Will Ospreay on Owen Hart: ‘He had a snap to him like no one else’

Will Ospreay says he’s looking forward to carrying on the legacy of the Owen Hart Cup

Ospreay will face Kevin Knight in the first round of the tournament at AEW Dynasty. It’s the second time in his career that he says he’s felt a connection to Owen Hart. The first came when he won the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship in NJPW—a title Owen held in 1988.

Speaking to Sports Illustrated, Ospreay said he feels fortunate to share a piece of history with Hart.

“The best thing about that (IWGP Jr. Heavyweight belt) is everyone that held it has their name on the belt, and I couldn’t believe how lucky I was that I had a piece of history that Owen Hart was a part of as well,” he said.

Ospreay is a three-time IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion, having first won the title in 2017.

“I remember being super grateful and just couldn’t believe how lucky I was to be in that same category of champions. I feel like the history behind ‘The Owen,’ it’s been pretty well-received. And I’m looking forward to continuing the legacy and putting on great showcase matches.”

Ospreay also says he relates to Hart, who was dedicated to his family while constantly on the road, just as Ospreay is now.

“I watched a lot of the stuff from Japan, like his junior heavyweight stuff, and I just feel like he had a snap to him like no one else. And when I watch the documentaries or how much he was a family man and how much he loved his time,” Ospreay continued. “And I think that’s the thing that I respect the most about him, that he was always in a rush to try and get back to his family. That’s like, kind of the situation I’m in myself, flying always back and forth to the U.K.”

Ospreay’s full interview with Sports Illustrated is available here.

Footage of Hart’s time in NJPW aired on AEW Collision last night.

Hart’s name is actually misspelled on the title belt.