Will Ospreay Explains Why He Never Signed With WWE

WWE has inked deals with some of the best wrestlers in the world. That being said, they have never locked Will Ospreay into a contract. There is a reason for that, and now we’re hearing from Ospreay himself.

Former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay recently reminisced about a significant moment in his NJPW career, as he revealed that he had a chance to sign with WWE back in 2016.

In a candid interview on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Will Ospreay shared that during his tenure with NJPW, he received offers from several promotions, including WWE. However, he ultimately decided to stay loyal to NJPW.

When asked about his decision, Will Ospreay expressed his deep appreciation for the opportunities he had been given in NJPW. He highlighted the company’s strong wrestling culture, the passionate fanbase, and the creative freedom he enjoyed as factors that influenced his choice to remain with NJPW.

“With New Japan, I got to come home … So, the fact that I got to come home was incredible.”

“But in the same sense of, I’m not going to lose sleep if I never (wrestle at a WWE WrestleMania style event).

“I never wanted to get to this level of fame with wrestling, I just enjoyed doing it on the weekends and New Japan offered me a lot of money and I was like, ‘Woah, you can make money from this, can’t you?’” 

Ospreay also said, “The selling point of New Japan was I got to come home. WWE — I had to move there. TNA, most likely the same thing and it wasn’t a guaranteed money.”

Will Ospreay’s dedication to NJPW has paid off, as he has risen through the ranks and achieved incredible success. That saw a climax with in his historic victory and reign as the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion in 2021.

The WWE way of life isn’t for everyone, but Will Ospreay still has time to make that decision. With his NJPW contract running up soon, the options seem to be very open for him.

What’s your take on Will Ospreay never going to WWE? Sound off in the comments!