Will Ospreay Doesn’t Think WWE Talent Matches Up With AEW
Will Ospreay strongly believes in what AEW is doing while also taking some shots at what WWE is about.
It was announced in November 2023 that former IWGP World Champion Will Ospreay had signed with AEW after his NJPW run ended in early 2024.
Since becoming “All Elite,” Ospreay has had some of the greatest matches in AEW history, including a recent TV classic against Konosuke Takeshita, one of the many “five-star classics” in his career.
Before signing with AEW, Ospreay wrestled for the company a few times since they worked with NJPW talent. Ospreay could have opted to sign with WWE instead, but he has stated that he’s not that much of a WWE fan.
While speaking to the Daily Star, Ospreay discussed his loyalty to AEW while also admitting he was never a WWE fan.
“I think deep down, we know WWE is a machine and an animal. They’re in giant stadiums and doing so good. A lot of people look at us and think we’re doing it wrong because WWE is doing this. No, there are different ways of doing it. I got into WWE when I was a kid, but when I became a teenager, I thought it was lame.
There were certain guys I enjoyed like Eddie Guerrero, Edge, Randy Orton is sick. After a while, I was like, ‘This is so pantomiming.’ People would go, especially coming up in wrestling, ‘less is more.’ Is it? I’m bored. It’s the same stuff recycled over and over again. Every now and again, you’d get something cool like the CM Punk pipebomb promo.
WWE are on fire now, but not even as a viewer, as a wrestler, I just don’t enjoy it. I haven’t watched WrestleMania. From what I’ve heard, it wasn’t the best Mania. Maybe IYO, Rhea, and Bianca was the only sick match. The three of them are sick. They are three of the best wrestlers, period.
For me, I was just never a WWE guy. I respect it, and I respect the guys doing it. That schedule is crazy, and they are commendable for doing it.”
Will Ospreay: “I Don’t Think There Is Anyone From That Side That Matches Any Of Our Guys”
After Will Ospreay chose to sign with AEW, WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque commented that some wrestlers don’t want to handle “the grind” of WWE since they have a more grueling schedule than AEW. That was very true in the past, but with WWE cutting way back on live events, the schedules are similar most of the year.
Triple H didn’t specifically mention Ospreay in that comment, but Ospreay admitted that the comment hurt him.
Ospreay went on to say he has never met Triple H and supported his fellow AEW wrestlers by saying that WWE talent just doesn’t match up with them.
“I just didn’t like…I don’t like the show, I don’t like the style of wrestling, I don’t like the presentation. It’s gotten better. I love the one shots that they do, but I’ve never been a big fan of it. When AEW came along and they went with the more sports-based style, it was something I could sink my teeth into. Even this isn’t sports-based at all, more presentation, when Hangman comes out with Dark Order by his side. That segment still gives me goosebumps.
That’s how you take a group of nobodies, that’s who the Dark Order are, a group of misfits, and they told this beautiful story about coming together and their cowboy leader. ‘This is sick.’ I don’t want to use the word cinema, but it was like a beautiful movie that was portrayed right in front of our eyes and I couldn’t believe this is AEW. I love that.
I love the fact that they do stuff like an exploding barbed wire deathmatch. It didn’t go according to plan, but they’re daring to try those things. There are lessons. If I want to be the next guinea pig for that match, I’m happy to volunteer myself to do an exploding barbed wire deathmatch.
Of course, I respect WWE and I admire everyone there. A lot of people think I hate Triple H, and I really don’t. I’ve never met the guy before in my life. For me, there is always this little bit of rivalry where I’ll be like, ‘Yeah, you guys are the biggest, you guys draw the bigger houses, you guys got the bigger deals,’ but the moment the bell rings, I think we’re better than all of them.
On my worst day, I’m better than a lot of the guys in-ring. In-ring.
Promo? You guys have a bunch of guys. Punk is sick. [Roman] Reigns is sick. There are still things I need to catch up on.
In-ring, I generally don’t think there is anyone from that side that matches any of our guys.”
The next AEW PPV is Double or Nothing on May 25th, with Will Ospreay facing “Hangman” Adam Page in the finals of the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament. The winner of that match will get an AEW World Title match at All In Texas on July 12th.