Update On Will Ospreay's NJPW Contract Status
An update on Will Ospreay's future following recent WWE NXT UK rumours.
Will Ospreay will likely be tied to New Japan Pro Wrestling for the foreseeable future, having reiterated that he is under a long-term contract with the company during a recent appearance on the Two Man Power trip of Pro Wrestling Podcast.
The podcast was released yesterday (25 May) but recorded prior to Ospreay relinquishing the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship due to a reported neck injury last week. Here's what the Englishman had to say on his wrestling future (h/t POST Wrestling for the transcription):-
"I’ve committed myself to New Japan and I’ll say it time and time again, I could happily end my career here, just because it is — honestly my main mission in life was when I first started wrestling I was like, ‘When I’m 30 years old, I think I’ll just stop wrestling.’ I’m slowly hitting my prime, do you know what I mean? I’m 28, it’s two years away from hitting 30. I’ve signed a long-term deal with New Japan so I will be here past 30 so, I’ve already screwed myself over I guess. But, I’m happy here man and once again, before the pandemic hit, I was going back and forth to England and Japan, I was seeing my family, I could go to Australia and New Zealand, see my Mrs.’ family."
Ospreay went on, praising NJPW for the respect and free reign he has been afforded there:-
"I have so much free reign and I have so much that I enjoy working for this company. I enjoy doing everything I can and they’ve given me so much and in respect, me being a disrespectful little sh*t, I will always respect the company and want the company to do well. It’s just gotta be in my image."
August 2019 saw Ospreay insinuate that he'd be with New Japan for at least the next five years, though his tweet has since been deleted. Voices of Wrestling reported on Monday that despite speculation linking Will with WWE's NXT UK brand, there is no indication that he has asked for his NJPW release, nor that he'd be granted it if he did.
The 28-year-old uploaded an X-ray of his neck on Tuesday:-
— ᵂⁱˡˡ ᴼˢᵖʳᵉᵃʸ • ウィル・オスプレイ (@WillOspreay) May 25, 2021
Ospreay returned to his native England earlier this month. He is reportedly part of a disgruntled contingent of foreign wrestlers upset at NJPW's handling of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, particularly with regards to the rescheduled Wrestle Grand Slam tour, though Voices of Wrestling note that issues of a personal nature also contributed to Ospreay leaving Japan.
NJPW is yet to determine how it will crown its next IWGP World Heavyweight Champion.