Will Ospreay expressed his confidence that he and New Japan Pro-Wrestling will work something out.
Ospreay’s contract is set to expire in February 2024. Should he hit the open market, Ospreay would be one of the most buzzworthy free agents available, as he has enjoyed plenty of success in NJPW, he has competed for AEW, and he is viewed as one of the best wrestlers in the world.
Speaking on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Ospreay’s looming free agency came up in the conversation as he was asked whether leaving NJPW is a possibility. He noted that it was, but the former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion expressed his confidence that the two sides will work something out. He also made it clear that he doesn’t want to live in the United States.
“Of course it is. I’m very open to that,” Ospreay said. “It does come from a lot of confidence because I am very confident that me and New Japan are gonna work something out because I just don’t want to live in America. That’s my full stop thing. I just don’t want to. It limits me, completely. I’m basically saying we’ll sort something out.
Ospreay was then asked to describe what he has left to accomplish in NJPW, and he highlighted the growth of United Empire as something that he’s proud of.
“I just like doing it. I can always reinvent, I can always change it up,” Ospreay said. “Right now, the United Empire is real hot. Merchandise sales with us are real good in Japan. We’re number one faction in New Japan, voted by Tokyo Sports and the fans. I can feel like something that, it wasn’t the best start with United Empire because of COVID and everything because there was no reason for myself, Great-O-Khan, Jeff [Cobb] and Henare to be put together, but we just made it work. But there was the injury, there’s a bunch of things that always happen, but in the end, we finally got all the group together, and ten jewels make the crown. Now, I can’t walk around in Japan now without at least being stopped once or twice a day and people doing the little [finger sign] we made up in Ireland. We were just like, ‘We need a cool hand sign.'”
Click here to see what Ospreay had to say about rumors that he’s booked for AEW All In.
Ospreay will face Lance Archer at NJPW Dominion. More information is available here.
The full interview is available here:
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