Will Ospreay says NJPW contract expires February 2024

[Chris]

Will Ospreay could potentially become a free agent early next year.

The 29-year-old revealed in an interview with DAZN recently that his NJPW contract expires in February 2024.

Ospreay said:

“My contract with New Japan is up next February so from that point who's not gonna want this kid who's dedicated to being a hard worker and wanting to put on the best quality of matches?”

The topic of how much stock wrestlers put in our own Dave Meltzer's star rating was also discussed during the interview. Ospreay is one of the most decorated wrestlers of all time based on Meltzer's system. He's had 25 matches rated five stars or higher, equalling the late Mitsuharu Misawa for the most of all time. His match against Omega at Wrestle Kingdom this year was awarded six and one-quarter stars, the second-highest rating ever. Omega vs. Kazuchika Okada from NJPW Dominion in 2018 holds the record with a rating of seven stars.

Ospreay said the following regarding Meltzer's star ratings:

“In my humble opinion, they don’t matter in terms of financial gain, but in terms of viewership, because I’m this British kid who has done it on Indy shows, I know that when my [NJPW] contract comes up, there’ll be a fight for who wants the best five-star wrestler right now."
“If you ask somebody like Jay White, he hates it, and Bully Ray, he hates it as well. I can’t help but say that it’s done wonders for me."

Ospreay has also won multiple Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards. He was voted "Best Flying Wrestler" from 2016-19, Europe MVP 2021-22, Non-Heavyweight MVP in 2018 & 2019, and Most Outstanding Wrestler in 2019 & 2022. His Storm Breaker was voted Best Wrestling Maneuver in 2019 and his Hidden Blade won the award in 2022 as well. He won Match of the Year for his bout against Shingo Takagi at the Best of the Super Juniors in 2019, and again in 2022 for his match against Okada at the G1 Finals last year.

https://www.f4wonline.com/news/new-japan/will-ospreay-says-njpw-contract-expires-in-february-2024

 

[Chris]

 

[Comrade Khan]

I do actually see him staying, especially with White gone, he is officially the top gaijin and is positioned to likely win the big belt this year

 

[Alexa]

AeW! aEw! AeW!

 

[Chris]

During an appearance on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Will Ospreay addressed his contract status.

Ospreay stated last month that his NJPW contract is set to expire in February 2024. That led to speculation over whether Ospreay could jump to another promotion, but Ospreay clarified that he expects to come to terms on a new deal with NJPW.

Ospreay reiterated that while speaking with Van Vliet, noting that he just doesn't want to move to the United States.

"I am very confident that me and New Japan are going to work something out because I just don't want to live in America," Ospreay said. "That's my full-stop thing. I just don't want to."

Ospreay admitted that he's tipping his hand a bit by saying he doesn't want to live in the US.

"I'm basically saying, we'll sort something out [with NJPW]," Ospreay said.

Van Vliet asked Ospreay what he has left to accomplish in NJPW:

I just like doing it. I can always reinvent, I can always change it up. Right now, the United Empire is real hot. Merchandise sales with us are real good in Japan. Like, we’re number one faction in New Japan voted by Tokyo Sports and fans. I can feel something that -- it wasn’t the best start with the United Empire because of COVID and everything. There was no reason for myself, O-Khan, Jeff [Cobb], and [Aaron] Henare to be put together, but we just made it work. There was a bunch of things that always happened, but in the end, we finally got all the group together. Ten jewels make the crown. So like, I can’t walk around in Japan now without at least being stopped once or twice a day [with] people doing the [United Empire hand sign].

While contracted to NJPW, Ospreay has made several appearances on AEW television. AEW and NJPW are joining forces for Forbidden Door 2023 in Toronto on June 25.

At NJPW Dominion on June 4, Ospreay is facing Lance Archer in the finals of a tournament to decide the next challenger for Kenny Omega's IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship. Omega won the title from Ospreay at Wrestle Kingdom 17 this January.

The full interview with Ospreay is available to watch below:

https://www.f4wonline.com/news/new-japan/will-ospreay-expects-to-stay-with-njpw-i-just-dont-want-to-live-in-america

 

[Comrade Khan]

is this the same one where they asked him if he would wrestle punk at WK and hhe said well ud need to pay me more for that but sure!

 

[Cwalker]

Whether or not if he tipped his hand, there was 0 chance he wasn’t re-signing with NJPW

 

[Comrade Khan]

Whether or not if he tipped his hand, there was 0 chance he wasn’t re-signing with NJPW

Id say its the likeliest scenario but never underestimate the power of the dollar. Id put put NJPW at like 75%+ , AEW 24% and WWE at like 1% best (they would need to throw a bank at him and I dont think they care to)

 

[Cwalker]

Id say its the likeliest scenario but never underestimate the power of the dollar. Id put put NJPW at like 75%+ , AEW 24% and WWE at like 1% best (they would need to throw a bank at him and I dont think they care to)

Kinda how I would break it down but signing with NJPW is essentially saying you’ll work with AEW so there’s no reason for him to leave.

Especially if he doesn’t want to live in America

 

[Comrade Khan]

Kinda how I would break it down but signing with NJPW is essentially saying you’ll work with AEW so there’s no reason for him to leave.

Especially if he doesn’t want to live in America

Well the reason would be money. Njpw doesnt have a budget close to aew or wwe. Exposure as well ofc and working for aew means u can still work for njpw anywaya so its the same argument both ways. As far as residence, PAC lives in the UK still n is multi division champ so its not w pre requirememt, albeit ofc a pain in the ass. I think theres lots of reason to go to aew n id at least leverage that to a bigger payday regardless of where i end up