Will Ospreay Advances To Final Of IWGP US Heavyweight Title Number One Contender's Tournament

Will Ospreay is one step closer to possibly regaining the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship, with the ‘Commonwealth Kingpin’ defeating the legendary Hiroshi Tanahashi in a tournament semi-final at NJPW Resurgence to book his spot in the final.

The second-ever singles match between the two men, Ospreay picked up the win after hitting a Stormbreaker on ‘The Ace’, putting Ospreay 2-0 against the multi-time former IWGP Heavyweight Champion.

Ospreay will go on to face Lance Archer in the final at NJPW Dominion in Osaka on June 4, with Archer having defeated Fred Rosser to book his spot in the final. The winner at Dominion will go on to face IWGP US Heavyweight Champion Kenny Omega at a later date, with many believing a title showdown at AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door on June 25 is the likely setting for the match.

Many are hoping Ospreay goes the distance, setting up Ospreay vs. Omega II several months after their MOTY candidate encounter at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17 on January 4. 

Ospreay’s one-and-only run with the title began in June 2022 after it was vacated by Juice Robinson, with Ospreay eventually dropping the belt to Omega in their aforementioned Wrestle Kingdom bout.