Btw here's a primer for anyone unfamiliar with the ue guys-
Callum Newman: 23 years old, 6'1, 225 lbs. Child prodigy who started training with his grandpa at 7 years old. Will found him when he was 15 and took him under his wing. VERY quick, his nickname in japan is "Prince of Pace". Since he is sort of Will's heir, he stepped up to lead UE in his absence. It seems like he's gotten really sick of being in Will's shadow and he's set himself and the faction on a bit of a heel run because of that. He's been teasing a turn on Ospreay since they reunited since New Year Dash, but hasn't made a move so far. Currently the youngest ever IWGP heavyweight champ.
Henare: 33 years old, 5'11, 254 lbs. He's currently the first and only pro wrestler of Māori descent signed to a major promotion. He has traditional Māori face tattoos- Tā moko- which give him his nickname in Japan, "Face of Fury". He was out for all of 2025 bc of a neck injury and just came back at Wrestle Kingdom in January. He's crazy strong and a little unhinged, but he's been pretty loyal to Will- he and Great O'Khan were the ones to stop Callum from turning on him.
Francesco Akira: 26 years old, 5'9, 154 lbs. Fully Italian, but he has a japanese middle name bc his mom likes anime. He's another one of Will's protegees- he brought him over from AJPW to join the Empire in 2022. He's spent a lot of his time with NJPW in a tag team called Catch 2/2, until his partner left the company march of 2025. He's always been small for a wrestler, but he makes up for it with stamina, agility, and non-stop intensity- his nickname in Japan is "Crown of Fire". He just came back from injury at Wrestle Kingdom as well. Unsure of where he stands with Will- he definitely came back with heel vibes, but also hasn't expressed any ill will (ha) towards Ospreay so far, so we'll have to wait and see.
