After a great deal of speculation, AEW delivered on its tease and gave us a blockbuster signing: and it’s Will Ospreay.
The Aerial Assassin joined Tony Schiavone in the ring in the middle of Full Gear in Inglewood and signed a ceremonial contract. Ospreay acknowledged the warm reaction from the fans but said he had some bad news. Namely, he asked for patience as he works to “finish up” with New Japan Pro-Wrestling.
Ospreay added that he would be All Elite just in time for the road to Revolution. That would sync up with earlier reports that he is under contract to NJPW through February 2024; the 2024 date for Revolution hasn’t been announced yet, but the event has always been in March.
Another motivation for Ospreay became clear during his brief promo. He wants to be in one of the biggest matches at AEW All In when it returns to Wembley Stadium next August.
In Ospreay, AEW gets a performer who many consider the best pro wrestler in the world today. At age 30, he has relative youth still on his side, and even though he’s suggested he may have to change his “Aerial Assassin” style a bit to ensure he doesn’t injure himself for his post-wrestling life, he should be able to adjust without taking away too much of what makes him special.
While AEW fans have already seen Ospreay at the Forbidden Door events and a few times on weekly TV, getting him on a full time basis is almost certain to be a popular move. There will still be a bit of a wait, but at only a few months, it will likely fly by just like Ospreay flies in so many ways.
[lawrence-related id=41128]