Don’t cry over sour milk, Triple H.
When Triple H effectively declared that he was happy WWE didn’t land Will Ospreay in free agency because he wasn’t “in it for the grind” in an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, it created a massive story, a Cold War-style feud, and a debate only over which side was “right,” be it “The Game” or the “Aerial Assassin.”
In the opinion of Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, that debate officially ended at AEW Dynasty, as Ospreay turned in what he considers the best-ever wrestling match contested on North American soil while Paul Levesque sat in Titan Towers angrily wondering what could have been if he was willing to pay up for the best in-ring wrestler in the world today.
“Those Triple H comments, they aged like milk. Like stale milk,” Dave Meltzer declared on Wrestling Observer Radio. “There’s no way you can watch this guy and with any kind of a straight face go like, ‘Oh, he’s not good enough for us. His attitude isn’t good enough.’ There’s no criticism other than you blew it. You didn’t make him the better offer, and that’s that.”
Would Ospreay have turned in a fantastic, career-making performance that could flirt with the best-ever rating on the Wrestling Observer scale if he was a member of WWE? I mean, probably not, but then again, working in-ring stunners isn’t the only thing Ospreay brings to the table. No, from his fantastic promos, to his effortless charisma, and even his potential to sell a ton of merch, it’s safe to say the “Billy Goat” is a future franchise player in AEW and could have been an Ace for WWE for years to come too if they were willing to commit to him as a prized free agent addition.
Jeff Jarrett wants to see Will Ospreay vs. Bryan Danielson II in AEW.
Speaking of legends of the business who had glowing reviews of Will Ospreay’s match with Bryan Danielson at AEW Dynasty, Jeff Jarrett, who got to watch the match up close and personal in St. Louis, gave the bout an excellent review on his My World podcast, declaring that professional wrestling needs to see a rematch before the “American Dragon” calls it a career.
“Speaking of video games, that’s where I think Bryan has always set himself apart because as time evolves, basketball evolves, we talked about Caitlin Clark a few weeks ago. Why do I think she’s a draw? I think she’s the first female basketball player that you can really draw an analogy, man, this girl is like a video game player. She crosses halfcourt and can launch it from anywhere. We saw that with Steph Curry. We see quarterbacks, we see point guards, we see Aaron Judge, Ohtani, different athletes, just as the generations, they’re bigger, faster, stronger, but they’re just amazing. We can easily draw the analogy of the video game,” Jeff Jarrett said on My World via Fightful.
“I think Daniel Bryan has had the ability, and yes, he can do all kinds of moves, but to me, his timing and storytelling sets him apart. Well, then along comes Will Ospreay. I’m not saying he’s just come along because he’s been grinding and doing what he needs to do, and his Japan career speaks for itself, and now he’s stepped into the AEW world. I don’t think athletic-wise, he has a peer. He can do things that other guys can’t. I also think he does the subtleties and the nuances. So look, the match has already taken place, but I’m still hyped about AEW, the brand. We presented a professional wrestling match that is, you can’t see it anywhere else. It was one for the ages. As a promoter, it’s this simple, I can’t wait to see the rematch.”
Whoa, while fans have been celebrating the incredible athletic display Danielson and Ospreay put on at AEW Dynasty, few entered the match expecting a rematch between the duo, as this always felt like a one-off Pay-Per-View match on each man’s respective journey through the promotion in 2024. And yet, when you are considering the match most fans are comparing it to, Kenny Omega vs Kazuchika Okada at NJPW Dominion 6.9 was actually the fourth bout in their program, who knows, if this effort doesn’t earn seven stars from Dave Meltzer, maybe Danielson-Ospreay II could match or even break that all-time great number, as that additional storytelling could be just what the doctor ordered to elevate a guaranteed in-ring banger into something that effectively defines professional wrestling excellence forever more.
