“Please do not forget me” Will Ospreay bids adieu to Japan after his final NJPW match

Will Ospreay shed tears following final match in NJPW.

“Please do not forget me” Will Ospreay bids adieu to Japan after his final NJPW match

Will Ospreay's NJPW farewell (via X/@DrainBamager)

In late 2023, AEW pulled out their big guns and made a blockbuster signing by securing Will Ospreay. The Aerial Assassin was bound to AEW while still continuing his run in NJPW until February 2024, when his contract was due. And now the time has come for Will to bid adieu to Japan and settle down for AEW. His last match with his faction at NJPW The New Beginning was a namesake event, with Will’s farewell.

The New Beginning in Osaka saw the main event bout between the United Empire and Bullet Club War Dogs. The match went on for 64 minutes as the ten-man tag team competed inside the steel cage. Ospreay, as usual, delivered his absolute best in the ring and had the fans on their toes even in his last match. But to his misfortune, Will left NJPW with a loss but was lifted up by his stablemates for his speech.

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Ospreay got his flowers after the match, with a standing ovation from the Japanese fans. The 30-year-old promised that he would return to Japan one day, for sure and asked the fans not to forget him. Because he will not forget any of his fans during his time at AEW. Ospreay stated that he would go around the world to show what NJPW has produced (himself) and thanked them for doing so. He concluded by saying that he loves all these guys so much! Will was in tears as he stood on the ramp and said goodbye to NJPW.

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https://twitter.com/DrainBamager/status/1756659034521051420?s=20 
I swear to god, I promise, I will come back one day. Please do not forget me cause I will never forget any of you guys. I love you guys so much.
Will Ospreay in his NJPW farewell speech

Standing alongside his stable and his theme song playing in the back, fans were cheering ‘Ospreay, Ospreay’ throughout. Not only his exit but also his entrance were made special by Osaka fans, as they cheered with all their might when he dressed in Mitsuharu Misawa-esque gear.

Even Kazuchika Okada said goodbye to NJPW earlier that night

The biggest free agent, Kazuchika Okada, wrestled his last NJPW singles match against Hiroshi Tanashi. The fifth match on NJPW The New Beginning in Osaka was between these wrestling legends. A respectful battle between the President of NJPW and the megastar of the wrestling world landed in Okada’s favor.

Kazuchika Okada bows down to NJPW
Kazuchika Okada bows down to NJPW (via X/@WrestlePurists)

The crowd gave a thunderous ovation to Okada during his entrance, which made him emotional right away. After his win, both men embraced and took a moment to soak up the fans’ responses. He bowed down to the ring, showed his respect for the sport, and touched down the NJPW logo.

As of now, Kazuchika has not signed with any other promotion even after his NJPW exit is very much done. It is hard to believe that the Rainmaker is no longer the biggest star in Japan but the fact needs to be digested. It will be exciting to see whether AEW makes the early move or WWE benefits from it.

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