To become the "Aerial Assassin," one must study from pioneer aerialist before them. For the former two-time AEW International Champion, Will Ospreay, the wrestlers he emulates he believes does not get the credit they deserve, including the formerfranchise player of Japan's Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling, Hayabusa.
"Hayabusa was such a huge inspiration to me," Ospreay noted on "JJRBTS." "I remember when I faned him. I think I faned him in, like, 2006, 2007. I was like, 'Man, look at how this guy moves.' Look at the 450's. Look at the shooting star presses. And then, it was when I found out he got paralyzed in 2001, I was like, 'what...' I feel like he's not appreciated as much."
Sporting the lucha libre inspired style that fans appreciate today, guys like Hayabusa and Ospreay know no bounds on how far they'll go to inspire a new generation of fans and future greats, even if it means sacrificing their bodies to the fullest extent. Keeping his legacy alive, Ospreay was presented with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to showcase his hero in front of 11,000 fans in attendance and thousands more watching at last year's Forbidden Door.
"It was 2022, I really wanted to don the mask," Ospreay mentioned. "I wanted to wear the mask because it hadn't been donned on a wrestler in Japan for years. It was almost like, 'We don't want to talk about it because it brings up a bad memory.' I sourced out where his daughter was, and I found her on Instagram. I said, 'I wrestle for New Japan Pro-Wrestling, your dad inspired me. Could I take you out to dinner?' I took her out for lunch in Japan, and I asked for her blessing to wear the mask at one of these big stages. She was honored. She was like, 'No one talks about my dad anymore.' Not only that, she was like, 'Thank you so much.' It got around, and the guy who originally made his mask contacted me and was like, 'Can I please make you one Hayabusa mask to wear?' Goosebumps."
Following his main event match, Ospreay sold the custom made mask, which all proceeds were given to Hayabusa's family.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "JJRBTS" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
