Top AEW Star Confirms WWE Made An Offer Before Signing

WWE/AEW

Top AEW star and former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay has confirmed that WWE made an offer to him before signing.

At AEW Full Gear 2023, Will Ospreay was revealed as the blockbuster signing for the company.

The former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion will start with All Elite Wrestling after he finishes up his current deal with NJPW in February 2024.

Prior to his signing with AEW, there were several rumors and reports that indicated that WWE was interested in Ospreay.

Speaking to Lan Pitts of Gamespot, Will Ospreay revealed that there was an offer on the table from WWE. Noting that his trust in Tony Khan helped make his decision to sign with AEW, Ospreay said:

“I want to know what I’m doing within the ring, and the rest, for me, is easy. What more could you want from a boss?”

Ospreay has worked with the promotion since the lead-up to AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door 2022. His last major singles match for the company was against Chris Jericho at AEW All In in his home country of England.

On feeling that the AEW All In match gives him something to build upon, Ospreay said:

“There’s something for me to climb, there’s something for me to build upon,”

“That first match with Chris Jericho, who is one of the biggest wrestling stars in the world, was probably the biggest star in the company at that time. I want to progress from that.”

“I want to see what other bucket [list items] I can tick. I want to go for championships. I want to go for world titles.”

“I want to see what I can actually do because I’ve never been put in these situations. New Japan is a sports-based wrestling product, it isn’t really known for its on-screen personalities.”

“So this is all new for me and I just want to test myself. I want to try my very best to swim in waters I’m not very sure of, so for me, this is all a challenge.”

Will Ospreay announced that his last NJPW match will take place on February 11 at NJPW New Beginning in Osaka. He will team with his United Empire stable to face the Bullet Club War Dogs in a Steel Cage match.

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• NJPW
• Will Ospreay
• AEW
• wwe

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