Will Ospreay Issues Unique Challenge to Released WWE Wrestlers

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jeff Gorman | Last updated May 26, 2025 11:57 AM ET

Will Ospreay is stepping forward as a locker room leader in AEW. He was looking forward to challenging Jon Moxley for the World title at All In Texas, but he fell short against “Hangman” Adam Page in the Owen Hart Foundation Cup tournament at Double or Nothing.

The “Aerial Assassin” doesn’t just carry the torch for AEW as a company; he champions its signature style of wrestling. His battle against Page was an epic display of heart and athleticism. AEW celebrated its sixth anniversary with a match that would have been at home in AEW’s two biggest influences: New Japan Pro Wrestling and Ring Of Honor.

Ospreay takes the company’s “where the best wrestle” motto seriously, so he made the following eye-opening challenge to the wrestlers who were recently released by WWE.

Will Ospreay’s advice to released WWE wrestlers looking to join AEW:

“My heart goes out to them all, but I just think, like, we’re looking for guys that are just appreciative of this position... instead of just being like, ‘Uh, got let go from WWE,’ and just instantly assume… pic.twitter.com/OCE6qLTGJZ
— Drainmaker (@DrainBamager) May 25, 2025

These comments coincide with an interesting trend of WWE aggressively scheduling its events against AEW pay-per-views. This weekend’s Double or Nothing show was preceded by WWE’s Saturday Night’s Main Event and directly opposed by NXT Battleground. WWE is planning a similar barrage for July, with AEW moving All In Texas to the afternoon to avoid competition from Saturday Night's Main Event.

At the media scrum after Double or Nothing, AEW boss Tony Khan recognized that WWE has been employing these tactics since the 1980s. He vowed that AEW wouldn’t suffer the same fate as Jim Crockett Promotions.

We may not be in the middle of a full-fledged wrestling war yet, but the troops are starting to line up on the battlefield.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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