Will Ospreay Renames IWGP US Title to the IWGP UK Title, Reveals New Championship Belt

– Will Ospreay failed in his bid to secure a spot in the finals of this year’s G1 Climax 33 tournament, losing to Tetsuya Naito in the semifinals at today’s NJPW event. Following the match, Ospreay cut a backstage promo, and he officially renamed his IWGP US Heavyweight Championship as the IWGP United Kingdom Championship, revealing a new title belt.

Ospreay revealed that he was sick of carrying around a title he has no attachment to and now considers the new UK version of the title his championship. Below are some highlights and a video of Ospreay’s promo following the loss to Naito:

Will Ospreay on : “Naito, congratulations. Today you are the best in the world. You earned it, but tomorrow, no matter if I’m in the final or not, I resume that responsibility of being the best in the world, because I hold this (IWGP United States Championship). I hold that, and SANADA, the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion has never pinned Will Ospreay. Thus anything I do makes me the best in the world. This championship makes me the best in the world, but it’s meaningless in someone else’s hands. This is only valuable in my hands. It never mattered in Kenny’s hands, or Jay’s, or Juice, or Moxley or Lance, Tanahashi or KENTA. It means nothing unless it’s in mine.”

On why he’s sick of carrying a belt he has no attachment to: “The belt doesn’t make the man, the man makes the belt, and I am sick to death of carrying something I have no attachment to. I don’t want to carry this (US) flag. I’ve been to America and been the best in the world. Canada, Europe, Australia and Japan, I am the best in the world. The best in the world is from the United Kingdom. So to the IWGP committee, have this, I don’t want it. I want a championship that suits my needs. I was going to reveal this when I beat Naito, but shit happens. I am the best in the world, and I want this championship.”

Ospreay on what the UK title means to him: “This is my championship. This means I am the best in the world. I have beaten Kenny Omega, beaten Okada, I have beaten them all. So if anyone in the world thinks they are better than me, championship on the line, you beat Will Ospreay and you take this from me, you’re the best in the world. Naito, congratulations, but tomorrow is a new day, and I’m taking this bad boy with me.”

なんとオスプレイがUSヘビー級王座のデザインを勝手に変更!? 新ベルトは“イギリス国旗”柄！

「なぜアメリカなんだ？俺は世界一だ（中略）その世界一の出身はイギリスだ。IWGP委員会各位。ほらよ。これはいらない。俺のニーズに合った、好みに適した王座が欲しい」

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— 新日本プロレスリング株式会社 (@njpw1972) August 12, 2023