Will Ospreay Opens Up on TNA Fandom: Hulk Hogan’s Arrival Changed Everything He Loved About the Company

Will Ospreay has revealed that TNA was a formative part of his wrestling upbringing — but that the company’s direction shifted dramatically once names like Hulk Hogan came aboard and, with them, everything he had cherished about it.

Speaking on a recent podcast appearance, Ospreay explained that TNA was genuinely his promotion growing up, with a clear personal goal in mind: one day becoming the TNA X-Division Champion. That title, built around fast-paced, athletic wrestling that prioritized in-ring quality over size or star power, was exactly the kind of product that hooked a young Ospreay. It isn’t hard to see the throughline — the style of wrestling that defined the X-Division is essentially the style that made Ospreay one of the most celebrated workers on the planet today.

But when Hogan and other veterans arrived and the company began pivoting its identity, Ospreay felt the soul of what had drawn him in was lost. It’s a sentiment shared by a significant portion of TNA’s original fanbase, many of whom felt the Hogan-Bischoff era prioritized nostalgia and mainstream credibility over the distinct, alternative product TNA had carved out in its early years.

Ospreay is one of pro wrestling’s biggest stars never to have worked for WWE, having built his reputation through NJPW, AEW, and the independent scene. His comments offer a window into how TNA’s X-Division helped shape an entire generation of performers who went on to define modern in-ring wrestling — even if the promotion itself eventually moved away from that identity.