New Japan Pro Wrestling star Will Ospreay has recently overtaken Kazuchika Okada for the amount of five star matches in his career, but he is not resting on his laurels in his bid to become the top star in wrestling, As the current IWGP United States Champion and the leader of the United Empire stable, he is a main event talent in NJPW despite only just turning 29.
He left the CHAOS stable in 2020, betraying Kazuchika Okada and starting a feud with the G1 Climax winner that would last over a number of years. He is a former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion and is set to be the future of the company over the next decade, showing next to no appetite to leave the company for the likes of AEW or WWE any time soon.
United Empire have wrestled all over the world, most notably in NJPW and AEW. The group is lead by Ospreay and contains the following wrestlers under his tutilage;
- Great-O-Khan
- Jeff Cobb
- Gideon Gray
- Akira Francesco
- TJP
- Mark Davis & Kyle Fletcher (Aussie Open)
While the faction is becoming the top heel team in NJPW, next to Bullet Club, Will Ospreay is starting to look further afield for new additions for his team, scouting All Elite Wrestling for one of their top young talents in Hook.
The son of Tazz has been a revelation since his in-ring debut last year, showing ability beyond his years and positioning himself as one of the future stars of the company. However, that depends on how he progresses in the ring, something which Ospreay thinks he can help the young star with.
On A Drink At The Inn, Will Ospreay spoke about United Empire and how he would like to bring Hook into the group, revealing he has a good relationship with Hook’s father Taz and that he could make Hook better by being a part of the group, “if he wants in”.
“I can’t think of anyone better to bring in [to United Empire] right now, maybe HOOK, that’s it.
“Taz & me got along good. I saw those two talking backstage and I went ‘When’s your boy coming over to Japan?’. HOOK’s face was like, a mixture of fear of coming over to Japan and having me look after him. Any of the night out stories where Will Ospreay has taken people out to Roppongi, and they’ve maybe not come back the same person. However, they might have become a bit of a better wrestler.
“It was like very complimentary, I love that guy, I love HOOK, I love the aura about him so I’d love to put him in, it would be jokes to have him a part of it, so if he wants in.”
Hook has stalled his development in AEW since his team with Danhausen fell apart, so an excursion to Japan could be just what he needs.