Don Callis shocked the world when he betrayed Kenny Omega by stabbing him with a screwdriver. That heinous act resulted in Omega losing the steel cage match to Jon Moxley. AEW granted Callis the main event segment the following week to speak his mind, but the Invisible Hand was not able to fully explain before Omega rushed out on stage. The byproduct of that scene was Hangman Page arriving to reform the Elite.
The question of why Callis turned on Omega was still looming large, so Callis sat down with Jim Ross for an interview prior to the Double or Nothing PPV. Callis explained his actions by putting the blame on Omega.
Callis has a long history with Omega. Dandy Don was trained and managed by the Golden Sheik, who happened to be Kenny’s uncle. When young Kenneth started to learn the craft of wrestling, the Golden Sheik personally asked a favor from Callis to guide his nephew’s career. Callis became a father-figure for Kenny driving him to greatness. They were family.
The issue for Callis was Omega’s friendship with the Young Bucks. Omega’s greatness is dragged down by the Jacksons, who just want to have fun. Callis was offended when Omega choose to chase the trios titles with the Bucks. That was equivalent to picking friends over family. Callis viewed that as Omega choosing to be one of the Three Stooges rather than the God of Professional Wrestling. Callis poetically explained that he couldn’t stand to see a man with Einstein’s intelligence settle to work at a convenience store.
When Ross rightly pointed out that stabbing Omega with a screwdriver seemed excessive, Callis played the victim.
Don Callis: Sometimes, Jim, toxic relationships require extreme measures. If I had slapped Kenny in the face, he would have still come back to me and try to leech off my intellect and to trigger me with emotional words and things. I had to do something for his own good. And for the good of what’s left for our family, Jim Ross, I had to do something, as you say, stab him in the face. I had to do something there could be no coming back from. That’s the reality.
Callis continued later in the interview comparing Omega to cancer. Kenny’s codependent relationship with his friends has made him weak. Callis can not tolerate weakness, and it ate away at him like a cancer. And just like with cancer, you cut it out. Callis warned that he hasn’t even started cutting yet.
That’s cold.
Callis also name-dropped Will Ospreay in a subtle manner, which may turn into foreshadowing. Omega’s victory over Ospreay in January was the last time Callis saw the old Omega. In a few months, the world will see that Callis was the greatness in their relationship, and Omega will falter like a clown. That time frame is convenient, because you know what happens in a few months? The Forbidden Door PPV is on June 25, and All In at Wembley Stadium is on August 27. Those would be choice times for Callis to be the Invisible Hand guiding Ospreay to greatness over his former protégé. Ospreay is just a guess on my part, but he sure does make a lot of sense in this situation.
What’s your take on this explanation from Don Callis?
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