In the lead-up to WrestleMania 40, one of the big storylines going around the IWC was Paul “Triple H” Levesque's thinly veiled attack on Will Osprey after the “Ariel Assassin” spurned WWE for AEW in free agency, lambasting his seeming unwillingness to “embrace the grind” of RAW or SmackDown versus the lighter workload of Tony Khan's company.

On the first AEW Dynamite after the “Showcase of the Immortals,” immediately following two very openly WWE segments with the Young Bucks and FTR, Ospreay decided to take some of his five minutes of TV time with Renee Paquette to absolutely trash “The Game” for his perceived slight, noting that his critic certainly knows a thing or two about grinding his way to the top of the industry.

“Uh yeah, and I'd only just seen that Bryan Danielson interview, so I need to respond to that as well, so my apologize, guys, I just want to talk. I asked Tony, and he said, ‘You have five minutes; TV time is expensive,'” Will Ospreay informed the crowd on Dynamite.  “So there's this rumor that I'm afraid of the grind. And I'll be honest, I have no idea where this conversation has come from because I'm one of the only guys that is traveling every week to the UK and America, eight, ten-hour flights, every single week, and I'm delivering some of the best professional wrestling matches this world has ever seen, bruv. And normally, right, I wouldn't rise to this type of bait, but seeing as the guy that said it is only in the position he's in because he was grinding on the boss' daughter, you are in no position to tell me what the grind is all about my friend because you have no idea what I fight for. So let this be a painful jab back and a gentle reminder that you do not throw stones at an assassin with a machine gun.”

Gosh darn, now that is one heck of a line from the former NJPW Superstar, with Ospreay helping to prove why he's nicknamed the “Billy Goat.” Still, much like with the Young Bucks and FTR before him, he can't really go to war with a performer who doesn't even work for AEW, especially since the man in question has been retired from professional wrestling for a few years now due to his heart issues. Fortunately, he has a match with the “American Dragon” coming up and he can take out his issues in what could just be the match of the year.

Will Ospreay isn't overlooking Bryan Danielson at Dynasty.

After taking his shots at Triple H just for the heck of it, Will Ospreay decided to turn his attention to Bryan Danielson, the man he'll be wrestling at AEW Dynasty next Sunday. While Danielson is one of the best wrestlers in the sport's history, Ospreay knows that he's currently on another level than the “American Dragon,” who is starting to wind down his career.

“Now Bryan, after seeing what you said there my friend, and you said I'm stronger than you, which I am, I'm faster than you, which I am, and the only way you have a chance of beating me is if you can ground the ‘Ariel Assassin.'  Now I say this with every bit of respect under the sun, sunshine, but healthier men have tried but failed. Younger men have tried and failed. And better men have tried and failed. But yet, you are Bryan Danielson; you are a living legend in this game, son!” Will Ospreay announced.

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Brie Bella with a text bubble reading "He did hurt himself" with Nikki Bella on her left and Bryan Danielson on her right with the AEW Dynasty logo as the background.

Matty Breisch ·

Booker T with a text bubble reading, "I would not want to be Will Ospreay when my contract came up" next to Will Ospreay with the AEW logo as the background.

Matty Breisch ·

Seth Rollins on the right side of the screen with the RAW logo and a red background behind him, and Carmelo Hayes on the left side of the screen with the SmackDown logo and a blue background behind him with the WWE Draft logo as the background.

Matty Breisch ·

“And I cannot say any more, and I cannot call myself the greatest wrestler in the world until after Dynasty, until after I pin you in that ring, because these people paid a lot of money to see the best wrestlers go at it. This is AEW, where the best wrestle. And it is my time, it is my time, Mr. Danielson, to show every single person what I am about, what I bring to the table, and why I am the Ace of All Elite Wrestling. Bryan Danielson, you find out Sunday, the 21st of April, why my name is Will Ospreay, and I am on another level.”

Sure, Ospreay's initial comments will draw more interesting interactions from fans online, assuming, of course, that they can chill out from talking about CM Punk, Tony Khan, and the Young Bucks, the latter part of the promo is far more interesting, as it highlights why fans tune into AEW in the first place: to watch the best wrestlers in the world battle one another on weekly television and in can't-miss Pay-Per-View spectacles every six weeks or so. If that's the point of the promotion, then Ospreay's claim that he's the Ace of AEW might just be proven true at Dynasty.