TNA Hall of Famer Gail Kim recently engaged in a public dispute with AEW star Kenny Omega following her remarks about former AEW Women’s Champion Riho. The disagreement began after Kim’s opinions sparked debate on social media, leading Omega to post a pointed comment that many interpreted as directed at her.
The Origin of the Dispute and Omega’s Statement
The controversy started when Gail Kim shared her thoughts on Riho via a series of posts on Twitter/X, which attracted significant attention from fans. Kenny Omega responded with a cryptic tweet stating,
Another day and another ‘legend’ doing the splits on it for the yearly TKO [WWE parent company] gift basket… 🥱.
This remark was seen by many as a dismissive jab toward Kim.
Gail Kim Addresses Omega’s Comments on the HUGE POP! Podcast
In a conversation with Donnie DaSilva and Jimmy Korderas on the HUGE POP! podcast, Kim directly confronted Omega’s disparaging remark. She described the statement as,
Even what he said though, was very derogatory,
and added,
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?’
Clarifying Misunderstandings and Intent Behind Her Comments
Gail admitted to being passionate when challenged, but she emphasized her words were misinterpreted. She explained,
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. So, I tried to explain myself… I was not, in any way, saying anything bad about her.
Kim elaborated that her initial critique was based on watching an early AEW segment several years ago, which did not appeal to her personally, though she still admires many wrestlers in the promotion. She noted,
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,
highlighting how the context was lost amid fan reactions.
Calling Out Critics and Refusing to Apologize Unfairly
Gail Kim also condemned those pressuring her to apologize for her remarks. She expressed frustration with critics like Dave Meltzer and said,
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. Like I said, I would have been happy to have a conversation just like we’re having right now. 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.
Significance of the Exchange and Future Conversations
This exchange between Gail Kim and Kenny Omega underscores ongoing tensions between wrestling personalities and their fans online, fueled by misunderstandings and social media reactions. Kim’s willingness to clarify her position and engage in dialogue contrasts with the anonymous criticisms she faces, highlighting challenges public figures encounter in maintaining their reputation amid differing opinions. How this dispute evolves may influence how wrestlers and fans alike handle criticism and communication in the wrestling community.
