The World's Best Wrestler Who Owes His Career to Assassin's Creed

02.04.2024 - 15:37 / ign.com / Ubisoft

Meet Will Ospreay, a 30-year-old Assassin’s Creed fan who many consider to currently be the best professional wrestler in the world. Will’s not just a fan of Assassin’s Creed though, his entire career has been built on the foundation of the Ubisoft series, and since his early wrestling days he has gone by the Ezio-inspired moniker ‘The Aerial Assassin’.

“I love [the phrase] ‘work in the dark to serve the light’,” explains Ospreay. “It spoke volumes [to me] for some strange reason. It just felt like a superhero [mantra I wanted to adopt] weirdly, and I love being the good guy. I love it.

“I went on eBay and bought a cosplay outfit of Assassin's Creed.” he shares. “Everyone knew it was a cosplay jacket, [but] people understood what I was going for.”

It’s been over ten years since Will Ospreay first donned the iconic Assassin’s hood, and despite its humble cosplay beginnings, the look has been a permanent fixture for a decade. It’s taken him from bingo halls to the big-time of WWE’s rival promotion, All Elite Wrestling. Along the way, Will spent eight years in New Japan Pro Wrestling, honing not only his craft but also his Assassin’s Creed-inspired persona.

“It opened up gateways in my brain with wrestling,” Ospreay says. “It made me think so much deeper about the entrance [and] the way I presented and carried myself on camera. Without Assassin's Creed, I don't think I would be as far in my wrestling career as I would be right now.”

Will’s obsession began with Ezio Auditore da Firenze, but strangely not his appearance in Assassin’s Creed 2, but rather in his third adventure, Assassin’s Creed Revelations. After enjoying that game so much, Ospreay quickly revisited all of the previous games and truly fell in love with the series. He then began to transition Assassin’s Creed influences into his future wrestling career.

"You've got about six seconds to win a crowd over,” explains Ospreay. “The moment you walk through that curtain, you have to have something about you. Whether you are a freak, or you've got long hair, you've got to have something about you.”

“I look like I work at Tesco, so I really [needed] something to stand out. I loved the Assassin's Creed games. The way [the assassins] moved was so captivating for me.”

For those familiar with Will Ospreay, you’ll instantly recognise his unquestionable athletic prowess. Ezio’s free-running movement and Will’s natural ability was an instant match, and exactly what he was looking for.

“Me and my friends would watch parkour and free running videos,” recalls Ospreay. “To see it utilized in a video game [by a] guy who’s kicking ass as well, it was, ‘Okay, I have an attachment to this character.’”

Ospreay’s wrestling style evolved with his character, and the Aerial