Top AEW star hopeful of lucrative sponsorship deal
AEW has landed several mainstream sponsorship deals for its wrestlers in recent years, mainly due to its working relationship with Warner Bros. Discovery. There have also been instances of AEW talents securing their own individual sponsorship deals, as one of the roster's biggest stars is now looking to do.
Will Ospreay is coming off a major All In Weekend. In front of a hometown crowd, The Commonwealth Kingpin dethroned MJF for the American Championship at Sunday's pay-per-view, then immediately re-christened the strap as the International Championship. The 31-year-old is treated like royalty when back home in London. Another brand with a rabid fanbase in the UK is Nando's. The South African chicken chain restaurant has more than 1,200 worldwide locations in 30 countries, but England is its biggest market. Ospreay even named one of his finishers after the chain - the Cheeky Nando's Kick.
The Aerial Assassin declared at the Revolution post-show scrum back in March that he signed with AEW for three reasons: to win World Titles, retire Billy Gunn, and land a Nando's sponsorship. While in the UK for All In, Ospreay appeared on the Off Menu podcast and talked about a potential alliance with the masters of the Portuguese flame-grilled peri-peri style of chicken.
"I've never had any talks with them, at all. I've only talked to the cashier. A fan was once shocked that I was paying for Nando's. 'Yeah, it's all good.' He was furiously tweeting Nando's. 'Give him a black card!' ... 'It's alright, I've got money.' One day, I hope we can work something out. If I don't get a Nandos sponsorship at the end of this, I don't know what I've got to do," Will Ospreay said. [H/T to Fightful]
Ospreay became a two-time International Champion by defeating MJF in just under 26 minutes at All In on Sunday. MJF previously won the title from Ospreay on July 17 at Dynamite 250, ending his reign at 52 days, and re-naming the title as the American Championship. Ospreay ended MJF's reign at 39 days and quickly brought back the International Championship.
Will Ospreay confirmed for AEW All Out
All Elite Wrestling will return to pay-per-view in less than two weeks. The sixth annual All Out event is scheduled for Saturday, September 7 from the Now Arena near Chicago.
Will Ospreay is set to defend the International Championship against PAC at All Out. The new World Trios Champion earned the title shot by winning a Global Glory 4-Way on July 10, defeating Claudio Castagnoli, Kyle Fletcher, and Tomohiro Ishii.
PAC and Claudio teamed with Wheeler Yuta to capture the World Trios Championship at All In on Sunday. It remains to be seen what AEW has planned for the oddball team moving forward.
Kris Statlander vs. CMLL World Women's Champion Willow Nightingale is also official for All Out. Willow gets to pick the stipulation for the match after she and Ishii defeated Statlander and Stokely Hathaway on the All In pre-show.