Will Ospreay gave his opinion earlier today on the lack of Junior Heavyweights on the 6.9 Dominion poster and a lot-lot more.
The poster featuring Chris Jericho vs Kazuchika Okada, Kota Ibushi vs Tetsuya Naito and Taichi vs Tomohiro Ishii, was bemoaned by Ospreay, the two time Battle Of The Super Juniors winner, for the lack of Juniors:
“There isn’t a junior heavyweight on the poster, not even the champion. There’s two heavyweights on here that I’ve beaten, but no juniors. It’s time to rectify that. That’s why I’m moving to Japan, to give back. Some people have left—and fair play—take a paycheck and try to ‘change the world.’
“But I’m loyal to this Lion Mark so I will stay here and bust my ass to rectify this. So if I have to be put in with the heavyweights, please. Make that happen. Put a junior with the heavyweights. See what happens.”
He then spoke about his upcoming match against current IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, Dragon Lee. He spoke quite candidly that he wants to steal the whole show with the champion. To show the world that the Junior division shouldn’t be looked down upon:
“I don’t want the junior heavyweight label to limit us, Marty Scurll said last year that he doesn’t want the juniors to be seen as less than. I hate to say it but he’s right. You saw that match with Shingo, and it showed that I can take the weight and pressure and deliver when I need to, as a junior.”
“I’m 92 kgs, I’m not a heavyweight. I’m the best junior heavyweight in the world, and I need the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship to do that. Dragon Lee, I love you but you have what I want and what I need. At Dominion, to a sold-out Osaka Jo Hall, let’s steal the show.”
Blake’s Take: Them’s fighting words from Will. A huge statement from the two time BOSJ winner, and to be fair he has a point. Ospreay is one of the most well-known wrestlers on the planet. He’s part of a small club that has won the BOSJ twice. He consistently gives amazing matches no matter the opponent. Not to highlight the division on the poster (and maybe by card position too) is a mistake. NJPW’s Junior division is the best in the world and should be highlighted at all costs. And if Dragon Lee and Ospreay do steal the show, it just backs up Will’s words even more.
