Will The United Empire Continue After Will Ospreay Joins AEW Full-Time?

Will Ospreay is #AllElite. The Aerial Assassin put pen to paper this past weekend at AEW Full Gear, signing what is reportedly a three-year contract over three months before he was officially set to become a free agent. Ospreay is on the books with New Japan Pro Wrestling, a partner promotion of AEW, until February. NJPW gave Ospreay its blessing to ink with AEW before his deal was up, essentially ensuring that other top suitor WWE would not have the opportunity to negotiate with Ospreay properly. While NJPW likely would’ve wanted to retain Ospreay’s services, the IWGP United States Champion landing with AEW is the next best thing. 

AEW and NJPW have had a working relationship for three years now. The most deliberate crossover between the two comes at the annual AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door pay-per-view. AEW’s Eddie Kingston wrestled in NJPW’s G1 Climax this year while NJPW’s Kazuchika Okada competed on a recent episode of AEW Dynamite. The fluidity of the the two companies also means they can share each other’s iconography, most notably seen with factions.

Will The United Empire Continue in AEW?

The crowns will in fact stay up.

Will Ospreay has fronted the United Empire since the faction was formed in 2020. Comprised of mostly gaijin talent, the United Empire captured multiple championships in New Japan Pro Wrestling before conquering independent promotions across the world. 

Speaking to Tokyo Sports, United Empire member Great-O-Khan confirmed that there are no plans to change up the group now that Will Ospreay is in AEW.

“Where is the danger? Ospreay will continue to be in New Japan, not leave the United Empire,” Great-O-Khan said. “All you have to do is to increase the membership of the United Empire and show your authority over there. The people of the Empire need not worry at all.”

This does not come as much of a surprise considering that Aussie Open, United Empire’s primary tag team, signed with AEW earlier this year and continued to throw up the crowns on weekly programming. Ospreay himself has tagged with Aussie Open on AEW TV, with the trio being referred to as the United Empire.

That said, there may be some shifts on the way. With Ospreay set to be in AEW full-time starting in February, he may lead an AEW-based United Empire while NJPW’s half of the group looks for a new Far East frontman, not unlike how Bullet Club Gold and NJPW’s Bullet Club currently operate. As Great-O-Khan teases, Ospreay may look for new members within the AEW roster.

Another thing that will have to be addressed is Ospreay’s relationship with the Don Callis Family. Ospreay is technically a part-time member of that group, as Callis has backed him in his AEW PPV matches this year.