Kenny Omega Is Better Than John Cena

I want to start by saying that this article idea was sparked by a discussion I heard on CovalentTV. Please follow them on their social media platforms and check out their podcast on YouTube.

A Case for Wrestling's True Modern Masterpiece

Few debates in modern wrestling fandom spark more discussion than this one: Who's the better wrestler — Kenny Omega or John Cena?

At first glance, the comparison seems unfair. Cena was WWE's franchise player for over a decade — a global icon, mainstream star, and the face of wrestling to an entire generation. Kenny Omega, by contrast, rose through Japan's New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), the indies, and AEW — carving his reputation outside WWE's corporate bubble.

But when you look beyond brand visibility and examine wrestling as both an art form and athletic performance, the scales tip decisively in Omega's favor. Here's why.

In-Ring Innovation and Storytelling

Kenny Omega is one of the most technically and psychologically sophisticated performers in the history of the sport. His matches combine athletic precision, layered psychology, and cinematic pacing in ways that few wrestlers have achieved.

Take his legendary trilogy with Kazuchika Okada in NJPW between 2017 and 2018 — matches that broke the traditional five-star rating scale and redefined the possibilities of storytelling in the ring. Each bout wasn't just a contest of moves but a narrative evolution — Omega's journey from hubris to heartbreak to redemption.

Cena, while capable of compelling storytelling (notably against CM Punk at Money in the Bank 2011 or AJ Styles at Royal Rumble 2017), often relied on formulaic WWE structures: build adversity, cue the comeback, hit the Attitude Adjustment. Omega, on the other hand, makes every sequence feel unpredictable and emotionally earned.

Range and Adaptability

Omega has proven himself across multiple wrestling styles and cultures — excelling in Japan, Mexico, Canada, and the United States. His ability to adapt his pacing, tone, and match psychology to different audiences is unmatched.

He's seamlessly transitioned from:

• Junior heavyweight dynamo in DDT and early NJPW,

• Main-event ace and G1 Climax winner,

• Tag team innovator with Hangman Page in AEW, and

• Compelling heel and anti-hero through his "Cleaner" and "Best Bout Machine" personas.

Cena, though an excellent WWE main-eventer, rarely ventured outside that stylistic lane. Omega thrives because of his creative freedom — each promotion and opponent becomes a new canvas rather than another rerun.

Artistic Vision and Creative Freedom

Omega isn't just a performer; he's a creative architect. His fingerprints are on AEW's foundational identity — from its storytelling ethos to its emphasis on long-form character development and match quality.

He treats wrestling as an art form, crafting multi-year arcs that reward attentive viewing. His AEW title run (2020–2021) wasn't about dominance — it was about exploring ego, manipulation, and the psychological cost of obsession.

Cena, bound by WWE's heavily scripted environment, often had his character flattened into PG-era heroism. While his consistency and charisma carried the brand, his creativity was confined by the system around him. Omega, by contrast, is the system — shaping it from within.

Athleticism and Match Composition

At 42, Omega continues to wrestle with an intensity and fluidity rarely seen in modern wrestling. His pacing, stamina, and timing are elite — his V-Triggers and Snapdragon Suplexes blend ballet-like precision with the realism of a fight scene.

Cena's strengths were charisma and power, not technical diversity. Cena's matches were engineered for spectacle; Omega's are built for immersion.

Whether in a 15-minute sprint or a 60-minute epic, Omega's match layouts invite rewatchability and deeper analysis. Wrestling journalists, historians, and even fellow wrestlers often cite his bouts as textbooks in match architecture — something Cena's catalog, for all its energy, can't reasonably claim.

Global Legacy and Cultural Influence

While Cena's influence is undeniable in the mainstream, Omega's impact lies in expanding the possibilities of what wrestling can be.

He made Japanese wrestling accessible to Western fans without compromising its integrity. He helped bridge the stylistic and cultural divide between East and West — paving the way for international stars to thrive outside WWE.

Omega also normalized wrestling's integration with gaming, anime, and online fandoms — embracing subcultures that modern audiences are a part of. He's a 21st-century wrestler in every sense: part athlete, part artist, part cultural polymath.

Cena defined an era; Omega transcended one.

The "Big Match" Factor

When it comes to delivering on the biggest stages, both men have excelled — but Omega's consistency is unmatched.

Every time Kenny Omega headlines a significant event — whether Wrestle Kingdom 11, Double or Nothing, or All In — he delivers a classic. His body of work across multiple promotions and continents has set a new bar for excellence.

Cena's legacy includes unforgettable moments, but his peak output was inconsistent. Omega's resume, from his matches with Okada, Tanahashi, and Jericho to his AEW classics against Page and Ospreay, forms perhaps the most complete in-ring portfolio since Shawn Michaels.

Legacy in Motion

Cena will always be remembered as the face of WWE's corporate peak. But Omega will be remembered as the artist who reinvented the medium.

He represents the evolution of pro wrestling from spectacle to storytelling, from "sports entertainment" to an art form capable of emotional and intellectual depth.

In short, Cena played a pivotal role in the world of wrestling. Omega rewrote the script.

John Cena is one of wrestling's greatest stars — a once-in-a-generation entertainer who carried WWE through some of its toughest years. But Kenny Omega is wrestling's most complete modern performer: an athlete, storyteller, and innovator whose work redefines the possibilities of the craft.

If Cena represents the pinnacle of mainstream success, Omega embodies the artistic soul of pro wrestling.

And in a medium that thrives on evolution, that makes all the difference.