Will Ospreay Lists His Favorite Matches, Opponents, & More

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay recently answered several fan questions for a piece on NJPW1972.com. During the interview, Ospreay listed his favourite opponents, matches, and more.

Ospreay listed a match from Progress in 2015 as one of the most important in his career.

“There’s been so many that I think are historic and that helped me along the way. The first time I felt I was getting somewhere was my match with Jimmy Havoc in PROGRESS in the UK, 2015. After that I was going to America and going on to bigger places. I felt that match opened a lot of doors for me.”

He would then refer to Marty Scurll has his greatest rival.

“I think in all of wrestling, my biggest rival has to be Marty Scurll. He doesn’t like me, I don’t like him. We’re very different guys, like the Batman and the Joker,” Ospreay said during the interview.

Ospreay was also asked during the interview which wrestler he has the most respect for.

“Respect? Tanahashi. For everything that he’s done for New Japan. The slogan on my shirt, ‘attack for the next generation’ came from him. He did so much and put his body through so much to get New Japan out of the dark ages and into the golden era that we’re calling it now. I love his wrestling philosophy and I respect him a huge deal. If I can be like any wrestler, I want to be like him.”

He would continue to talk about his stablemate in CHAOS, Kazuchika Okada as well.

“He’s my big brother. He’s looked after me since day one. Anything personal, medical even, he’s helped me out. He met my mum and dad in the UK and was lovely to them. He’s absolutely my big brother.”

Ospreay would continue to say he believes Okada is the best wrestler in the world.

“I do think he’s the best in the world right now. I don’t think anyone can match his style, technique, power, presence. You know when his music hits and he’s in a singles match, he’ll have the best match of the night. Wherever you are in the world, nobody can beat him.”

Ospreay also mentioned that it was a TNA event which helped inspire him to become a pro-wrestler.

“I’ve always watched wrestling, ever since I was a baby. But I was channel surfing once and found TNA, the three way between Chris Daniels, Samoa Joe and AJ Styles. AJ grabbed the top rope and hit a springboard Shooting Star Press. I was 14, 15 years old and I instantly thought ‘I want to be a pro-wrestler. AJ Styles is the reason I wanted to be a pro-wrestler.”

The full interview with Ospreay can be read here.