AEW Backstage Update: Will Ospreay Talks Before Forbidden Door “I Am Compromised”—But Determined to Be Will Ospreay for One Last Night
Will Ospreay has pulled back the curtain on the neck issues he’s been carrying into AEW Forbidden Door, saying he’s “compromised” ahead of Sunday’s Lights Out Cage Match—but urging fans not to panic. In candid interviews with The Takedown and UK Metro, the Aerial Assassin described the diagnosis, the plan for surgery, the support he’s received from WWE peers, and why he’s intent on making this weekend feel “special,” just in case the version of Ospreay we know can’t fully return.
What Ospreay Revealed
Ospreay says he’s been wrestling through the problem for months and now knows exactly what he’s facing: “a few herniated discs pushing against my spinal cord,” affecting nerve function. The situation became clear after All In, when an MRI confirmed the severity and green-lit corrective surgery. He was initially told to rest; later, specialists assured him the condition is manageable and not actively worsening, but it needs to be corrected.
“I am compromised… but I can perform one last time before I need to get it all corrected.”
Why He’s Still Wrestling on Sunday
For those worried he’s taking an unnecessary risk, Ospreay points to the wall of protection around him: a large medical team, AEW’s own doctors, and a very firm partner at home.
“They would not allow me in the ring if there was a huge percentage risk. Like, honestly, do you think my wife would let me go in a ring if there’s a high chance of me dying?”
He adds that he doesn’t feel “hurt” in the classic sense—no acute injury in the moment—but recognizes things “aren’t normal” and must be fixed.
Anxiety, Perspective… and a Promise to the Fans
The 31-year-old admitted to genuine anxiety about life after the bell, having never had surgery before and not knowing exactly what he’ll be post-op. He’s heard the warnings: there may be things he’ll have to tone down when he returns. That uncertainty is fueling his mindset for Sunday.
“If there’s even the smallest chance that I’m not going to be the exact same afterwards, I’m just going to go in there and be Will Ospreay for one last night.”
He’s also been moved by outreach from WWE talent he’s never met, who offered doctors and guidance as soon as word of the neck issue spread—gestures he called “super lovely.”
The Match & The Moment
Ospreay captains a squad against Jon Moxley & The Death Riders in a Lights Out Cage Match—the sort of stipulation that reads like a love letter to chaos. It’s a spotlight designed for storytelling as much as spectacle, and Ospreay has telegraphed an emotional chapter-ender: “This one is going to be kind of special to me… like kissing goodbye to a chapter of my life.”
AEW Forbidden Door 2025 airs Sunday on Amazon Prime PPV. Also announced:
- Adam Page vs. MJF — AEW World Championship
- Toni Storm vs. Athena — AEW Women’s World Championship
- Kazuchika Okada vs. Swerve Strickland — AEW Unified Championship
View Full Preview: Match Card, What Time & How to Watch
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🗣️ Wrestling.news | Backstage Take
This is crossroads pro wrestling. Ospreay isn’t selling a melodrama—he’s explaining the real calculus of an elite performer who knows his body, trusts his team, and wants Sunday to mean something if the next iteration of Will has to change. Don’t be surprised if the Cage leans heavier on emotion, placement, and pacing over pure stunt volume; the best workers evolve, and an Ospreay who trims the excess but keeps the timing, counters, and big-match sense could be even more dangerous. Win or lose, expect a chapter-closing performance that the crowd remembers long after the lights go out.
