This past Sunday at Forbidden Door, AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland successfully defended his title against current AEW International Champion Will Ospreay, in a match that was mostly well-received by wrestling fans and critics alike. However, some were surprised that the bout occurred early in the summer, with many assuming Ospreay would get his world championship opportunity in his hometown of London at next month's All In.
A recent report from Fightful Select has shed some light on why that was not the case. Sources within AEW and those close to Ospreay confirmed to Fightful's Sean Ross Sapp that it was Ospreay who reached out to higher-ups within AEW, noting his desire to put Strickland over.
A long-time friend of Strickland's, Ospreay wanted to rid of the belief that Swerve's title reign was merely a "placeholder" until Ospreay won the belt at All In. Additionally, Ospreay wanted to set an example and be a team player, showing that nobody should feel they are above losing to the World Champion. One individual within AEW noted that a "point was being proven" as a result. The report also notes that Ospreay vs. Strickland at All In was never the plan, with Ospreay having big creative plans lined up throughout the rest of 2024.
While it is unclear who Ospreay will be facing when AEW returns to Wembley Stadium next month, we know that Strickland will defend his AEW World Championship against the winner of the Men's Owen Hart Cup Tournament. TheOwen Hart Cup semifinals begin tomorrow night on "AEW Dynamite: Beach Break."
