Will Ospreay Talks Potential Match With CM Punk at Wrestle Kingdom

New Japan Pro Wrestling star Will Ospreay recently addressed CM Punk’s comments on the ‘Aerial Assassin’ being a potential match up he would consider. In a recent interview, CM Punk stated that if the “conditions were right” then he would consider discussing potential matches against John Cena, Daniel Bryan, Rey Mysterio and Will Ospreay.

Obviously, Ospreay is the only name on that list that does not currently work for WWE. This has lead many to believe that not only does Punk keep up with New Japan Pro Wrestling, but that it might be a consideration.

Whilst there’s no confirmation of this whatsoever, Will Ospreay has publicly stated that he would like the match at Wrestle Kingdom in January next year. Appearing recently on the Chris Van Vliet podcast; Ospreay said that the ball is completely in Punk’s court when it comes to the potential match.

“It can happen and the only person that can make it happen is him” Ospreay began. “We live in this world of possibility. Anything is possible and the whole ‘Never Say Never’ thing? But like whenever someone goes ‘Will are you ever going to go to WWE?’ like my natural reaction is to go like ‘no.’ But the reality is it IS never say never.”

Will Ospreay would elaborate further, saying how he really never considered facing CM Punk a possibility, due to the way he left WWE initially. “But like, Punk? I didn’t really consider this a possibility at all. Because the way he talked in the Colt Cabana interview? He was DONE with wrestling. And when he showed up in the UFC it was ‘all right so this is him just pretty much done with wrestling.’ It was only when I saw that (aforementioned) interview.”

“Because my phone just went off on a random day, my phone just started going off. And when Punk did that interview and he said like, ‘I would listen to your idea if it was John Cena, Rey Mysterio, Daniel Bryan or Will Ospreay!?’ and I was like, ‘dude those three are legends right there. That’s the cream of the crop stuff. So no matter what you say about my confidence in ability or whatever? Like, they’re there (up in the echelons). I’m here, I’m not even on the screen down here (laughs).”

Ospreay also mentioned that whilst he was taken aback by the suggestion, he knows that Punk is at least aware of what is happening in Japan. “I thought, If he’s coming back he’s going to WWE. But then I always remember that promo where he sat cross legged, and he was like, ‘maybe when I’m done here I could go to New Japan Pro Wrestling, maybe I could go to Ring of Honor.’ So he does watch. And that was back in 2011. He’s still watching (New Japan), because I wasn’t around in 2011.”