing with WWE, he had shocked many Winnipeg wrestling fans by quitting PCW to join AWE, led by Mike Davidson. Davidson had maintained a mostly-acrimonious relationship with PCW since resigning as their creative director in 2003 and had, on several occasions, attempted to hinder their success or lure away talent, including several efforts at wresting away control of the PCW Championship.
Omega's decision to accept an offer to join AWE was most surprising because Davidson had briefly told many people that he considered Kenny to be "blackballed" and would never book him on any events he promoted. Omega explained to the PCW audience that he had been given an offer he couldn't refuse but considered PCW his home and "the best promotion in Canada".
Kenny's insistence that he publicly address his PCW fans infuriated Davidson who had wanted his joining AWE to be a surprise that would catch PCW off-guard and hurt the company. Once the information was public, Davidson leaned hard on Kenny to leave PCW immediately rather then work out his final two weeks of commitments.
It created a very awkward and tense situation between Omega and PCW's Director Andrew Shallcross. But as the weeks progressed, Shallcross' initial disappointment and anger subsided and he communicated regularly with Kenny. It was late November 2005 when Omega revealed to Shallcross that he had been offered a WWE contract and suggested he break the news publicly.
If that annoyed Davidson, who's AWE could well have benefited from breaking the news of Omega's WWE offer, what happened next truly aggravated him. Only days after appearing on AWE's live event, Kenny showed up at PCW's Revolution and entered the ring to confirm to PCW's audience that he had signed with WWE but wanted his last Winnipeg match to be in a PCW ring against Rawskillz.
After having his last PCW match on March 6th and reporting to WWE, Omega kept in regular contact with Shallcross. And as the summer wore on, Kenny telephoned him to reveal that he had requested his unconditional release from WWE. Omega inquired if PCW had "anything exciting coming up" and Shallcross explained that they were negotiating with AJ Styles to appear at the Back to School Bash.
Omega was strongly interested in being considered for that match, but the efforts to receive a contractual release from WWE were somewhat delicate. By the time Kenny was available to return to PCW, the tournament to determine Styles' opponent had been completed.
Kenny and PCW agreed to keep his WWE status and return to Winnipeg a closely guarded secret. He arrived home only days before PCW's September 14th live event where Rawskillz put his Styles' match on the line against "anyone who thinks he's better than me!" That created the perfect, fairy tale return for Omega who accepted the challenge and beat Skillz.
The following week, Kenny beat Styles in an incredible match that went nearly 30 minutes. When it was over, Omega's love of wrestling had been restored and the fans truly knew he was back and better then ever. But no matter how many people think you're the best, only holding the Heavyweight Championship really means its true. And Omega's road back to the top title was a long one.
He ended his remarkable 2006 on December 7th with a victory over Mike Angels beginning their rivalry that many contend is the greatest in PCW history. And that may very well be true, but their feud started slowly.
After that loss, Angels returned to his home in Dauphin, Manitoba and spent several weeks reflecting on his life and career. While he had been successful as the enforcer of the M-Assignment super clique, his role was to stand secondary to spiritual leader Mentallo, to drive Mentallo's success and ensure he remained PCW Champion.
But as 2007 began, the remaining members of M-Assignment - Mentallo & Rawskillz - became bogged down in a surprising feud with journeyman wrestler Michael "Bubbles" Draven. Draven had had little to no success of any note in his wrestling career previously, but a count-out victory over Mentallo suddenly made him PCW's version of Rocky Balboa.
Draven followed up his incredible victory over the PCW Champion with a win against Rawskillz. That intensified Mentallo's focus and he not only finally defeated Draven in convincing fashion, he stole the man's wife, Charity, who admitted she had moved out of Draven's home in the middle of the night to be with Mentallo.
Although Draven entered PCW as a popular fan favorite, this rivalry with M-Assignment caused the fans to turn on him, rejecting his inflated sense of ability and pitying his personal relationship issues. And the one thing PCW fans respect above all else is talent, something both Mentallo & Rawskillz had in droves.
Their new status as audience favourites did not sit well with Mike Angels. When he returned on February 1st, he immediately destroyed Draven, a victory so complete it was almost as if he was setting an example for his former M-Assignment allies. And then he immediately challenged Mentallo for the PCW Heavyweight Championship, attacking him and stealing the title belt. Angels said Mentallo didnt deserve to have the belt because he wasn't the best anymore.
And though many fans also supported Angels - his talent was undeniable - he was as ruthless as ever and focused on one thing - winning the title, cementing his legacy and earning the respect of all fans and wrestlers alike.
Angels accomplished his goal at PCW's 5th Anniversary Spectacular on March 8th, ending Mentallo's 245 day reign as champion.
Mike Angels' reign kicked off a new era for Premier Championship Wrestling as they began promoting larger monthly events. And with Angels on top, attendance increased dramatically. And while he cared little for rules and fair play, the Mike Angels bandwagon increased every month as fans loved his unique style and charisma.
He defended the title against a variety of opponents, including Hardy, former champions "Outlaw" Adam Knight, Chad Tatum & Mentallo and continued his simmering feud with Omega, wrestling to a No Contest on June 30th in Brandon, Manitoba. Less than two months later, Omega was victorious in a match against Angels, AJ Sanchez & Adam Knight to earn the opportunity to face Samoa Joe.
That match, on September 27th at Back to School Bash, was highly controversial. Though Omega lost, he rebounded one week later with a victory over Rawskillz. On the same night, Angels successfully defended the PCW Championship against his former partner, Chad Tatum and Mentallo made a surprising return from Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) in Mexico.
Skillz privately announced his retirement and, in a show of respect, Omega teamed with him for his last match, a victory over Angels & Mentallo.
Kenny now held victories over Angels in non-singles competition, earning him a PCW Championship match. On December 13th 2007, they wrestled to a draw. That set the two men on another collision course with the rematch scheduled for January 31st 2008 at PCW's Rising SPirit: Enter The Dragon, featuring wrestling legend Ultimo Dragon.
In front of a capacity audience at the LID Nightclub, Omega finally regained his position as recognized top talent in the promotion, defeating Angels for his third PCW Heavyweight Championship! It was his first heavyweight title since losing the PCW gold nearly four years earlier and became only the second person, after Mentallo, to win three PCW Championships.
It ended Angels' then-record setting 329 day reign!
Omega's title victory was not the climax to his rivalry with Angels. It grown in intensity and was at its most heated. Angels would immediately demand his contractually obligated rematch and shock fans by regaining the title from Kenny only 35 days later at the historic 6th Anniversary Spectacular!
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