Description
William Peter Charles Ospreay (born 7 May 1993) is an English professional wrestler. He is currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is the current IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion in his second reign and also leader of the United Empire stable.
Ospreay previously wrestled for NJPW's United Kingdom based partner promotion Revolution Pro Wrestling (RevPro), where he is a former and longest reigning Undisputed British Heavyweight Champion. He also wrestled for a third British promotion - Progress Wrestling - where he is a former Progress World Champion, making him the only wrestler to have won the top championship in RevPro, Progress, and 1PW.
Ospreay began his career in United Kingdom in 2011 on the UK independent circuit. In 2016, after being recommended by AJ Styles, he began to work with Japanese promotion New Japan Pro Wrestling as part of the junior heavyweight division, becoming a three-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion and the winner of the 2016 and 2019 Best of the Super Juniors. In 2019, Ospreay also won the NEVER Openweight Championship. That same year, Ospreay participated in the G1 Climax, NJPW biggest tournament featuring heavyweight wrestlers. In 2020, he made his transition to the heavyweight division, where he won the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. He is also the winner of 2021 New Japan Cup. In 2022, Ospreay won the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship.
Ospreay has also periodically ventured into the American wrestling circuit; he has appeared in NJPW partner promotions All Elite Wrestling (AEW), Impact Wrestling (formerly known as TNA) and Ring of Honor (ROH), where he is a former ROH World Television Champion, as well as independent promotions like Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (PWG).