Callum Newman shared insights about his past with Will Ospreay following Ospreay’s unexpected appearance at New Year Dash after NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 20, where Hiroshi Tanahashi held his retirement event. Ospreay, having rejoined the faction United Empire, engaged with Newman during this time.
In an interview with Sid Pullar III of The TakeDown on Sports Illustrated, Newman recounted how he first met Ospreay at 15 years old during his final training session, which was a surprise organized by his parents. The session included advanced maneuvers like top-rope dives.
“I met Will when I was 15 maybe? Yeah, 15, and it was my last training session. So my mom and dad surprised me with a Will Ospreay two-day training camp and then once the training camp finished, I was like, ‘OK, I’m done. This was cool.’ We did top rope ‘ranas, first time doing dives. So as I said to him, ‘Thanks man. This was so fun, see you later. I’m done,’ and then he saw my mom and dad in the corner, got them and spoke to my dad and was like, ‘Make sure he doesn’t quit,’ and he was like, ‘OK, cool.’ Once that finished, my dad messaged Will, saying ‘thank you,’ and Will answered him, saying, ‘If he wants to take wrestling seriously, you need to go to the London School of Lucha Libre.’”
– Callum Newman, Wrestler
Events at New Year Dash Lead to Conflict
During the New Year Dash event, tensions flared when Newman suddenly swung a chair at Ospreay. The attack was halted by fellow United Empire members HENARE and Great-O-Khan. Notably, Ospreay had not witnessed the attempted assault firsthand because he was positioned in front of the group and only saw Newman leaving the ring in anger.
Newman clarified his reasons for the attempted attack, expressing deep frustration with Ospreay’s absence and return. He emphasized the burden he carried to maintain the group in Ospreay’s absence and resented Ospreay’s return being portrayed as a simple solution to the issues within United Empire.
“I’ll never discredit Will (Ospreay) for everything he’s done for me. He kept me in wrestling, he kept me in school. He made sure I stayed in school, all that stuff, took me to shows and really took care of me, like he’s my older brother, but I don’t like the fact that he disappeared, went to a rival company and then decided to come back whenever he feels like and says, ‘I’ll come back and I’ll help you.’ The words he said was, ‘I didn’t realize me leaving would make the group crumble.’ I spent a whole year carrying this group, trying to bring it back up and don’t you dare think that you coming back is gonna fix everything. That’s what really kind of pissed me off. That’s what really got to me.
– Callum Newman, Wrestler
He said he would come back and do things my way… He never liked me doing things my way when he was training me cause whenever I would do things my way, he would kind of tell me off and tell me to calm down. But now I’ve spent so much time and effort really bringing this group back to being the top heel group in Japan, then he wants to come back, then he wants to act like he’s back in the group? No, piss off… It’s my group now. I’m sorry, Will, but that’s how I feel. You disappeared and you left me. You abandoned me, so did Jeff (Cobb). Aussie Open ain’t got a leg to stand on. Aaron (HENARE) got hurt, unfortunately, but he left me. So it was me, Great O Khan and Jakob (Austin Young). I was the only one that could put the group on my back, so don’t you dare think you can just turn up and retake the spot that you just left.”
– Callum Newman, Wrestler
Will Ospreay’s Plans Post-Recovery
Will Ospreay is currently recovering from neck surgery and has future plans concerning his wrestling career. He mentioned that once cleared medically, he intends to focus on his commitments with AEW before returning to New Japan Pro Wrestling to assist Callum Newman and United Empire further.
The Impact of Their Conflict on United Empire and NJPW
The disagreement between Newman and Ospreay reveals underlying tensions within United Empire, highlighting challenges in leadership and loyalty amid wrestling industry transitions. Newman’s struggle to hold the faction together during Ospreay’s absence, alongside injuries and defections of other members like Jeff Cobb and HENARE, underscores the hardness of maintaining dominance in Japan’s top heel group.
Ospreay’s return could signal a shift in dynamics, but his reception by Newman emphasizes that reentry into established roles is complex. This tension reflects broader issues in wrestling factions when key figures leave and return, affecting group cohesion and fan perceptions, especially in NJPW and its relationship with AEW.
