Will Ospreay Talks Kenny Omega Finisher Kick Out, Whether They'll Have Another Match
When Will Ospreay defeated Kenny Omega to become the AEW World Champion last month at AEW All In: London, he not only secured some new gold around his waist, but added his name to a very short list of wrestlers who have kicked out of the Canadian star's finishing move. In what was the most shocking moment of the match, Ospreay survived the One Winged Angel, a finisher that only Omega's former tag team partner Kota Ibushi had kicked out of (cleanly) until All In. However, during a recent appearance on "Insight," Ospreay shared that he wasn't originally supposed to escape the One Winged Angel, but was glad that Omega viewed him worthy enough to kick out of the move.
"We labeled it plan B because our plan A got ruined 'cause somebody done it in their match. So the plan B was One Winged Angel, one kick out, Storm Breaker, one kick out, then finish. I was proud of that one but like being honest, this will never leave me ever. Kenny allowing me to kick out of the One Winged Angel, the significance and the importance behind that move cannot be understated. He has protected that move for 14 years ... you think about the historical feuds that he's had, [Kazuchika] Okada, [Hiroshi] Tanahashi, Kota Ibushi, Hangman [Adam Page], and he saved it for me. That's one of the biggest honors and the biggest accomplishments I think I've ever been given as a performer, as a wrestler."
Will Ospreay comments on having another match with Kenny Omega
Ospreay continued to explain that he wasn't sure if he wanted to kick out of the One Winged Angel due to the prestige behind the move, but also understood that All In could be his last match with Omega and that the pay-per-view could be his final chance to deliver the moment.
"There's obviously a part of me that wants to protect it still and keep the legacy behind it. But it was just, where else are we ever going to do this ever again? Like I don't think we'll ever have another match. I think that's it ... in all my promos leading up to it, the only thing that I've ever said is I've just wanted to be your equal. We're tied and I'm perfectly fine with that."
In 2023, Omega suffered a life-threatening case of diverticulitis, an illness that significantly altered his career after surgery. In addition to Ospreay being content with his feud against Omega, he's also unsure how long "The Best Bout Machine" will be able to keep wrestling because of the lasting effects of his diverticulitis.
"I think people need to realize like how much of a toll it takes on Kenny after his illness ... I want to believe that he's still going to be doing some type of big matches, but at that level, I really do not know," he explained. "At 42 years old, for 10 years, he's been the best wrestler in the world."
Ospreay also revealed that Omega's been unable to compete on some AEW events because of the illness, and is unaware of the preparation that he might've had to go through to wrestle at All In.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Insight" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.