Published: 28 minutes ago by Dave Adamson | Last Updated: 8 hours 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/WWE
AEW All Out on September 26 saw the latest stage of a long-running partnership for Will Ospreay that WWE has yet to replicate.
With the AEW World Championship on the line, Will Ospreay successfully defended the title against Jon Moxley.
His entrance came with an Assassin’s Creed-inspired entrance and, just as impressively, a voiceover by Matt Ryan, portraying Edward Kenway from the game franchise itself.
This isn’t the first time that Ospreay and Assassin’s Creed have been in partnership, with the relationship different from the sort of crossover that has been seen before in WWE and AEW:
No sponsored match in sight
Typically, if a video game franchise is sponsoring anything, it’s a match or event.
WWE WrestleMania 41 saw sponsorship for Clash of Clans, while AEW saw a Texas Chain Saw Massacre Deathmatch for the video game of the same name (based on the movie franchise) back in August 2023.
To date, AEW are yet to do an Assassin’s Creed-themed match, with the whole partnership being tied to Will Ospreay specifically.
A long-running partnership still bearing fruit
On September 27, Will Ospreay shared his thanks to the team behind Assassin’s Creed in a tweet reading:
“Three years ago, Assassin’s Creed gave me the opportunity of my first collaboration ever with them. Years later, they’ve invested so much in me, and I can’t thank them enough for allowing me to carry the creed.”
The post was accompanied by a photo of Ospreay in his AEW All Out jacket, bearing the Assassin’s Creed logo on the back and emulating the style worn by the protagonists of the game franchise itself, something which has been a long-running theme for the star.
It was a relationship seen at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 18 and at AEW All In, with a full-on routine surrounding the star’s entrance, narrating by Ezio Auditore da Firenze, the OG protagonist of the franchise.
Ospreay’s “Hidden Blade” finishing move is a nod to the game among other elements of his presentation, and everything about the star wouldn’t look out of place in the world of Assassin’s Creed.
The next stage of the evolution
Speaking to Gaming Bible, Ospreay would open up about his love for the game franchise and he clearly wants to become closer to the world, saying:
“I need to do a cameo. At the very least, I would love to get some DLC in the game inspired by my ring gear. I have such a connection with the series throughout my career that I feel we’d complement each other perfectly.
“But of course, I’d love to be in one of the games, or even a live-action project like a movie or TV series. I’d love to try to dip my toes into something like that. Whether it’s a voice or full-on live-action acting.”
Set in London, England, Watch Dogs: Legion saw a DLC story that crossed over with the world of Assassin’s Creed. While Watch Dogs may not have seen much development since the 2020 game, the technology to recreate London is there, and Will Ospreay as the voice and likeness of an assassin would be something to witness.
Why has Will Ospreay done what WWE doesn’t?
There has yet to be a WWE star with this sort of partnership, whether it be video games or otherwise. Cody Rhodes and Wheatley Vodka have a partnership deal, but that relationship mainly manifests on his What Do You Wanna Talk About? show.
Some stars may have brand deals, but nothing to the level of Will Ospreay when it comes to representing a partnership and building it into their on-screen persona.
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