AEW’s Will Ospreay has blasted TNA Wrestling for pulling its talent from scheduled independent matches.
TNA President Carlos Silva has cited partner conflicts after removing Leon Slater and Nic Nemeth from independent events. Slater had been announced to wrestle Ricochet at the Mark Hitchcock Memorial Supershow on April 16. Nemeth had been billed to face MJF at Create A Pro’s show on May 1.
Ospreay discussed the situation during an interview with Josh Martinez. He contrasted the promotion’s decision with his January 2018 match against Pete Dunne.
At the time, Ospreay competed as the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion and Dunne appeared as the WWE United Kingdom Champion. The English wrestler noted that New Japan Pro-Wrestling and WWE allowed the encounter to happen despite initial reservations.
He directed strong words at TNA management regarding the canceled matches.
The fact that WWE and New Japan let that match happen, and TNA, of all people, who the f—k do you think you guys are? I’m sorry. All the f—king talk they were giving about being number two and you want to get permission for these guys to do that match and then pull them?
I think that’s cowardly shit. I think that says everything about what you view your talent as. You view them as less than AEW talent, and that they don’t want to grow and they don’t want to develop and they don’t want to give back to fans.
That’s me being a hard TNA fan. Those beginning years, the 2004-05 era will always be my favorite era in wrestling, but come on, we’ve got all the best guys from there.
To be fair, I like Steve Maclin, he’s sick. Hang your head in shame, honestly.
Both promotions host pay-per-view events this weekend. TNA Rebellion takes place at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, Ohio, on Saturday. AEW Dynasty follows on Sunday from Vancouver, British Columbia. At that event, Ospreay will challenge AEW Continental Champion Jon Moxley.
