Will Ospreay says TNA restricting independent bookings is “coward sh*t”
It was noted on Wednesday night that AEW world champion MJF’s previously scheduled match against Nic Nemeth on May 1st for Create A Pro Wrestling had been scrapped due to TNA blocking its wrestlers from working with those contracted to other companies. While speaking to Josh Martinez, Will Ospreay addressed the situation…
“So it nearly happened to me once upon a time. We were doing a show in Milton Keynes, and I was the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, and I was taking on Pete Dunne, who was the WWE UK Champion at the time.
And I remember New Japan were a little bit like, ‘Hey, you can do the match, but we want to know what’s going to be happening in the match,’ if you know what I mean. And we had to get a lot of things ironed out and sorted.
Pete’s always a cool guy—I can’t say enough wonderful things about Pete. I think he’s great. But the fact that WWE and New Japan let that match happen, and TNA, out of all people—who the f*ck do you think you guys are? I’m sorry.
All the f*cking talk they were giving about being number two, and that’s how you want to—you want to give permission for these guys to do that match and then pull them? I think that’s coward sh*t, to be honest with you. I think that says everything about how you view your talent—that you view them as less than talent, and that they don’t want to grow, they don’t want to develop, and they don’t want to give back to fans.
So that’s my standpoint on it, and that’s me being a hardcore TNA fan. Those beginning years that I watched—the 2004–2005 era—will always be my favorite era in wrestling.
But come on, man. We got all the best guys from there. Actually, to be fair, I like Steve Maclin as well—he’s great. But man, I just think—hang your head in shame.”