Will Ospreay States Putting The Initials IWGP On A British Heavyweight Championship Would Mean A Lot
Following Will Ospreay’s monumental win over Kota Ibushi at Sakura Genesis, where he won the IWGP World Heavyweight Title and becoming the first British born wrestler to hold the top Championship in Japan, as he would put it “Rising to the top of Mountain”. Ospreay held a press conference where he would address becoming champion, his challengers in Okada and Shingo Tagaki as well as being first British born wrestler to hold the top championship in Japan.
Ospreay would also address the Rev Pro Undisputed British Heavyweight championship, which he is currently in possession of after he defeated Zack Sabre Jr at Rev Pro’s High Stakes show at York Hall with the match garnering 5 star rating from Dave Meltzer. This victory cemented Ospreay’s transition from a Jr Heavyweight to Heavyweight on route to finally capturing IWGP World Heavyweight.
During the conference whilst addressing the British Heavyweight championship, Will Ospreay would note that he would love to see the Championship become NJPW’s IWGP British Heavyweight Championship. Noting that Rev Pro could make their current South Side Heavyweight championship, which Ricky Knight Jr and Dan Moloney are about to do battle to take hold of the currently vacant championship, their main title.
In a recent interview for NJPW1972.com Will Ospreay would comment further on his desires to put the initial IWGP on a British Heavyweight title when he discussed the press conference and why he he held it.
Ospreay on the press conference and the importance of the British Heavyweight Championship;
“I’m very goal oriented. I wanted to lay out my goals, and there were so many questions that needed to be answered. The British Heavyweight Championship for one.”
Will Ospreay 02/05/2021 (https://www.njpw1972.com/96441)
Commenting further on not being able to defend the championship in the UK due to the current global pandemic and the restrictions on travelling back and forth as well as why it would mean a lot for the British Heavyweight title having the IWGP initials would mean to him and British Wrestling;
“RevPro understands that, Andy (president Quildan) understands that. But I want to raise the stakes and bring more history to that title. The initials IWGP on a British Heavyweight Championship would mean a lot.”
Will Ospreay 02/05/2021 (https://www.njpw1972.com/96441)
Continuing on he would talk about the history of wrestling shared between the two countries and how British legends like Billy Robinson and Dynamite influenced the current style of wrestling in Japan;
“There’s history between the two countries when it comes to Billy Robinson, Dynamite Kid, all those guys that inform the style here. So I’m passionate and proud of my British background and that’s a suggestion that I made in all seriousness.”
Will Ospreay 02/05/2021 (https://www.njpw1972.com/96441)
Ospreay would then also talk about who might challenge for IWGP British Heavyweight Championship and using the press conference to state his case;
“As for talking about champions in other companies, or ex-wrestlers who might want a shot, who knows? But I had the platform to state my case with that press conference, and it would have been a waste if I didn’t use it.”
Will Ospreay 02/05/2021 (https://www.njpw1972.com/96441)
There is certainly a case to be made that adding the IWGP initials to a British Heavyweight championship would mean a great deal to British fans on NJPW. There is also a case to be made that adding the IWGP initials to the British Heavyweight championship would make it more prestigious on the level of that of the IWGP US Title, currently held by AEW’s John Moxley.
What do you think, should the Rev Pro British Heavyweight Championship the IWGP British Heavyweight championship.
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