Will Ospreay Reveals Vader Offered to Put in a Good Word With Vince McMahon After Their 2016 Feud

Will Ospreay has opened up about an unlikely twist to one of wrestling’s most talked-about online feuds, revealing that the late Vader once offered to personally reach out to Vince McMahon on his behalf.

Appearing on Talk Is Jericho, Ospreay reflected on the fallout from his 2016 confrontation with Vader — a clash that became one of the most high-profile social media disputes in recent wrestling memory. What began as pointed, public criticism from the veteran eventually took a turn Ospreay clearly didn’t see coming: Vader extended an offer to go to bat for him with WWE’s then-chairman.

The story is a striking one, given how acrimoniously the two men’s public back-and-forth played out at the time. Ospreay was still a rising star on the British indie scene in 2016 when Vader loudly questioned his style, setting off a very public exchange that drew responses from wrestlers across the industry. That the same man would later offer to advocate for Ospreay at the highest level of the business speaks to the respect that can quietly develop even out of genuine conflict.

Vader passed away in June 2018 after a long battle with heart disease, and Ospreay has spoken warmly about him in the years since. The anecdote shared on Talk Is Jericho adds meaningful texture to that relationship — a reminder that in wrestling, as in most walks of life, first impressions and final impressions can look very different.

Ospreay is currently signed with AEW, where he has established himself as one of the promotion’s top in-ring performers.