Will Ospreay Names The Most Surprising Thing About AEW
Will Ospreay has compared his AEW run to the kind of pro wrestling he was used to when he wrestled in Japan.
After becoming one of the biggest names in New Japan Pro Wrestling, Will OSpreay decided in late 2023 to sign with All Elite Wrestling. Following the end of his NJPW run, Ospreay became full-time with AEW earlier this year and has been wowing the fans ever since.
At the AEW Dynasty PPV from St. Louis, Will Ospreay defeated Bryan Danielson in a first-time-ever dream match that may have exceeded the ridiculously high expectations that most fans had going into it. The two men went on to have a 30-minute classic battle that ended when Ospreay hit Danielson with a Tiger Driver followed by the Hidden Blade elbow to the head for the win.
It was a match that led to Dave Meltzer rating it 6.5* on a scale that usually stops at five stars for most people, but Ospreay has exceeded it many times. The match between Ospreay and Danielson was praised so heavily that some people called it the best match to ever take place in America.
In an interview with Paste Magazine, Will Ospreay was asked about some of the differences with wrestling in AEW compared to what he was used to in Japan.
“Wrestling is a lot quicker here. I must say with Japan, I was always afforded to explode and take time, where I believe a lot of these guys are all like freak athletes. So they’re able to keep the ball continuously moving. Which is challenging, because like, it’s just me adapting but like, my style, and the way that I do wrestle, is very adaptive.”
“Like I’m very good at being able to pivot to anyone else’s style, especially in listening to my team. They’re always there, always good with seeing how a guy wrestles and then breaking it down so I can transition my style to fit, how I can win the matches. And coming over to America man, like I mean, I’ve said it for ages, man, Japan was my home for so many years and leaving that took so much of me to cut it off.”
“There was a part of me that I needed to cut off in order to grow. Didn’t mean I wanted to do it. But like for me coming over here now, AEW has made me feel right at home. The fans have made me feel right at home. I believe in what I’m doing. I believe in this team, I believe in the product. So I’m excited going forward, especially going into Dynasty.”
Will Ospreay Getting First AEW Title Match At Double Or Nothing
The first-ever Casino Gauntlet Match took place on AEW Dynamite from Jacksonville featuring eight different wrestlers. The match ended when Ospreay hit Komander with a Hidden Blade for the pinfall win.
As a reward for that victory, Will Ospreay will challenge the AEW International Champion Roderick Strong for his championship at the AEW Double or Nothing PPV on May 26th in Las Vegas.