Will Ospreay says he had a real opportunity to sign with WWE, but the deal came with a dealbreaker. Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, the AEW star explained why he ultimately chose to stay with All Elite Wrestling instead.
“There was an offer and a really lovely offer as well, but it just involved me moving to the States and I just had no ambition to move over there,” Ospreay said. “I have bullet points and I go out there and I just waffle. I prefer taking people on rides.”
A Different Style Of Wrestling
Beyond the relocation, Ospreay said WWE’s presentation of matches doesn’t line up with how he wants to work. He pointed to the visual approach behind WWE’s in-ring product as a major factor in his decision.
“I don’t like the way it’s filmed. I don’t like the wrestling behind it. I think it’s very minimalistic,” Ospreay said. “I prefer what we do. I prefer taking people on rides and showing people different ways that I can get into a styles clash and the full contact of it. I don’t want people to whiff a strike on me. I’d much rather people hit me than it look bad on TV.”
Ospreay previously walked away from WWE’s Cruiserweight Classic to bet on New Japan Pro Wrestling instead, a decision that helped build him into one of the most decorated wrestlers in the world before he ever signed with AEW.
Ospreay now heads into the biggest match of his career, challenging Kenny Omega for the AEW World Championship in the main event of All In: London on August 30 at Wembley Stadium.
