United Empire has added another high-profile piece to its growing new chapter in AEW, with Jamie Hayter and Alex Windsor officially confirmed as members of the group at AEW Collision Grand Slam France.

The announcement came as the Brawling Birds made their entrance on the show. Hayter and Windsor, who currently hold the AEW Women’s Tag Team Championship, signaled their allegiance by doing the familiar “crowns up” gesture. The moment made official what had been strongly indicated by their recent involvement alongside Will Ospreay.

Hayter and Windsor previously came to Ospreay’s aid at AEW All Out during his match with Jon Moxley. That appearance placed the champions directly in the orbit of Ospreay and the re-formed United Empire, but Collision Grand Slam France delivered the clear on-screen confirmation: the Brawling Birds are now part of United Empire.

A Formal Expansion for Ospreay’s New United Empire

Ospreay began building a new version of United Empire after winning the AEW World Championship at AEW All In. The group had long been closely associated with Ospreay’s rise across international wrestling, but this chapter has been presented as a fresh direction under the new AEW World Champion’s leadership.

For more background on this topic, read Five Clockwork Carnage Qualifiers Announced For AEW Dynamite & Collision.

“Speedball” Mike Bailey was named as the first official member of the new chapter. With Hayter and Windsor now formally aligned with the unit, United Empire has rapidly become a more substantial presence in AEW, spanning both the men’s and women’s divisions.

The Brawling Birds’ admission is particularly important because they enter the stable not as prospects looking for a breakthrough, but as established champions. Hayter is one of the defining names in AEW’s women’s division, while Windsor’s standing has continued to rise alongside her partner. Their tag title reign gives United Empire immediate championship representation beyond Ospreay’s AEW World Title.

That dynamic gives the stable a different shape from a group built solely around one central star. Ospreay remains its obvious focal point, especially as world champion and the architect of its new era, but Hayter and Windsor bring their own credibility and their own championship position. Their addition makes United Empire feel less like a supporting cast around Ospreay and more like a collection of wrestlers with major stakes across the company.

The All Out Moment Now Has a Clearer Meaning

The events at All Out now read as the first major public sign of the alliance. When the Brawling Birds helped Ospreay during his encounter with Moxley, the connection was evident, even if their membership had not yet been formally announced. Collision Grand Slam France removed any ambiguity.

It also establishes that Hayter and Windsor are willing to stand with Ospreay when the AEW World Champion is under pressure. That can have significant implications for Ospreay’s title picture moving forward. A champion’s allies can change the atmosphere around major matches, confrontations, and potential rivalries, especially when those allies are champions in their own right.

At the same time, the confirmation gives the Brawling Birds added backing in the women’s tag team division. As reigning champions, Hayter and Windsor are already targets for every duo looking to move into title contention. Their United Empire connection adds another layer to their presentation: opponents are no longer approaching only two decorated wrestlers, but two champions associated with a wider, increasingly influential unit.

The immediate announcement did not lay out a full roadmap for United Empire’s next moves, nor did it identify a specific new opponent for Hayter and Windsor. Still, the presentation was unmistakable. The crowns-up gesture during the entrance served as a concise visual declaration of where the Brawling Birds stand.

Championship Presence Across Divisions

For AEW, the move creates a stable with championship relevance on multiple fronts. Ospreay’s AEW World Championship places United Empire at the center of the company’s highest-profile men’s stories. Hayter and Windsor holding the AEW Women’s Tag Team Championship gives the faction a simultaneous foothold in a different division.

That shared championship status matters. It naturally presents United Empire as a faction that can appear throughout a show rather than being restricted to one rivalry or one championship scene. Ospreay’s business as world champion may not always overlap directly with the Brawling Birds’ responsibilities as tag champions, but the group’s members now have reason to be visible across the program.

Bailey’s place as the first confirmed member of the rebuilt faction also remains central. His addition provided the foundation for Ospreay’s new chapter, and the Brawling Birds have now broadened that foundation. With three official members around the AEW World Champion, United Empire is no longer merely an idea tied to Ospreay’s past; it is an active AEW alliance with recognizable personnel and titleholders.

There is also a natural competitive edge to placing Hayter and Windsor within the same group as Ospreay and Bailey. Every member brings a reputation for intensity and high-level in-ring competition. The Brawling Birds have already shown they are prepared to make their presence felt when a United Empire ally needs assistance, and their official status means future interactions will be viewed through that lens.

What the Announcement Means for Hayter and Windsor

For Hayter and Windsor, joining United Empire does not change their status as the AEW Women’s Tag Team Champions, but it does add a new dimension to how they are positioned. They remain a team with their own championship goals and challengers, while now also being part of a group led by the AEW World Champion.

The key detail is that this was not a sudden association without context. The All Out involvement with Ospreay provided the initial indication, and the Collision Grand Slam France entrance supplied the official confirmation. AEW has therefore connected the development over multiple events, moving the Brawling Birds from apparent allies to acknowledged members.

It will be worth watching whether the Brawling Birds’ membership leads to more direct interaction with Bailey, or whether Ospreay’s faction develops a clearer collective mission beyond protecting its champion and supporting one another. Those questions remain unanswered, but the core identity of the group is becoming easier to see.

United Empire now has an AEW World Champion at its head, “Speedball” Mike Bailey as its first official addition, and the reigning AEW Women’s Tag Team Champions in Jamie Hayter and Alex Windsor. That is a formidable starting point for a rebuilt stable.

Collision Grand Slam France did not just provide a symbolic entrance gesture. It delivered an official expansion of one of AEW’s most important emerging alliances. With the Brawling Birds now wearing the United Empire identity openly, Ospreay’s new chapter has gained champions, depth, and another major reason for the rest of AEW to pay attention.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.