Will Ospreay made his long-awaited return to New Japan Pro-Wrestling at Sakura Genesis 2026, reuniting with The United Empire for a trios match that saw him, HENARE, and The Great-O-Khan defeat El Desperado, Taichi, and Yuya Uemura in six-man tag action. Following the return, Ospreay took to social media to reflect on the significance of the moment and outline his ambitions across both promotions going forward.
“Coming back to Japan after two years on the 10th anniversary of my first arrival was so bloody special to me,” Ospreay wrote. “I will be the bridge that bonds AEW and NJPW. One of my decisions behind signing with TK is because he is cool enough to allow his talent to work for NJPW.”
Gabe Kidd Declares War on NJPW on AEW’s Behalf After Sakura Genesis Main Event
The night took an unexpected turn when AEW star Gabe Kidd attacked IWGP Heavyweight Champion Yota Tsuji after the main event — won by United Empire’s Callum Newman — and declared war between AEW and NJPW, also announcing he was coming for the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship. Ospreay’s stance on Kidd’s actions remains unclear given that he has positioned himself as a bridge between the two promotions rather than a combatant. In a post-show press conference, Ospreay told Newman and United Empire he needs backup in AEW to deal with the Death Riders, with Newman indicating he would discuss the matter later.
