Will Ospreay has shared an unexpected story involving late wrestling legend Vader, revealing that a rivalry that began with sharp criticism eventually led to an offer that caught him completely off guard.
Speaking on Talk Is Jericho, Ospreay reflected on his memorable interactions with Vader following their much-discussed clash in 2016.
The revelation adds another chapter to a feud that started with public disagreement and ended on a very different note.
Will Ospreay recalls Vader’s surprising conversation after their match
The story dates back to 2016, when Vader publicly criticized Ospreay and Ricochet’s Best of the Super Juniors match. At the time, Vader dismissed the bout as “blatant acrobatics” and questioned whether anything in the match related to actually winning.
The criticism quickly became one of wrestling’s most talked-about online debates and eventually led to Ospreay and Vader facing each other at Revolution Pro Wrestling a few months later.
While appearing on Chris Jericho’s podcast, Ospreay recalled what happened after the match was over. In a humorous retelling, he described an unlikely backstage conversation that completely changed his perception of where he stood with the WWE Hall of Famer.
“The bit after as well. So, we’re sat there and uh like I won’t lie, but he stunk, man,” Ospreay said with a laugh.
He continued, “Will come here. He sat on this yoga ball… and he was like, ‘I didn’t know how good you were. I’m going to talk to Vince for you.'”
Ospreay admitted he was surprised by the remark, adding that his response was simply, “Okay, mate. Go.”
The exchange marked a dramatic turnaround from Vader’s earlier criticism. Chris Jericho noted that the situation ultimately benefited both men, as their disagreement generated significant attention before their eventual match.
Whether Vader ever followed through on his promise to speak with Vince McMahon remains unknown. Ospreay has previously stated that Vader was interested in working a three-match series, but the backstage conversation remains one of the more unexpected twists in their brief but memorable rivalry.
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