Kyle O’Reilly says he’s very lucky following his first match in nearly two years.
AEW star Kyle O’Reilly was sidelined for nearly two years as he recovered from neck surgery and complications that came after the procedure. After returning at AEW Revolution, he had his first match back on the March 16 episode of AEW Collision. There, he defeated Bryan Keith.
In a tweet, AEW shared a clip in which Kyle O’Reilly shared his thoughts following his return to the ring.
“Moments and times like these, I’m reminded how much it hurts to be a professional wrestler,” Kyle O’Reilly said. “How much it hurts to hit the mat, how much it sucks to get chopped and to get kicked. And I’m reminded of why I fell in love with this sport to begin with, man. I’m reminded of how deep of a roster we have, how talented a guy Bryan Keith is. Reminded how great the AEW fan base is.
“I know I said, I mentioned at the time I didn’t want to join the Undisputed Kingdom, but that didn’t mean that I didn’t want the support of my best friends, and before I knew it, those guys were out there, and they’re hugging me, and it really felt good. I’m a really lucky guy, and I get a chance to do this again.”
At the end of the clip, Katsuyori Shibata approached O’Reilly and helped him to his feet. The former ROH Pure Champion clapped O’Reilly on the shoulder and respectfully nodded. Shibata also made his return to AEW on Saturday night. He lost to Bryan Danielson in a singles match.
RELATED: AEW Collision Results (3/16/24): Katsuyori Shibata Takes On Bryan Danielson
