Will Ospreay has established himself as one of the best wrestlers in the world, first in NJPW and then in AEW.
Though Ospreay is All Elite, he has shown respect for WWE wrestlers in the past, notably Ricochet and Mercedes Mone before they also joined AEW.
Speaking to the Daily Star, Ospreay was asked if there is a rivalry with WWE or if there is more respect between the sides than fans might believe.
"I think deep down, we know WWE is a machine and an animal. They're in giant stadiums and doing so good. A lot of people look at us and think we're doing it wrong because WWE is doing this. No, there are different ways of doing it. I got into WWE when I was a kid, but when I became a teenager, I thought it was lame. There were certain guys I enjoyed like Eddie Guerrero, Edge, Randy Orton is sick. After a while, I was like, 'This is so pantomiming.' People would go, especially coming up in wrestling, 'less is more.' Is it? I'm bored. It's the same stuff recycled over and over again. Every now and again, you'd get something cool like the CM Punk pipebomb promo.
"WWE are on fire now, but not even as a viewer, as a wrestler, I just don't enjoy it. I haven't watched WrestleMania. From what I've heard, it wasn't the best Mania. Maybe IYO, Rhea, and Bianca was the only sick match. The three of them are sick. They are three of the best wrestlers, period. For me, I was just never a WWE guy. I respect it, and I respect the guys doing it. That schedule is crazy, and they are commendable for doing it.
"I just didn't like...I don't like the show, I don't like the style of wrestling, I don't like the presentation. It's gotten better. I love the one shots that they do, but I've never been a big fan of it. When AEW came along and they went with the more sports-based style, it was something I could sink my teeth into. Even this isn't sports-based at all, more presentation, when Hangman comes out with Dark Order by his side. That segment still gives me goosebumps. That's how you take a group of nobodies, that's who the Dark Order are, a group of misfits, and they told this beautiful story about coming together and their cowboy leader. 'This is sick.' I don't want to use the word cinema, but it was like a beautiful movie that was portrayed right in front of our eyes and I couldn't believe this is AEW. I love that. I love the fact that they do stuff like an exploding barbed wire deathmatch. It didn't go according to plan, but they're daring to try those things. There are lessons. If I want to be the next guinea pig for that match, I'm happy to volunteer myself to do an exploding barbed wire deathmatch.
"Of course, I respect WWE and I admire everyone there. A lot of people think I hate Triple H, and I really don't. I've never met the guy before in my life. For me, there is always this little bit of rivalry where I'll be like, 'Yeah, you guys are the biggest, you guys draw the bigger houses, you guys got the bigger deals,' but the moment the bell rings, I think we're better than all of them. On my worst day, I'm better than a lot of the guys in-ring. In-ring. Promo? You guys have a bunch of guys. Punk is sick. [Roman] Reigns is sick. There are still things I need to catch up on. In-ring, I generally don't think there is anyone from that side that matches any of our guys."
That settles that.
Ospreay is set to face Hangman Page in the finals of the Owen Hart Foundation Men's Tournament at AEW Double or Nothing.
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