Top AEW star says Ric Flair came up to him after he was crying backstage - "I felt somebody grab my hand"

Former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion and AEW star Will Ospreay recently revealed his interaction with Ric Flair after he was crying backstage during Revolution PPV.

Earlier this year on the AEW Revolution PPV event, Will Ospreay began his full-time career for the promotion in a brutal matchup against his Don Callis Family stablemate, Konosuke Takeshita. Ospreay would go on to defeat Takeshita.

The former NJPW star recently revealed that a major spot during the match made him feel the most pain he's ever felt. When Takeshita set up a brainbuster spot on the turnbuckle, he dropped Ospreay back first on the steel.

Speaking in a recent interview on AEW Unrestricted, The Aerial Assassin revealed that Ric Flair reached out to him after the match at Revolution, while he was still in pain from his match with Takeshita, and had some kind words for Ospreay.

“F*ck me, my a** after that match mate. I will say it until the cows come home. That was the most painful thing that has ever happened to me in a match ever. Not enough to stop the match, but my a** was hurting so much, it was flipping blue afterwards. For me, having all that reaction and having all that expectation — even in the pain that I was in going backstage and this giant ice pack and this weird drink that looked like p*ss. But it's so lovely again. Then, laying on the flipping table crying like, ah, my a** hurts so much. I felt somebody grab my hand and go, ‘Mr. Ospreay?’ I looked up and it was Ric Flair and I was like, ah! Let me stand back up again like, ‘Yes sir?’ He was just like, ‘You’re everything they’ve said and more,'" said Ospreay. [H/T: Fightful]

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AEW star Will Ospreay never planned to go to the WWE

The Aerial Assassin inked a deal with the Jacksonville-based promotion in November 2023. Will Ospreay reportedly had interest from WWE and was also offered a contract by the Stamford-based promotion. However, Ospreay decided to come to AEW as it allowed him to work with other promotions.

In a recent online interaction, Will Ospreay revealed an interesting thing about potentially joining the WWE.

"I don't think people realise the opportunities we have in life. Once upon a time, this didn't exist. It was only WWE in Japan and Ring of Honor, that was it, and TNA. For me, to come here... I was never gonna go to WWE. There was always talk about it. The position that I am in right now, with my family, I don't wanna move. I don't wanna relocate," Will Ospreay said.

Will Ospreay is signed to AEW and his contract is reportedly a multi-year deal. It will be interesting to see if the Aerial Assassin decides to move to WWE after his contract expires.