William Ospreay
Biography
William Peter Charles Ospreay, better known as Will Ospreay, is an English professional wrestler signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) since 2024, where he is a two-time AEW International Champion.
Ospreay rose to prominence during an eight-year run with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) from 2016 to 2023, winning the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship as its final holder, and the 2021 New Japan Cup, while also becoming a three-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion and winning Best of the Super Juniors in 2016 and 2019. He is the founder and leader of the United Empire stable, and became a NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Champion in 2026 alongside Great-O-Khan and HENARE.
Outside Japan, Ospreay held top titles in Revolution Pro Wrestling (RevPro) and Progress Wrestling, won the Ring of Honor (ROH) World Television Championship, and also worked in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (PWG).
Widely regarded as one of the best in-ring performers of his generation, Ospreay holds the record for the most matches rated five stars or higher by Dave Meltzer and was ranked No. 3 in the 2024 PWI 500 by Pro Wrestling Illustrated. Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards include Best Flying Wrestler (2016–2019, 2024), Best Wrestling Maneuver (2019 – Storm Breaker, 2022–2024 – Hidden Blade), Europe MVP (2021–2023), Japan MVP (2023), Non-Heavyweight MVP (2018, 2019), Most Outstanding Wrestler (2019, 2022–2024), Match of the Year (2019 vs. Shingo Takagi, 2022 vs. Kazuchika Okada, 2023 vs. Kenny Omega, 2024 vs. Bryan Danielson), and Wrestler of the Year (2023).
Ospreay rose to prominence during an eight-year run with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) from 2016 to 2023, winning the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship as its final holder, and the 2021 New Japan Cup, while also becoming a three-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion and winning Best of the Super Juniors in 2016 and 2019. He is the founder and leader of the United Empire stable, and became a NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Champion in 2026 alongside Great-O-Khan and HENARE.
Outside Japan, Ospreay held top titles in Revolution Pro Wrestling (RevPro) and Progress Wrestling, won the Ring of Honor (ROH) World Television Championship, and also worked in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (PWG).
Widely regarded as one of the best in-ring performers of his generation, Ospreay holds the record for the most matches rated five stars or higher by Dave Meltzer and was ranked No. 3 in the 2024 PWI 500 by Pro Wrestling Illustrated. Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards include Best Flying Wrestler (2016–2019, 2024), Best Wrestling Maneuver (2019 – Storm Breaker, 2022–2024 – Hidden Blade), Europe MVP (2021–2023), Japan MVP (2023), Non-Heavyweight MVP (2018, 2019), Most Outstanding Wrestler (2019, 2022–2024), Match of the Year (2019 vs. Shingo Takagi, 2022 vs. Kazuchika Okada, 2023 vs. Kenny Omega, 2024 vs. Bryan Danielson), and Wrestler of the Year (2023).
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