Eric Bischoff Analyzes Will Ospreay Signing With AEW
In the lead-up to last Saturday's pay-per-view, AEW owner Tony Khan teased a significant new signing for the promotion, which was later revealed to be Will Ospreay. Though he won't be starting with AEW until next year, as Ospreay still has obligations with New Japan Pro-Wrestling, there is no doubt that the addition is a big deal for AEW. Speaking on the latest episode of "83 Weeks," former WCW executive Eric Bischoff speculated on Ospreay's decision to go with the younger company over WWE.
"The choice that he made had a lot to do with what his personal goals were," Bischoff said. "I'm sure there was a lot of money on the table from both companies. So when you have two companies that want your services, and both of them are offering you a substantial amount of money, then it's about personal choice and what you want to do with your career."
Bischoff made sure to note that he doesn't know Ospreay personally, but he does stay in contact with people in AEW and can vouch for the creative freedom that the company offers. By heading to AEW instead of WWE, Ospreay will be able to maintain more control over his presentation.
"My impression, from what I've heard and read about Will, is he's a very independent person," Bischoff said. "I think AEW is a better choice for someone who really wants to explore their creative processes and be able to do things that the more formal, corporate structure within WWE wouldn't allow."
'It's All About The Money'
Something that has been speculated by some online over the past few days is whether or not Ospreay could have been promised a title run as part of his AEW deal. When asked about this possibility, Bischoff said that never happened in WCW and wasn't something he would've done as the boss. However, it was not uncommon to have conversations about creative plans with prospective talent.
"I would hope that Will has great management," Bischoff stated. "It's all about the money. In the industry that Will is in, injuries can happen and sometimes they can be career-ending. ... You really should make the maximum amount of money that you can while you're in your peak."
The WWE Hall of Famer then started examining what the situation might look like for Ospreay if he had decided to sign with WWE, noting that the top of the roster was currently filled with a lot of talent. Though Ospreay would still likely thrive in that environment, Bischoff speculated that it may be more appealing to go into a company and immediately become one of the most popular performers.
"While there's a lot of great talent on [the AEW] roster, none of them have really emerged at the level of MJF," Bischoff said. "So there's really one guy there that you're competing against in terms of being the face of that company or having the best opportunities."
Wrestling Inc. reached out to WWE but our contact was unaware whether Ospreay had been in talks with the company or not.