Published: 3 seconds ago by Dave Adamson | Last Updated: 3 seconds ago by Dave Adamson
Dave has been a website writer for WrestleTalk since October 2022, having previously written for Den of Geek, among a number of wrestling, movie and television-related sites. Dave has been around the independent wrestling scene for more than a decade, including behind-the-scenes.
AEW
Having won the AEW World Championship at All In, Will Ospreay heads to All Out to face Jon Moxley, but has been pretty active in between.
A full-time star, Will Ospreay has that elusive “X factor” that makes him one to watch whenever he steps into the ring, but there is an argument to be made that he should be used more sparingly as a world champion.
Since claiming the World Championship on August 30, Ospreay has competed four times, with the majority of those matches being tag team affairs, but there are reasons to use the star less:
Make It Matter
As AEW World Champion, every appearance by the title holder should matter. It should feel like something special, with the star setting up the next challenge taking place either on the occasional weekly show or at a pay-per-view.
Ospreay is heading to All Out on September 26 to face Jon Moxley in what will no doubt be a show-stealing match between two consummate professionals.
Between All In and All Out, Ospreay really has shaken it all about:
September 2 on Dynamite saw Ospreay team with Andrade El Idolo, Callum Newman, Franceso Akira, and HENARE) in a victory over The Demand (Ricochet, Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona) & The Dogs (Clark Connors & Gabe Kidd).
September 9 was a World Championship Eliminator, with Ospreay defeating David Finlay of The Dogs in singles action.
September 16 was a loss for Ospreay, Andrade & Akira to Death Riders (Jon Moxley, PAC & Gabe Kidd).
This week’s Dynamite was a victory for Ospreay and the newest United Empire member, Mike Bailey, over Death Riders (Claudio Castagnoli & Gabe Kidd).
Sure, Ospreay is leading up to a match against the leader of Death Riders, yet it’s the champion who is arguably being “worn down” by the other members of the faction. By contrast, Moxley spent September with a string of victories in the AEW Continental Championship Eliminators, alongside the aforementioned tag team victory for his faction.
Protecting A Top Star
Protecting the star goes hand in hand with making every appearance matter. This isn’t attempting to limit something that could threaten a title reign, but ensuring the top star has all his focus on the major match, with the fans looking towards that result, too. After all, less is more.
It isn’t keeping Ospreay, or another top champion, away from the ring, but using them in a meaningful way. Arguably, each United Empire/Death Riders encounter is driving towards the next major moment in the feud with Moxley, but will AEW take the foot off the gas after All Out? It would allow Ospreay to recalibrate and focus on his next feud, whether he leaves All Out as World Champion or not. Building United Empire, defending the World Championship and fending off challengers: there’s a lot of moving parts to what could be a more streamlined story.
Overexposure
Then there’s the risk that showcasing the top star every week will eventually lead to overexposure and the fans caring less.
Ospreay has proven that he has the charisma and in-ring ability to keep the fans engaged whenever he holds the mic or steps into the ring. Limiting the latter will only drive up the anticipation for what he will do next. Putting it all out there week after week could eventually lead to fatigue for the very fans who are behind him.
The Travel Issue
Assuming Ospreay is continuing to travel from the United Kingdom to America for AEW, it’s obvious that Tony Khan will want the most bang for his buck when it comes to a top star, particularly one holding the championship.
It doesn’t make sense to bring Ospreay in just to cut a promo, although it feels like something he has done before, so putting him in the ring potentially has a higher rate of return.
This is an insurmountable issue for AEW: don’t bring him in and his absence is noticeable; bring him in, and it’s best to let him do what he does best.
So… is there a solution?
The picture will likely become clearer after All Out and when Ospreay’s iteration of the United Empire grows to a depth where his in-ring involvement isn’t so fundamental to the success of the stable.
It’s difficult to envision a time when Ospreay will be absent from AEW television for a lengthy period, but having him on screen doesn’t necessarily mean he has to be in action.
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