The growing strain within United Empire has moved from in-ring implications to a very public war of words between Will Ospreay and Callum Newman. With Francesco Akira set to appear alongside Ospreay in AEW and Newman continuing his New Japan Pro-Wrestling schedule, the faction’s internal divide is becoming harder to ignore.

The issue follows the confrontation involving Newman, Akira, and HENARE at All In, where they cornered Ospreay. Rather than easing after that moment, the situation took another turn when AEW announced a major six-man tag team match for next week’s Dynamite. Ospreay, Akira, and Andrade El Idolo will face Jon Moxley, PAC, and Gabe Kidd.

Akira’s involvement in that match was a particular point of contention for Newman. In comments made after a match in Japan, Newman said Akira had not informed him of the AEW appearance. That omission led Newman to question where Akira’s allegiance now rests and whether more members could follow Ospreay as his presence expands across promotions.

Ospreay, who is AEW Men’s World Champion, responded publicly and rejected the idea that Akira competing in AEW represented a battle for control of United Empire. He maintained that the group’s members should not be separated into competing sides merely because they work in different companies.

For more background on this topic, read Will Ospreay Reflects on Kenny Omega’s One Winged Angel Kick-Out and Their AEW All In Future.

“Why is this a thing?” Ospreay wrote. “Your guys are my guys, my guys are your guys. You’re making it sound like there’s a turf war, when really we are spreading a faction that I started across multiple promotions. Don’t hold back progress little bro. You won’t like the outcome, @PrinceofpaceCN.”

The message made clear that Ospreay views United Empire as an international unit rather than a faction confined to one roster. It also revealed a sharp contrast in how he and Newman appear to see the present situation. Ospreay framed Akira’s AEW role as growth for the stable. Newman, meanwhile, treated the lack of communication as a meaningful sign that Ospreay’s influence may be pulling people away from him.

Newman’s initial answer did not engage with Ospreay’s broader point about United Empire’s expansion. Instead, he drew a line over Ospreay’s familiar framing of him as the younger member of the group, telling Ospreay to stop calling him “little bro.”

That request only pushed the exchange further. Ospreay responded by asking whether “little c***” would be preferable. Newman answered that he would remember the remark, and Ospreay fired back that Newman would hear it less if he stopped acting like one.

While the interaction contained the kind of insult trading that often accompanies wrestling rivalries, it also carried a more serious undertone. Ospreay and Newman are not simply wrestlers from different promotions clashing online. They are tied directly to the identity and history of United Empire, a group Ospreay explicitly described as a faction he started. Newman's objections suggest that the question is no longer only who represents the group in AEW or NJPW, but who gets to define its future.

Francesco Akira Becomes a Key Figure in the Dispute

Akira has landed in the middle of the disagreement without publicly entering the exchange himself. His AEW match alongside Ospreay was the catalyst for Newman’s frustration, particularly because Newman said he was not told in advance. Akira’s decision to team with Ospreay and Andrade against Moxley, PAC, and Kidd places him on a prominent AEW stage at a time when Newman is openly questioning whether his stablemate’s loyalty is directed toward Ospreay.

The announced bout is loaded with established rivalries and potential instability. Ospreay will team with Akira and Andrade El Idolo against an opposing trio led by Moxley, with PAC and Gabe Kidd completing the team. For Ospreay, it is also another significant appearance on the road to his AEW Men’s World Championship defense against Moxley at All Out.

Andrade entered the discussion as well, responding directly to Newman’s concern about Akira not disclosing his AEW plans. Andrade acknowledged that Newman was the person who invited him into United Empire. He also reminded Newman that a future match with Ospreay remains unavoidable because Ospreay is the Number One contender.

“I know you have your problems with him!” Andrade wrote. “But I’m still waiting for my invitation so we can meet up again.”

Newman’s reply to Andrade was noticeably less hostile than his response to Ospreay. He said Andrade was always welcome and did not need an invitation. That distinction is notable. Newman did not appear to challenge Andrade’s place around United Empire, even while raising concerns over Akira’s contact with Ospreay and AEW.

The exchange also reinforces the unusual position Andrade occupies in the broader situation. Newman recognized his role in bringing Andrade into the faction, while Andrade made it clear that he has unfinished business with Ospreay as the Number One contender. That creates another layer to a conflict that already includes questions of faction leadership, loyalty, and representation across company lines.

Major Dates Ahead for Ospreay and Newman

The timing of the social media dispute is especially important because both Ospreay and Newman are approaching major matches. Ospreay’s immediate focus is next week’s Dynamite six-man tag, but the far larger championship challenge is waiting at All Out. There, Ospreay is scheduled to defend the AEW Men’s World Championship against Jon Moxley.

Moxley will therefore be standing across the ring from Ospreay in the upcoming tag match before challenging him for the title. PAC and Gabe Kidd joining Moxley’s side adds further danger to that encounter, while Akira and Andrade give Ospreay partners who carry their own connections to the United Empire story. Even before the championship match arrives, Ospreay must navigate a team environment in which attention may be split between immediate opponents and the problems developing around his faction.

Newman, meanwhile, remains active in NJPW on the Road to Destruction tour. His most significant upcoming test is a singles match against former United Empire member Jeff Cobb on September 27. That bout takes place one day after Ospreay defends the AEW Men’s World Championship against Moxley at All Out.

Cobb’s status as a former United Empire member gives Newman’s September 27 match additional relevance. Newman is already questioning whether faction members are being drawn toward Ospreay, while he prepares to meet someone who has his own history with the stable. The match does not resolve the disagreement between Newman and Ospreay on its own, but it puts Newman in a position to demonstrate where he stands as a singles competitor and as a United Empire representative.

Is United Empire Expanding or Splintering?

At the center of the disagreement is a simple but consequential difference of opinion. Ospreay sees United Empire activity in multiple promotions as progress. From his perspective, Akira appearing in AEW is not abandonment; it is evidence that the group can spread beyond one company and reach a wider stage.

Newman’s concern is rooted in communication and trust. If Akira did not tell him about the AEW match, Newman clearly sees that as more than a scheduling issue. His comments raise the possibility that he believes members are choosing Ospreay’s orbit over a shared United Empire identity.

Neither man has announced a formal split, and there has been no declaration that Akira has left Newman behind or that United Empire has broken apart. Still, the public nature of their argument ensures that the issue will remain part of the conversation as the group’s members continue working in different environments. Ospreay’s insistence that “your guys are my guys” is an attempt to preserve unity. Newman’s refusal to accept the “little bro” label shows he is not prepared to simply fall in line behind that vision.

For now, United Empire’s future remains unresolved. Ospreay has a world title defense against Moxley looming in AEW. Akira is stepping into a high-profile tag team match at Ospreay’s side. Andrade is still looking toward his eventual collision with the Number One contender. Newman is headed into a match with Jeff Cobb in NJPW. The faction may be reaching across promotions, exactly as Ospreay argues, but its members are also increasingly being pulled into separate battles.

The next several weeks will offer no shortage of opportunities for that tension to grow. Whether it becomes a genuine fracture or a difficult stage in United Empire’s expansion is still uncertain, but Ospreay and Newman have made one point unmistakable: their differences are no longer private.

In pictures

Will Ospreay's All In entrance
Image related to this report.
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.