Report: NJPW & IMPACT Have Backup Plan In Case Will Ospreay Can't Work Multiverse United

New Japan Pro-Wrestling and IMPACT are making preparations for their IMPACT x NJPW Multiverse United show over WrestleMania 39 weekend.

Will Ospreay is still scheduled to face "Speedball" Mike Bailey in one of the show's headline bouts but the former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion sustained a shoulder injury last week that could rule him out of competing at the event. Should that be the case, NJPW and IMPACT "have a backup plan", according to Fightful Select.

That "backup plan" appears to be Hiroshi Tanahashi as the eight-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion offered to replace Ospreay during today's New Japan Cup Final show, describing himself as a "pinch hitter."

Ospreay suffered the shoulder injury on March 13 during his New Japan Cup match against United Empire faction-mate Mark Davis. Davis hit Ospreay with a senton while he was buried under the floor mats and Ospreay immediately heard a "pop." He was pulled from the New Japan Cup as a result and as of last word, was back in the United Kingdom to recover.

Multiverse United will emanate from the Globe Theater in Los Angeles, California on Thursday, March 30. Other matches announced for the show include KENTA vs. Minoru Suzuki, Jeff Cobb vs. Moose, and an IMPACT World Title clash between Josh Alexander and KUSHIDA.