As PWMania.com previously reported, Will Ospreay took a shot at Paul “Triple H” Levesque on the April 10th, 2024 episode of AEW Dynamite.
On The Pat McAfee Show the week before, Triple H appeared to criticize Ospreay for joining AEW instead of WWE, saying the following:
“When I see people coming out of trying to make it, and then they pick a job where, well, they work less, the schedule is lighter, then I’m like, ‘I’m glad I didn’t pick you.’ If you’re not in it for the grind, at that point early in your career, you have no business being here.”
Following Dynamite, Wade Keller of PWTorch.com reported that Ospreay’s promo was an idea presented to him. However, Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer stated that the promotion was “entirely” Ospreay’s idea, and he was willing to “take full responsibility for it” when presented to AEW President Tony Khan. When Ospreay requested the promotion, management said it had been approved.
Meltzer stated, “Ospreay felt that when one of the most important people in the business, who he had respectfully negotiated with, had mocked his work ethic and dedication to the business. He had said he’s never knocked WWE or its performers during the entire time. So he wanted to respond. His feeling was that WWE was fully aware about his situation with his partner, woman wrestling star Alex Windsor, and his stepson.”
During negotiations with WWE and AEW, Ospreay reportedly mentioned Windsor’s desire to stay in the United Kingdom with her family after losing her husband to suicide in 2020. Ospreay thought Triple H’s remark about him was “a real low blow” given the circumstances.
