Imagine the villain from some of your favorite 80s and 90s movies: a long-haired, leather jacket-clad, aviators-wearing guy in impossibly good shape, constantly getting the better of all of your favorites with a smirk and a sly comment each time he does it.That should paint you a pretty accurate picture of Kenny Omega, or at least what you see on the surface. The 16-year veteran has taken a long and winding path to his current unprecedented success in New Japan Pro Wrestling as the first gaijin (a Japanese term for outsiders) to win the companys prestigious G1 Climax tournament.As the current leader of the wildly popular heel faction, The Bullet Club -- which counts current WWE stars AJ Styles, Finn Balor, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson as alumni -- Omega personifies a cartoonish evil that belies his ample in-ring abilities.Omegas career started an ocean away and went on for eight years before he ever got a whiff of Japan. He featured for a number of North American promotions during that time, most of which were close to his hometown of Winnipeg, Manitoba. He also had a 10-month stint in the WWE developmental program that ended with Omega requesting and receiving his release because of conflicts with the training staff.With those experiences in his rearview mirror, Omega found his way to Japan thanks to a leap of faith. Omega became aware of a Japanese promotion called Dramatic Dream Team (DDT) and one of its stars, Kota Ibushi, who performed in unusual matches in outdoor environments outside of a wrestling ring. With the hopes of attracting their attention, Omega filmed his own DDT-style match at home and sent it to DDT. It worked.Omega found his new lifestyle fascinating, and his adjustment to the culture turned out to be easier than anticipated.I loved Japanese culture before even realizing it was, in fact, Japanese culture, Omega said. The cartoons and anime I was watching as a child, my favorite video games and even in pro wrestling -- my favorite wrestlers and matches originated in Japan. Learning Japanese was certainly a task, but my passion for the culture, as well as my will to communicate with fans and friends, always encouraged me to continue.DDT and its more relaxed atmosphere led to creative matches, moves and outcomes, and in August 2008 Omega faced off with Ibushi for the first time in a two-out-of-three-falls match. Omega lost, but he garnered a lot of attention and support from the fans for what he still considers one of the favorite matches of his career. Omega and Ibushi would go on to achieve great things as partners and as rivals in the years that followed.It was also during this first trip that Omega first crossed paths with The Young Bucks, his eventual partners in crime in The Elite, a subfaction within The Bullet Club.We happened to be on our first Japanese tour with Dragon Gate, and he happened to be on his first tour of DDT, Matt Jackson said. Immediately we were like, Oh, we gotta become friends with this guy.Their friendship wouldnt fully blossom until future meetings in California promotion Pro Wrestling Guerilla and elsewhere, but the seeds for some of the best matches of his career, and the current run that will likely be a career-defining time in Omegas career, were planted as far back as his very first trip.Omega joined the DDT roster full time in 2010, and he tagged with Ibushi in a couple of one-off matches before the pair won the IWGP junior heavyweight tag team championships in October of that same year against Ryusuke Taguchi and Balor. It would be Omegas only NJPW title run for nearly four years.It wasnt until Omegas DDT contract expired in late 2014 that a full-time position in New Japan Pro Wrestling became a reality. Although he was closer to achieving some of his goals, in joining The Bullet Club, reuniting with The Young Bucks and receiving an immediate title shot at the companys biggest show of the year, Omega still wasnt quite where he wanted to be.On paper it sounds like a great debut, Omega said. I became The Cleaner and won the IWGP junior heavyweight title in my first match at the Tokyo Dome. Yes, it was a real cool way to kick off a brand-new start, but I still remember being in the arena, changing out of my gear with the title and thinking of how to make it more than what it was.In fact, despite his size and in-ring style making him a natural fit atop the junior heavyweight division, Omega had higher aspirations.Truthfully, I wanted to be heavyweight [champion], but with the belt I had a responsibility as champion, as a foreigner in Japan and even as a member of Bullet Club, Omega said. Although I was proud of all my defenses, the total package never felt like it truly came together until my last defense at the Tokyo Dome.That one-year span featured two separate IWGP junior heavyweight title reigns bookended by WrestleKingdom shows. The night after that loss in January 2016, Omega teamed with then-Bullet Club leader Styles in a winning effort, but with Styles set to leave for the WWE, the stage was set for a changing of the guard.Postmatch, Omega led an ambush against Styles. The rest of the group -- including Gallows and Anderson, who also werent long for NJPW -- participated in that first wave, but, as the rest of the group cleared out, The Young Bucks and Omega stood ringside before ultimately going back for a second helping.It solidified for fans what had already happened away from cameras -- a friendship and partnership had come together between the three as The Elite, and it led to another evolution that helped the Bullet Club stay fresh.Omega declared a permanent move to the heavyweight division, earned a victory over Shinsuke Nakamura and won the Intercontinental title by defeating seven-time IWGP heavyweight champion Hiroshi Tanahashi. He cherished the opportunity but also felt the pressures that came along with it.The last thing I wanted to be known as was a transition guy, or just some foreign dude that had the belt until someone else won it, Omega?said.Omegas run with the title lasted for more than three months, with the highlight of the run coming in a historic match against fellow Canadian Michael Elgin.I wanted to raise the stakes, which is why Id suggested the ladder match, Omega said. I thought it was a perfect opportunity to forge ahead with a new New Japan. To give our Japanese fan base something special theyd never seen before.Despite losing that match, there were even greater heights ahead. Omega was announced as one of 20 competitors in the 26th G1 Climax, and, in the introductory news conference, he made no attempt to seem humbled by the experience.Part of what makes my character work is the delivery of the truth behind my comments, Omega said. Its easy to make rude comments simply for the sake of being rude, but Id much rather go a more psychological route. When you consider some of the things I said, yes, you can say Im an a--h---, but Im not wrong.Over the course of 20 days, Omega wrestled eight matches against eight wildly varying opponents. He had big matches night after night, but, starting with his fourth match, another showdown with Elgin, he had some of the most highly rated matches of his career.With a final preliminary match set to determine the two tournament finalists, Omega and Tetsuya Naito tore the house down at Ryougoku Sumo Hall, in a match that that lasted nearly 30 minutes and received the rarest of honors from veteran wrestling scribe Dave Meltzer -- a five-star rating (out of five). Omega won, clinching his spot as just the third gaijin ever to make the G1 final.I was very proud of my performance as a whole in the G1, Omega said. Id said it before, just being in the G1 was never enough. I wanted to secure the match of the tournament and become the MVP. I wanted every match of mine to be very distinctly different from one another. It left me mentally drained, but Im happy with the result.Its every day, and it never eases up, continued Omega, describing the grind of the G1. There are days when you have tag matches, but you need to prepare for your next singles match on that same day. You also have to maintain your physique, rehab injuries, monitor your diet, appease your sponsors, do fan meet and greets.Although there are similar schedules to this out there, none commands the level of performance the G1 does: pay-per-view-quality matches every night for the better part of a month.In the finals, Omega and 2008 G1 Climax winner Hirooki Goto put on another match that carried on for almost 30 minutes and brought a tremendous reaction from the same fans Omega had won over the previous night. It would be the performance of Omegas career.The day of the finals was odd because itd felt like Id never left the venue, Omega said. There was adrenaline that hadnt left my body, but the fatigue of that match was still an issue. Id come out of the G1 generally unscathed, but my knees were really inflamed, and it kind of changed my approach to the match.Omega understood the scope of the opportunity in front of him -- a moment that allowed him to go beyond the typical tendencies of his character and lay his soul bare in the ring.In the end, I cast aside ideas of what would make me super heelish and paid more attention to the essence of what makes G1 the G1, Omega said. I made it a battle of heart, and hoped that the real emotion and struggle would convey to the fans. I felt Id honored the tradition of the G1.After speaking Japanese to the crowd for the first time since joining The Bullet Club, Omega quickly snapped back into being the bad guy during his celebratory news conference. In his heart, though, there was a sincere sense of fulfillment and accomplishmentIn every way, its the biggest, most important victory for me, Omega said. I felt like I was struggling to tell this message and to show the world something in little tiny bits, but during the G1 I was given the opportunity to show much larger chunks of what my idea of pro wrestling is.Over the past eight years, Omega has experienced the highs and lows of what wrestling can deliver, but, after two successful defenses of his title shot, hes guaranteed to main event WrestleKingdom this coming January in the Tokyo Dome in a match for the IWGP heavyweight championship against Kazuchika Okada, another New Japan legend.Omega has broken down barriers for junior heavyweights, and for gaijin, but he doesnt take a single thing he has accomplished for granted.Im very proud to say I have won six match of the year awards in Japan, Omega said. I main-evented a sold-out Budokan Arena show, I participated in the first-ever ladder match in NJPW, made the transition from junior to heavyweight and earned a G1 win with a series full of performances that Im personally very proud of.Any time I broke through the glass ceiling by accomplishing things that foreigners werent apparently able to do, theyve been huge personal victories and career highlights for me. Deryk Engelland Jersey . LOUIS -- Lance Lynn was one of the more enthusiastic participants as the St. Nick Holden Jersey . - NASCAR announced a 33-race schedule for the 2014 Nationwide Series with virtually no changes from this years slate. http://www.goldenknightssale.com/authentic-brandon-pirri-golden-knights-jersey/ . The winner Saturday will remain in the elite 10-team field next year. "We talked about wanting to be disciplined and stick with our game plan and good things will come," Draisaitl said, who had two goals for the victors. Custom Vegas Golden Knights Jerseys .Y. - Detroit goaltender Jonas Gustavsson has earned NHL first star of the week honours after winning in his first three appearances of the season. William Carrier Jersey . Siddikur, whose previous win on the circuit came in Brunei three years ago, finished his bogey-free round with a birdie on the 18th for a total of 17-under 199. Indias Shiv Chowrasia, who has finished runner-up in this tournament twice, was in second place after a 66. OMAHA, Neb. -- Ryan Lochte shifted his weight back and forth. He lifted one foot, then the other, shaking each over the waters edge as if to make sure they were ready for this. For the next two minutes, he needed his feet, his arms, his legs, everything he had. He had stood in this position three times before, in the final of the 200-meter individual medley at the U.S. Olympic trials, and each time he had walked off the pool deck finishing second to Michael Phelps.Four years ago, when Phelps retired after the London Games, Lochte refused to believe it. He knew Phelps would be back. He needed him to be back. In any other era, Lochte would have been the greatest swimmer of his generation. Instead, he was Patrick Ewing to Phelps Michael Jordan. But now, in their last race on American soil, in the event Phelps has for so long dominated, Lochte had his chance to touch the wall before his rival and put a final twist on that narrative.When the eight finalists in the event paraded onto the pool deck, Phelps and Lochte came out last. In the tunnel, Lochte accidentally stepped on the heel of Phelps shoe, giving him what Phelps referred to as a flat tire. He was like, You trying to mess me up? And I was like, No, no, no, Lochte said. I was just joking. Their banter continued behind the blocks. I was pissed, Phelps said later, smiling. He caught me by surprise. We were both just enjoying ourselves.From the start, Phelps jumped out to an early lead. The 14,000 fans in the arena roared. Phelps led by .14 seconds at the first turn, and Lochte closed the gap to just .04 in the backstroke leg, his strength. With the race half finished, each had a chance. But up next was the breaststroke leg, and Lochtes legs were shot. Hed pulled his groin in that leg of the 400 IM five days earlier and battled pain all week. He and coach Dave Marsh adjusted his breaststroke kick to try to make it less painful. But it hadnt entirely worked.Equally challenging was the emotional drain the injury had taken on Lochte. The first night it happened, he worried his Olympic trials were over. There would be no Rio. The family and friends who had booked tickets, the sponsors who were counting on an Olympic appearance to push their products -- all of them were going to be disappointed.But with extensive massage therapy, ibuprofen and a distinctively high tolerance for pain, Lochte pressed on. Now he tried to push the pain out of his mind one last time. At the final turn, Phelps widened his lead to .19 seconds, swimming the breaststroke leg .12 seconds faster than Lochte.Phelps looked out of the corner of his eye. He saw Lochte. He knew he held a slim advantage. The image was almost exactly the same as four years ago. The same two swimmers, in the same two lanes, Phelps slightly leading on the final turn. On this night, too, they would charge home side-by-side, as fans in CenturyLink Center rose to their feet. With 25 meters to go, the water churning, it was nearly impossible to tell who was winning. Phelps knew it was anyones race. He kicked as hard as he could. Our races usually come down to the touch, Phelps said. And I just wanted to get my hand on the wall first.ddddddddddddHe did. Again. By one-third of a second. Phelps: 1:55.91. Lochte 1:56.22. The final chapter of their Olympic trials story ending the same way it began.When it was over, Lochte looked to the scoreboard above and saw the 2 next to his name. He headed to the lane line that had separated him from Phelps for the last two minutes. They embraced. Lochte offered congratulations then bobbed in the water, trying to catch his breath, the weight of the moment not lost on him.It was like, Wow, our journey is coming to an end, Lochte said. This is something Im definitely going to cherish for the rest of my life. Our last time racing against each other on U.S. soil. Something I really tried to take to heart.Said Phelps: Its crazy that weve been racing each other for 13 years. Thats the last race on American soil you will see. Its pretty cool -- a lot of amazing races.After leaving the pool deck, Lochte hobbled down a set of stairs, using both hands to support his weight with each step. He looked to be in pain, his gait resembling someone far older than a world-class swimmer who will turn 32 two days before the opening ceremonies in Rio. Phelps, meanwhile, hurried off the deck to prepare for the semifinals of the 100-meter butterfly, an event in which he finished sixth. Tonight was brutal, Phelps said. That 100 fly hurt.You might think there would be bitterness, jealousy or frustration from Lochte, that he would resent Phelps for having the kind of career he wished he could have had. Without spending his career chasing Phelps, though, Lochte says he truly believes he wouldnt have accomplished what he has. The 11 Olympic medals. The two world records that still stand. The World Swimmer of the Year Award. Friday night, he was disappointed but appreciative.I wouldnt be the swimmer I am today if I didnt have Michael, he said. We both push each other and bring the best out of each other.Neither Phelps nor Lochte was thrilled with his final time, despite being the second- and third-fastest in the world this year. Lochtes coach, David Marsh, was especially frustrated and said he expected more from Lochte in the race after he cruised to a 1:56.71 in Thursday nights semifinals. In a way, he blamed Phelps.I think Ryan raced Michael rather than swimming his best race, Marsh said. Thats what it looked like to me. He didnt execute a few of the pointers he was supposed to and thats because he was swimming with Michael.During the next five weeks, Phelps and Lochte will become teammates one last time. They will train together, eat together, at some point play cards together. And do whatever they can to get faster together.And then, if all goes as expected in preliminaries and semifinals, they could meet for one final time on the night of Aug. 11 in Rio in the final of the 200 IM. It would be Lochtes final chance to beat his rival.When you look at just the metrics, you have to say Michael owns him, Marsh said. But the reality is, is he capable of beating Michael? Absolutely. Absolutely he is. ' ' '