Why Will Ospreay Attacked Bea Priestley At NJPW New Japan Cup Finals 2021

New details on Bea Priestley's NJPW future after controversial New Japan Cup angle.

by Andy H Murray
Bea Priestley Will Ospreay
NJPW

The controversial angle that closed yesterday's NJPW New Japan Cup Finals show may have been booked to write Bea Priestley off ahead of her contract with the promotion expiring.

Speaking on today's episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer stated that while there's a chance this may not have been her final New Japan appearance (and she could feasibly show up at Sakura Genesis 2021 on 4 April), Bea's NJPW contract runs out soon and she won't be renewing.

This is Priestley's decision. Per Meltzer, she has opted against re-signing with the company - not the other way around.

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The angle went down after Ospreay, Priestley's real-life boyfriend, defeated Shingo Takagi to win this year's New Japan Cup, earning a shot at Kota Ibushi's IWGP World Heavyweight Championship in the process. Shockingly, Ospreay then hit Priesley with a cutter, stunning the audience into silence moments later.

In his backstage promo, Ospreay asked that if he was willing to do that to Bea, who he loves, what was he going to do to Ibushi on 4 April?

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Priestley has been by Ospreay side in NJPW since debuting on a G1 Climax show in October 2020. She currently wrestles for World Wonder Ring Stardom, the market-leading Joshi promotion owned and operated by NJPW's parent company, Bushiroad.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.