Why Major AEW Star Turned Down A Move To WWE
A top AEW star recalled why he refused an offer from WWE at a young age. The star in question is Will Ospreay.
Will Ospreay is considered one of the most athletic in-ring performers in the world today. He is one of the top stars in AEW and is set to headline the company’s biggest show, All In, this year.
Before he joined Tony Khan’s promotion, The Aerial Assassin was approached by WWE, as he revealed himself. Meanwhile, Will Ospreay revealed how he turned down an offer from the Stamford-based promotion when he was young.
AEW star on refusing WWE’s offer and joining NJPW
Speaking on Marking Out with MVP, the AEW star, Will Ospreay recalled how WWE called him to be a part of their Cruiserweight Classic, which took place in 2016:
Then WWE called me and they wanted me to be part of the Cruiserweight Classic… I’ve got to weigh all my options because now I had TNA, which was nowhere near an option for me at the time, New Japan, which I really, really wanted to do because that was the only thing I ever wanted to do, and obviously WWE.”
Ospreay also revealed how he was offered to be in the Super Juniors tournament by New Japan Pro Wrestling and his mom urged him to go there:
When I was 22, I wrestled Okada in England for RevPro… Gedo was managing him, Tiger Hattori was in the stands watching, and I had Hiroshi Tanahashi behind the curtain watching. By the time I was done… Hattori came and was like, ‘Hey man… you’re good. We’re bringing you for the Super Juniors.’ At the time, that was the craziest thing for me.”
I remember saying to my mum, all the guys that have gone there have come from here, and their stock has gone up because they’ve gone here, because New Japan was so hot at the time.”
Will Ospreay further recalled how he declined the offer from WWE to join NJPW:
I politely declined the offer to be part of the Cruiserweight Classic, and I said to New Japan if I could be a part of them more than just being in the Super Juniors. They sat me down and they said, ‘You know, you can do WWE as well. You’re not locked down.’ And I went, ‘Well, I want to be locked down. This is where I want to be.’” [h/t Ringside News]
Only time will tell if Will Ospreay will ever be seen in WWE.