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Will Ospreay Takes Shot At TNA Wrestlers Following Leon Slater Incident

Slater attempted a Swanton 450 off of a truss and hit the ground hard at TNA's most recent show.
Jon Alba|
Will Ospreay on AEW Dynamite
Will Ospreay on AEW Dynamite | Lee South - All Elite Wrestling

AEW star Will Ospreay is known for his jaw-dropping aerial stunts and abilities, making a name for himself with his death-defying stunts and intensity. That doesn't mean he won't prioritize safety, however.

TNA star Leon Slater was involved in a six-way Ultimate X match for the TNA X Division Championship this past weekend at TNA Rebellion. While Moose would retain his championship in the bout, the majority of the discourse came from a spot in it revolving around Slater.

Slater has wowed wrestling audiences across the world with his Swanton 450, earning recognition for his athleticism and grace in executing the move. On Sunday, he elevated it even more, climbing atop a 15-foot truss and hitting the move on the others in the match.

It's standard protocol in pro wrestling that when someone attempts a dive or high-impact stunt off a tall element or to the outside, the other performers are intended to break the fall to avoid serious injury. Upon reviewing the clip, though, very few of the men involved in the match were there to break the fall, resulting in Slater crashing to the hard ground mostly unprotected.

A.J. Francis, who was involved in the spot but not in the match, noted on social media he had been the target of others for not catching Slater.

However, Francis mentioned he nearly tore his bicep trying to catch him, and said Slater thanked him after the match for attempting to break the fall.

Ospreay, of course, is no stranger to the mechanics of a spot like this. Never one to hide his opinion, he also decided to weigh in on the discourse.

Slader sent out a message of appreciation on social media for those who have checked in on him, acknowledging he survived to tell the tale. While taking the high road was admirable, it didn't seem to be enough for the former AEW International Champion.

Ospreay quote posted Slater's, suggesting that the other men involved in the match should have their pay cut for not catching him, and donating it to Slater.

KC Navarro, Matt Cardona, El Hijo del Vikingo, Moose, and Sidney Akeem were the other wrestlers involved in the match.

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Jon Alba
JON ALBA

Jon Alba is an Emmy Award and SPJ Award-winning journalist who has broken some of pro wrestling's biggest stories. In addition to writing for The Takedown on SI, he is the host of "The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy" podcast, and a host and contributor for Sportsnet New York. Additionally, he has been on beats for teams across MLB, the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLS during more than a decade in the sports media sphere. Jon is a graduate of Quinnipiac University with a B.A. degree in Journalism.

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