On Wednesday night we saw the return of Will Ospreay to come after Kyle Fletcher after what Fletcher did to Ospreay in turning on him at WrestleDream.
The Protostar has been working hard in establishing himself as separate from Will Ospreay. He shaved his head, he’s started working a more aggressive heavyweight style to contrast from Ospreay, and he’s ingrained himself into the Don Callis Family to essentially become the leader.
EXCLUSIVE: There's a lot of rage building up in The Don Callis family right now, and they know just who they want to take it out on!
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) November 7, 2024
@briancagegmsi | @LanceHoyt | @Takesoup | @kylefletcherpro | @TheDonCallis pic.twitter.com/EXPv0V3Qhb
Essentially in the middle is the returning Mark Davis, former tag partner of Kyle Fletcher in Aussie Open. Ospreay recruited both men into the United Empire in New Japan Pro Wrestling, with both joining Ospreay in trios competition at times in AEW. When all three became free agents it felt like they’d come together in All Elite Wrestling as a trio but that’s not really happened.
Fletcher has made his bed in the Don Callis Family. Will Ospreay is opposed to the DCF. And Mark Davis? He’s apparently chosen his side against his tag team partner.
Powerhouse Hobbs
— Drainmaker 🌧️ 💵 (@DrainBamager) November 7, 2024
Ricochet
Mark Davis
Will Ospreay
4 MEN REVOLTING AGAINST DON CALLIS FAMILY.
• Hobbs says Don betrayed him after his injury.
• Davis begs Kyle to realise who he is & come back to UE.
• Ospreay wants revenge.
THIS SHIT GETTING REAL. pic.twitter.com/62GaTvaTLX
Ospreay has essentially formed his own military company of people who have grievances against the Don Callis Family. Ricochet has been feuding with Konosuke Takeshita. Powerhouse Hobbs was a member of the Don Callis Family but was left for dead after losing his chance to become IWGP World Champion against Jon Moxley, a title shot he got from Callis cashing in a major favour with New Japan.
Mark Davis wanted a chance to talk to Kyle Fletcher without his influences but as Will Ospreay said? The time for talking is over.
“It’s an all war, fam. Let’s get it.”
Mark Davis is being pushed to Will Ospreay’s side but he doesn’t seem like a committed soldier just yet. The Don Callis Family hasn’t really done anything yet to make him suffer the way Ospreay suffered, the way Ricochet has been hit, or the way Hobbs was discarded. He just wants his best friend to state his side.
There’s no place on the middle of the fence in between a war, but Mark Davis will one day have to make a definitive choice on what side of the war he’s on. He’s been coming out in a pair of slacks and a black tank top, really not showing the colours of anyone.
When he finally chooses a side? I don’t think Will Ospreay is going to like it.
Kyle Fletcher has done a lot of fantastic growth lately in his solo campaign, working against all comers and improving as a wrestler. Unlike Davis who is 34, Fletcher is only 25. He’s a pup still, even at 6’4″ and well over 230lbs. When I watch Aussie Open, it reminds me a lot of the Hart Foundation in the 1980s. Mark Davis is the Jim Neidhart, a little more experienced and a lot more powerful. Fletcher is the Bret Hart, the guy with all the talent in the world and just needs time to put it together.
And much like the Hart Foundation, there were always moments where they would let Bret Hart wrestle some of the top stars of the World Wrestling Federation in singles competition. From Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat to “Macho Man” Randy Savage, Bret would show his ability to hang with the best. He’d then go back to tag contests in the Hart Foundation, where he wouldn’t be lost in a sea of giants.
Fletcher is doing a lot to expand his horizons, but much like Bret wrestling Savage on Saturday Night’s Main Event, potential seen is not potential realized. Fletcher still has some time to go before he’s ready to be on the same level of a Will Ospreay, a Jay White, a Swerve Strickland, a Hangman Page, and a Jon Moxley.
I’m sure Fletcher will still collide against Ospreay at Full Gear to complete their feud, but if it was up to me? Fletcher wouldn’t be going from Ospreay to another singles feud. He’d be reuniting with Mark Davis and reforming Aussie Open.
I don’t know if it should happen immediately, but it should happen by or around World’s End. On February 15, 2025 is AEW Grand Slam: Australia, and I can’t think of a better place for both Fletcher and Davis to be showcased than winning the AEW World Tag Team Championship at the event. They might be heels right now but they will definitely be babyfaces in that match, which is fine. They are the local boys.
Does it make sense with Don Callis Family already having a tag team in Cage/Archer? I think so. That’s two teams going after the tag championship and a better chance to secure the gold in the DCF. Don Callis cashed in his favour to Will Ospreay in hopes of winning said AEW World Tag Team Championships and he blamed the failure on Ospreay. He absolutely still wants those championships in the family. If he can’t get it through Ospreay? He can try to get it with the Aussie Open and Cage/Archer.
This also allows Konosuke Takeshita to be more focused as the breadwinner in the singles division. As International Champion a lot should be about him. If Fletcher is taking the leadership reins, it doesn’t make sense for him to be doing it as a midcard heel losing to bigger stars. It makes more sense if Fletcher isn’t interfering in Takeshita’s division.
Jon Moxley and the Death Riders have turned AEW into a war zone. War makes for difficult situations. It breaks up families. It leads to fighting for things you don’t entirely believe in. Fletcher is currently with Ospreay on the side against Kyle Fletcher. I don’t know how long that lasts. He just wants that opportunity with him face to face, and despite all the evil Fletcher has been up to? Davis might resent Ospreay more for not giving him that opportunity.
Hopefully through all the chaos we get the return of Aussie Open out of it, and future tag team champions.
