New United Empire member debut teased for NJPW Autumn Attack

NJPW’s United Empire stable could be debuting a new member later this month. 

Will Ospreay and a mystery partner vs. Karl Fredericks and Clark Connors has been added to the September 26 NJPW Strong Autumn Attack tapings in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. NJPW teased the idea that Ospreay’s partner will be the fifth member of United Empire.

United Empire formed last October during an Ospreay vs. Kazuchika Okada match in the G1 Climax tournament. Ospreay, Bea Priestley and Great-O-Khan formed the original unit. Jeff Cobb would join the group a month later. Ospreay turned on Priestley and kicked her out of the group in March 2021 at the New Japan Cup finals. Aaron Henare then joined the group in April 2021 at Sakura Genesis.

Ospreay would be sidelined due to a neck injury in May 2021, while travel difficulties related to the COVID-19 pandemic have sidelined Henare, leaving O-Khan and Cobb as the only United Empire members working on the NJPW main roster. Ospreay returned to NJPW at Resurgence, but announced that he will be working on NJPW Strong in the United States for the foreseeable future.  

NEVER Openweight Champion Jay White vs. Daniel Garcia has also been added to the September 26 show. NJPW Strong Openweight Champion Tom Lawlor vs. Ren Narita was announced for the September 25 event, while a Juice Robinson, Lio Rush, Clark Connors & TJP vs. Hikuleo, Chris Bey, Taiji Ishimori & El Phantasmo eight-man tag was also added to September 25. 

Tickets for both nights at the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, Texas are on sale now. 

Here are the announced lineups: 

NJPW Strong Autumn Attack night one, Saturday, September 25 —

Minoru Suzuki vs. Fred Rosser
Will Ospreay vs. Karl Fredericks
Tom Lawlor vs. Ren Narita
Juice Robinson, Lio Rush, Clark Connors & TJP vs. Hikuleo, Chris Bey, Taiji Ishimori & El Phantasmo

NJPW Strong Autumn Attack night two, Sunday, September 26 —

Jay White vs. Daniel Garcia
Will Ospreay & a mystery partner vs. Karl Fredericks & Clark Connors
Lio Rush vs. Taiji Ishimori 
Minoru Suzuki & Lance Archer vs. Tom Lawlor & Royce Isaacs