Callum Newman: I Stepped Up To Lead United Empire When Nobody Did, Then Will Ospreay Makes In Own Group In The US

When Will Ospreay left NJPW in February 2024 to officially join AEW, United Empire was left without a leader.

Eventually, Callum Newman took the throne, shaping the group in his vision and ascending to the top of NJPW. Ospreay remained on the periphery, and when he won the AEW World Title, he decided to form a United States chapter of United Empire.

Speaking to NJPW, Newman detailed Ospreay’s decision.

“Look, when he left the group… I know people say oh the whole thing is there’s no leaders in Empire, but that just isn’t true. There’s always been someone that’s the guy. That guy was Will, and when Will left, TJP stepped up, and when TJ left, nobody wanted to step up. It was just an open space, and then HENARE got hurt, Akira got hurt, and I was the hardest worker.

“I said to them, to their faces, somebody has to do something or this group is going to go downhill. And they didn’t want to. So I was like f*** it, it’s got to be me. And I sacrificed a lot, threw all I had into this, every match I had was flying the flag for UE.

“Then the boys came back from injury, I brought in Jake Lee, who’s a phenomenal wrestler, Andrade El Idolo, one of the best wrestlers in the world. So then Will wants to come back when the group is peaking. He said he’d do things my way but he didn’t. And then he made his own group in America without telling us.”

Newman continued, confirming that he wasn’t given a heads up on Ospreay’s decision to start a US version of the group.

“Nobody did. I got a message from one of the other boys saying ‘you know Mike Bailey’s in the group?’ and I’m like, ‘no, I didn’t’. They go ‘do you know Alex Windsor’s in, Jamie Hayter’s in?’ I didn’t know, no. The only way I would find out is looking on f***ing Twitter. So thanks, I guess. All the hard work, all the sacrifice means f*** all,” he stated.

Ospreay and Newman will team at NJPW Power Struggle to challenge for the IWGP Tag Team Championships.

Fans can learn more about the bout here.