AEW star Will Ospreay says he doesn’t enjoy WWE’s style of wrestling, either as a viewer or as a performer.
In an interview with Daily Star, Will Ospreay acknowledged WWE’s massive success and global reach, he expressed that their product doesn’t resonate with him. “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.”
While he appreciated certain performers, however, he felt the overall presentation lacked excitement and originality. “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.”
Ospreay acknowledged WWE’s current success but he doesn’t enjoy their product. He revealed that he didn’t watch their biggest show of the year WrestleMania 41. “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.”
Will Ospreay discusses WWE’s style & explains his preference for AEW
“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.”
He praised AEW for embracing a more sports-based approach and highlighted the Hangman Page and the Dark Order storyline. “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.”
Will Ospreay says AEW outshines WWE from in ring product
While, Will Ospreay mentioned he respects WWE and its talents, including Triple H, despite some misconceptions. “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.”
However, he also recognized that WWE has strong talents like CM Punk and Roman Reigns in other areas like promos. “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.” [H/T: Fightful]
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