The IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay was missing from today’s G1 action from Hokkaido. He’s suffering from an injury.
He spoke about the injury via his Twitter –
https://twitter.com/WillOspreay/status/1150613676266704897
Will was supposed to team up with Yuya Uemura and Yota Tsuji to face off against Shota Umino, Jushin Thunder Liger and Kota Ibushi in a six-man tag. With Ospreay pulling out, the match became Liger and Ibushi vs Umino and Tsuji.
It’s still up in the air as to whether Ospreay will participate in this Thursday’s G1 event. He’s scheduled to face off against Kota Ibushi at Korakuen Hall.
New Japan Pro Wrestling stated that Will isn’t suffering from nervous or skeletal issues, just a non-specific neck issue.
Ospreay has had issues with his neck before. Late last year he missed a month’s worth of action after picking up neck and rib injuries in a match. Due to the number of injuries he’s had over the years, he’s also changed his in-ring style. His high flying high-risk style has been toned down, limiting the chances of more injuries.
With that in mind, he is the first person in New Japan Pro Wrestling history to wrestle in all three of the company’s major singles tournaments in the same calendar year. Which shows how much he is valued by NJPW officials.
Ospreay currently has 2 points in the G1 Climax tournament.
Blake’s Take: Well this just flat out sucks. As I said above, it’s no secret that Will has had neck issues in the past. Apparently, it’s cost him deals and matches in other companies in the past. And with the change of style, I thought he might have turned a corner. So to wake to this news just sucks ass. Hopefully, it’s nothing more than a twinge, and he can continue in the G1 and carry on impressing the world.
