Will Ospreay is now All Elite, but he’s finishing up his time in NJPW first. Ospreay was revealed as AEW’s massive signing at Full Gear, and he will be regular on AEW television whenever he’s free from those commitments, but there were other offers on the table for the Aerial Assassin.

Will Ospreay faced a significant decision as his New Japan Pro Wrestling contract neared its end in early 2024. Multiple promotions, including WWE, AEW, and Impact Wrestling, expressed interest in acquiring his services. Ospreay had reportedly informed New Japan Pro Wrestling of his decision not to re-sign with them, despite his successful tenure there over the years.

Will Ospreay revealed that he had inked a multi-year deal with AEW, marking a significant acquisition for the promotion. Notably, AEW secured his signature amid competition from WWE and other promotions.

According to reports from PW Insider, Impact Wrestling was a strong contender in the race to secure Ospreay’s services, offering a substantial and enticing deal described as “fantastic” and at a “seven-figure level” since Anthem assumed ownership of the company.

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While Ospreay signed a multi-year deal with AEW, Impact Wrestling was very much in the running to land Ospreay and made what sources close to the situation have described as a “fantastic, massive offer” to the British star.

One Impact source conceded it was likely the largest offer to a single star since Anthem took over ownership of the company, admitting it was a “seven figure level offer.”  The same source noted that when Ospreay worked the recent Chicago weekend events, he seemed to be having such a great time, several talents assumed he was coming in full-time next year, especially when he cut a promo about wanting to compete in a TNA ring. 

Following a positive experience during Bound for Glory weekend in Chicago, where Will Ospreay expressed his desire to compete in a TNA ring before the promotion’s scheduled rebranding in January, many believed Ospreay would join Impact Wrestling on a full-time basis. That is not going to happen now, but it certainly was a possibility.

Will Ospreay’s decision to sign with AEW was a notable moment for Tony Khan’s company, considering the fierce competition among wrestling promotions for top talent. The wrestling world will be watching closely to see how this decision impacts the landscape of professional wrestling in the coming years.

Will Ospreay has a huge roster full of possible opponents that he can mix it up with in AEW. Only time will tell how Tony Khan books him, but he is certainly looking for the biggest match he can get at All In London when the company returns to Wembley Stadium.

What’s your take on Will Ospreay deciding to sign with AEW? Let us know what you think about this in the comments section!

Felix Upton

Felix Upton is a seasoned writer with over 30 years of experience. He began his career writing advertisements for local newspapers in New York before transitioning to publishing news for Ringside News. His expertise includes writing, editing, research, photo editing, and video editing. In his free time, he enjoys bungee jumping and learning extinct languages.

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