Will Ospreay’s New Japan Pro Wrestling contract is ending soon. The current IWGP United States Champion’s latest tenure is slated to end in February 2024, and Ospreay hasn’t been shy to let the world know about his upcoming free agency. Stylistically, AEW and Impact Wrestling/TNA are best suited for Ospreay’s talents. 

Though the New Japan star has scaled back on the crazy aerial style that has gotten him over on the independent scene, both AEW and Impact would allow Ospreay to highlight his style any way he wants.

On the other hand, AEW’s roster is insanely bloated. Ospreay holds name value, but does Tony Khan see him on the level of Kenny Omega, Chris Jericho, and Jon Moxley? Ospreay is likely to get the main event treatment in Impact; however, that brand just doesn’t have the mainstream significance that it did in the early 2000s. That leaves WWE. 

The New Japan star has stated that he’s open to relocating to the States. This is a prime opportunity for the company to sign one of the best wrestlers on the planet. 

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Will Ospreay Is More Than Just A Highflyer

Though his nickname is the “Aerial Assassin”, Ospreay has tremendously grown as a performer both in the ring and on the mic. Before settling in New Japan Pro Wrestling in 2016, the buzz around his name was due to the unbelievable moves that the England native could pull off. His most infamous match was against Ricochet at the Best Of The Super Juniors in 2016 showcasing the incredible athleticism of the New Japan star.

However, as amazing as Ospreay is inside of the ring, promos and character work weren’t exactly his strong suit. When Ospreay scaled back on the awe-inspiring moves and turned heel in the G1 Climax, that’s when he finally came into his own as a true performer. His mic skills vastly improved as time went on and the New Japan star did an excellent job of developing a character that fans could truly hate. 

Since becoming a New Japan mainstay, it’s the story the IWGP United States Champion tells inside of the ring, and his decision to rely more on substance than flash that has done wonders for his career longevity. WWE is a place where storytelling and characterization come first. Sure, under the Triple H era, we’ve seen an increased amount of focus on the wrestling aspect, but as proven with The Bloodline saga, fans care so much more about the stories being told.

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Will Ospreay Stand Out Better As An Athlete

WWE has a roster full of men who can do impressive things inside the ring. But Will Ospreay has a unique blend of moves that stick out in a good way. Plus, when it comes to promos, Ospreay is better on the mic than Ricochet. Granted, he’s no Rock or Stone Cold Steve Austin, but the former IWGP Heavyweight Champion is oozing with charisma.

The key difference between Ricochet and Will Ospreay is that the latter doesn’t rely on being the highlight to get over. Ospreay has incorporated his moveset into whatever story he’s telling at the moment. His matches with Kenny Omega are a prime example: Their Wrestle Kingdom bout was about him proving that he is better than Omega and showcasing that New Japan didn’t need “The Cleaner”.  Their Forbidden Door contest was about revenge. Kenny Omega embarrassed Ospreay at the Tokyo Dome and the IWGP United States Champion performed the bout as if it was extremely personal. 

This isn’t to say that Ricochet can’t change his style. The problem is that he hasn't had the chance to do so because his highflyer moments are a part of his character. Ricochet came in off the buzz of his incredible athletic ability and that’s pretty much his bread and butter. Will Ospreay has proven that he can be diverse as a performer and thus likely, Triple H won’t simply treat him as only a human highlight reel. 

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The Dream Matches

We can’t talk about Will Ospreay and not bring up the possibility of him facing names such as Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, Kevin Owens, or even Brock Lesnar! There are unlimited dream matches against opponents Ospreay has never faced before. Not only that but having Ospreay face the best wrestlers in the company exposes the audience to a once-in-a-generation talent that has all the tools to be the next big thing in WWE.

There’s no telling whether Ospreay would truly excel in WWE. However, the guy is only 30, so if it doesn't work out then he can always leave and explore greener pastures somewhere else. Will Ospreay is the best highflyer in the business right now and it would be silly for the company to not go out of their way to make sure Will Ospreay joins WWE.