WWE 'very, very interested' in 30-year-old former world champion - Reports
Performing in WWE is a dream for a lot of people, and a former world champion who has competed on some of the biggest stages worldwide could now be on the radar of World Wrestling Entertainment.
The star in question is the current IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay. He has renamed his title the IWGP UK Championship since he is from Essex, England.
Ospreay has dominated New Japan Pro-Wrestling for over seven years, winning several major singles titles while also carving out a legacy as one of the best wrestlers in the world. The 30-year-old has also competed in other top companies like AEW, RevPro, and IMPACT Wrestling (TNA).
Ospreay revealed on an episode of AEW Dynamite in August 2023 that his contract with NJPW expires in February 2024. During the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer reported that World Wrestling Entertainment is highly interested in bringing the British star to the company.
"I know WWE is absolutely after him, and he is absolutely going to listen to WWE. WWE is very, very interested in him. Of course, everyone is, and they should be." (H/T WrestleTalk)
Thanks to the working relationship between NJPW and AEW, Will Ospreay is currently an associate of the Don Callis Family in All Elite Wrestling, meaning that Tony Khan's promotion will have an advantage in negotiations in 2024. However, Ospreay has made it clear that a move to either WWE or even the newly re-branded TNA was also possible.
Will Ospreay wants to prove a current WWE champion isn't one of the best wrestlers in the world
If there is one dream match everyone has wanted for many years, it's Will Ospreay vs. Seth Rollins. The current World Heavyweight Champion has traded shots with the Englishman on social media in the past. But since they work in different companies, a match between them has never materialized.
The match with Rollins seems to be one of the main factors for Ospreay when considering a move to World Wrestling Entertainment. In an interview with The Metro, The Aerial Assassin said his '50%' was miles better than Seth's '100%' and that his ability would 'drown' The Visionary.
In 2023 alone, Will Ospreay has picked up wins over the likes of Kazuchika Okada, Shingo Takagi, and Hiroshi Tanahashi in NJPW, Kenny Omega and Chris Jericho in AEW, and "Speedball" Mike Bailey in Impact Wrestling. Hence, wherever The Aerial Assassin ends up, he will certainly be a force to be reckoned with.
Where do you think Will Ospreay will end up in 2024? Let us know in the comments section below.