Ospreay feels he’s the best in the world right now.
Headlining the September 24th NJPW Destruction in Kobe show is Will Ospreay putting the IWGP U.S. (U.K.) Heavyweight Championship on the line against Yota Tsuji. Ospreay is coming off a win over Chris Jericho at AEW All In at Wembley Stadium.
Ospreay has confirmed that his contract with New Japan expires in February 2024. His future became the topic of conversation while being interviewed by NJPW1972.com. He looked back at his promo on Jericho going into All In and what he said about his family. Ospreay said his priorities have shifted in addition to his price and value going up.
He wants more money and respect. He’s not saying he’s moving on, but he has to do what’s best for him and said he’s open for everything.
This country (Japan) has been a part of my growth as an adult. It means a lot to me as well to see Callum (Newman) come to Japan as a 21 year old boy and be an apprentice to the United Empire, learning the trade. I came here as a 22 year old kid, and I’ve been able to grow here. I know that I’ve failed countless times, either here in front of you and on social media, but Japan has allowed me to get back up, and to mature, and become the best wrestler in the world. My priorities have shifted, and that doesn’t mean that Japan isn’t included anymore. It means I have a family and they need me right now. So my value has gone up, and my price has gone up. I know I’m a top guy, but it needs to be more.
More money, but more respect as well. Why am I not in the world title picture? United Empire are top sellers at the box office and in the merch store, so it’s time for that respect to come to all of us. This place means so much to me, and one of these days I’ll get a tattoo of Ryogoku because I lived near there so long — I’m not saying I’m moving on, but I need to do what’s right for me, and when I say I’m open to all options, that doesn’t mean I’m limited to anything, it means I’m open for everything.
Throughout the conversation, Ospreay expressed that he believes he’s the best pro wrestler in the world and there’s no one from any company that can say they are better than him.
A burden? No, but it is tolling, it is taxing (being the best). I thrive in that situation. I live for that. I want to see if anyone can knock me off my throne, and I don’t think that anyone can. I don’t think there’s anyone that can say they are consistently, on point, the best in the world. I don’t think anyone can, not in AEW, not in WWE and not in New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Nobody can say they’re better than Will Ospreay.
It’s pride (to represent the U.K. as champion). For a long time when people have talked about the best of the world, they’ve looked to Japan, at Kobashi or Misawa, or Okada and Tanahashi. If people didn’t think of Japan, they thought of Canada, and Kenny Omega and Chris Jericho. Or maybe then they look at America and bring up Bryan Danielson, and maybe CM Punk, or whatever other garbage pro-wrestlers they have over there. People have never talked about Great Britain, they never talk about the UK. But now? Honestly bruv, I don’t think anyone matches up to me right now. I wear this championship with a lot of pride, because I do think I’m the best in the world. I don’t think there’s a single person in the world, no pro wrestler that is better than Will Ospreay and that’s the pride I bring with me when I wear this championship.
There was a point in the interview when Ospreay spoke about the influence he’s had on the younger crop of today’s wrestlers. He remembers when he was finding his way, people were referring to him as ‘white Ricochet’.
That blows my mind (that there are a generation of wrestlers who came up on my matches). A friend of mine was wrestling during WrestleMania weekend, he did four or five matches and he was talking about kids that are 18 years old on these indie cards doing my pose and trying for OsCutters. It’s crazy. When I came in, they called me ‘white Ricochet’ and I had to grow from that. But now there are probably a ton of guys that will be inspired by the Kenny Omega matches, or the Shingo matches. It’s mind blowing, crazy. I had one wrestler come up to me and say that he decided to start wrestling when he was 14 because he saw me and Ricochet.
New Japan’s Destruction tour wraps up on October 9th in Ryogoku. As of this writing, Ospreay is not currently scheduled for that card.
On 9/17, Ospreay will be in action for Pro Wrestling NOAH as he takes on Naomichi Marufuji in the main event of Marufuji’s 25th Anniversary Show.
