Will Ospreay Open to Exploring All Options in Contract Negotiations – Will Ospreay is carefully considering his options as he approaches the expiration of his NJPW contract. Ospreay will face Mike Bailey at Impact Wrestling’s Bound for Glory event, marking his return to the company after his last appearance in 2016 when Impact Wrestling hosted several shows in the UK that year.
In a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, Ospreay revealed that Impact Wrestling is among the companies he’s considering as his potential next home when his NJPW contract concludes in February. He stated, “The deal is up in February, and we’re still in negotiations. I’m looking to explore every single option and every single avenue. Impact Wrestling is in the running for my next home. I’m willing to test the waters. So this match against Mike Bailey is a real treat for me, and I’m excited to do it, especially with what could happen next year.”
As Ospreay approaches potential free agency, he has had an exceptional 2023. He has been involved in six matches this year, each rated five stars or higher by Dave Meltzer, with three of those achieving a rating of six stars or higher. His most recent match against Zack Sabre Jr. at Royal Quest received a rating of five and a half stars.
In the latest edition of The Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Meltzer discussed Ospreay’s remarkable 2023 and the challenge of determining the greatest year a professional wrestler has ever had.
“Will Ospreay retained the U.K. heavyweight title against Zack Sabre Jr., in a classic match that, now that we’re more than ten months into the year, leads to a major question,” he wrote. “What is the single greatest in-ring year a pro wrestler has ever had?”
“It’s hard to measure because in the past, wrestlers worked far more dates,” Meltzer continued. “For example, Ric Flair legitimately did more than 300 matches a year, and most of them would have ranged from very good to great. And most weren’t televised or taped. And he did this year after year.”
However, in terms of one wrestler dominating the match-of-the-year candidates, Ospreay is approaching a league of his own.
“But as far as one person dominating the match of the year category, this will be interesting,” Meltzer continued. “Sabre’s name is added to a list of singles matches that are legit match of the year contenders that includes two with Kenny Omega, Tetsuya Naito, Kazuchika Okada, two with Shingo Takagi and one with Yota Tsuji, not to mention other close calls with Robbie X, Leon Slater, Taichi, David Finlay, Naomichi Marufuji and others.”
Following his match against Bailey on Saturday, Ospreay is scheduled to wrestle Josh Alexander at Sunday’s television tapings. He’s then scheduled to wrestle Eddie Edwards next weekend at Impact Wrestling Turning Point.
“I want my legacy to be that I tested myself around the world,” Ospreay continued. “No one else in wrestling can say that except for one person, and that’s Mike Bailey. That makes me even more excited to face him.”
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Will Ospreay Open to Exploring All Options in Contract Negotiations
