The Ospreay Project: A Side Quest to Review Every Will Ospreay Singles Match
The Ospreay Project: A Side Quest to Watch All Of Will Ospreay’s Singles Matches (Part 1)
Let me start off by giving a little bit of background into the way that my brain works. When I was 9 years old, I copied the entire dictionary down in a notebook front to back because I wanted to know every word in the English language. When I was 13, I got a single B on an algebra test and went home and did 10,000 math problems so I would never make the same mistake again. And, now at 23, I have spent the last 18 months attempting to track down and watching (nearly) every singles match Will Ospreay has ever had.This is the first, most extensive, part of what will certainly be a multi-part project for some fucking reason.
As a totally unrelated aside, I just want to note that often times young women and girls so often times girls are told they do not have autism because they do not display the same signs as boys. Check out how autism can present itself differently in young women
At AEW dynasty last year, I had the opportunity to attend my first ever media scrum. I was so nervous that I could barely focus throughout the course of the show. I had practiced relaying my questions to the talent over and over agaIn, but it did nothing to ease the ache in my stomach. If you are interested, you can read more about that ancient experience here. When the opportunity presented itself, I asked Will Ospreay, fresh off an instant classic with one of his heroes, Bryan Danielson and ” about his performance, and “the story he would tell himself about this match.” He gave a heartfelt response about the role Bryan Danielson has played in his pursuit of wrestling greatness. He accompanied that with a brief story about his childhood and eventually a return to keyfabe about his regrets for dropping Danielson on his head earlier that night. Within that great answer he also added that he thought it was the “best match of his career.” You can check that clip out here.
Most people would have taken the answer at face value, maybe snaggedd a headline from the relatively simple quote, and moved on with their lives. Unfortunately, I am incapable of being normal about literally anything. So, I left St.Louis reeling with that answer, racking my brain to come up with a comparable or better match of Will Ospreay’s I might have seen. I can never just take a man at his word, even when the man in question is the performer himself. While this particular match was certainly absolutely incredible, I questioned whether it could have been a combination of recency bias and hero worship that influenced his decisive answer.
Ospreay has 54 different 5 star matches according to Dave Meltzer, from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, which has sparked much conversation over the past few years. Will Ospreay is incredible but that many flawless star matches seems near impossible, at least to me. Now of course, that is with the knowledge that not each of these highly touted bouts by Meltzer are singles competition, but you understand my general point. So, my first thought was to watch all of the matches that Dave Meltzer had ever rated 5 stars and then compare Ospreay’s matches to that standard. But, that had me wrestle with the notion that Meltzer's opinion was gospel, and only he could determine what qualified as 5 star caliber or not. Plus,with all due respect, Ospreay was talking to me, I get to take that and run with the quote whatever way I want. So, instead of headline hunting, I played semantics with myself before realizing I could actually use this opportunity to answer several questions regarding Ospreay’s career.
How many 5 star singles matches does Will Ospreay have? What are some of his most overrated and most underrated matches?
Is there merit to his most common criticisms of formulaic matches and chronic no-selling?
Is his match against Danielson truly the best of his career?
So naturally, there was only one solution. I needed to watch every one of Will Ospreay’s singles matches to evaluate where this one stood within his own match catalogue. So brother, that’s what I set out to do. I spent over 18 months, with two raggedy notebooks, sticky notes and a dream, watching and reviewing every Will Ospreay match I could get my hands on.
It’s important to note that while I certainly do consider myself a fan of Ospreay, I don’t personally rank him as my favorite performer or the greatest of all time as some die-hard stans might. All that to say, I am an Ospreay appreciator, not a superfan (though if we were talking about Kenny Omega I would have to retract that statement). I want to clarify that this was an attempt to do as loose scientific analysis, to test a hypothesis inadvertently declared by Ospreay himself right after one of the best matches of his career.
So, in this part one, we will be focusing on Ospreay’s time in Lucha Britannia, Southside Wrestling Entertainment, New Japan Pro Wrestling, and Revolution Pro Wrestling, and Ring of Honor. In a still to come part 2, we will be focusing on promotions that he appeared in less than 10 times,Defiant Pro Wrestling, International Pro Wrestling and All Elite Wrestling.
Background:
For a little bit of professional context, Will Ospreay was formally trained at the Lucha Britannia School of Lucha Libre in Bethnal Green. Ospreay formally debuted on the UK independent circuit in 2012 as Dark Brittanico. He also wrestled under the name Jason Artem early on in his career, and a few other names that clearly did not stick. I want to add, I did watch his a great deal of his training videos and matches that do not appear on cagematch, in an effort to make note of his overall progression from the absolute beginning.
He then went on to work for Progress Wrestling and work in the UK independent scene, including the likes of International Pro Wrestling UK, Southside WWrestling Entertainment and What Culture Pro Wrestling.
It’s important to note that Ospreay’s talent, even at the very beginning of his career was absolutely undeniable. He instantly moved with an unmistakable quickness, undeniable passion and a natural agility that makes even his earliest works at least a little bit compelling. He never had a phase of his career where he struggled with athletic ability, his biggest challenge was finding a way to balance it with storytelling and helping his opponents to look equally as strong.
What makes Ospreay so unique in the later stages of his career is the hybrid wrestling style, combining lucha libre, traditional British wrestling style and his adaptability to fit in every match, whether it be against Japanese heavyweights, British cruiserweights or high-flying Mexican luchadores.
Methodology, Issues and Outlying Factors (Self Imposed Rules For an Over the Top Unnecessary Project)
When rating these matches, I used a scale up to 5 stars. So consequently, that is the highest rating that any match could receive under my system. That’s it. Because that’s how scales actually work.
I was intentionally a little harsh in my rating system. If my goal was to determine what Ospreay’s best ever performance was, I needed to be able to differentiate good from great. So, I used the 5 star rating very sparingly, only when absolutely necessary and warranted. Plus, I intentionally avoided any other wrestling personality’s reviews of any of these matches. Here at Black Girl Wrestling, we think for ourselves.
I limited myself to singles competition, so, no three ways, tags or multi-man matches.That would be way too much wrestling, even for me. I needed to preserve some semblance of sanity.
No fast forwarding,and all matches must be viewed at regular speed, including entrances.
When commentary was available, I watched each match with it as well. The goal was to replicate the experience that most viewers would have had watching it as it aired in real time.
Not every match has a well-thought out review, for as much as that was my initial intention, dear fucking god that was a lot of matches to watch any ways, and many of them were skips. I was sure to write one notable characteristic at least to demonstrate that I did indeed watch the match bell to bell.
Any match that I had seen before this project had to be rewatched for the sake of this endeavor. I wanted to be able to assess each match as objectively as possibly
When I refer to an otherwise unspecified “he” in my match notes, I do indeed mean Will Ospreay.
Notable exclusions from this list include everyone that I have heard to be creeps. I might have inadvertently missed some, but if this is true, please let me know and I will be happy to remove them from this list.
I had to make an honest attempt to find each match. That meant searching the promotion’s app or website if available. Then, Youtube, and then finally my three most reliable streaming sites. I’ve watched matches filmed on fan’s phones, commentary in languages I don’t speak, and even, when desperate WWE2K recreations (which, I of course, later disregarded and did not include in this project.)
I tried to be as understanding and coy as possible when it came to matches that I am not particularly keen on.I never wanted to be cruel or inflammatory towards anyone. If you ever see the words “I’m sure the live audience had fun” that’s my attempt at a version of age old southern addage, “bless her heart.”
Ways of working:
First I copied down every singles match on Ospreay’s cage match into a legal pad. I separated them by promotion and listed them in chronological order, checking each off by hand once it had been viewed in its entirety.
Next, I proceeded to watch each match, noting down my thoughts in real time on post-it notes and later index cards.
Then, I taped and glued those notes into a spiraled notebook. Undoubtedly, a flawed system, but I wanted to do this by hand first for a few different reasons. One, because I find it easier for me to keep my attention on the matches . Two, I would be damned if I spent a year on this unnecessary project, just for the general consensus to be that I was lying or exaggerating. Finally, I’ll be damned if I dedicate all of this time to an undertaking this size and people accuse me of using AI. I hate artificial intelligence, it’s poisoning Black and brown communities and reducing our critical thinking as a society. I did every single aspect of this myself, flaws and all.
Finally, I typed all of my reviews and thoughts into a spreadsheet and created groupings, labels and color coded systems so it was easier for other folks to follow my thought process. Here’s a key:
Highlighted in Green-Matches that I have yet to track down or see
Highlighted in Red- Matches that I have searched high and low for and ostensibly could not find
Highlighted in Grey- Matches versus opponents that I know have passed on. (I have chosen to still include these matches and review them, but have chosen not to assign these a rating, as I found that to be inappropriate. If you notice folks who belong in this category, who are not highlighted in grey, please let me know. )
Highlighted in Gold and Black- Matches that I consider to be 5 stars.
The following is a key, disclosing a vague overview of my thought process when assigning star ratings:
⭐
A match that I am sure both Ospreay and I would love to forget. To be fair, these are, notably, incredibly rare throughout his storied match catalogue.
⭐⭐
A serviceable match that falls short of the threshold of something I would choose to watch again.
⭐⭐⭐
A decent match that is worth a watch, but is often lost on his resume. In my opinion, typically not memorable in nature when compared to his exceptional work.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
A very good match that sets itself apart from the pack, you should go out of your way to watch this match.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A faultless, unforgettable match that you absolutely have to see. Matches like these will have you spreading the gospel of pro wrestling itself, compelling you to go out of your way to introduce other people to this match.
Limitations and Barriers:
I initially planned to only publish this project when I could declare that I had seen every single match without fail, but I ran into a couple of issues that made that goal incredibly difficult.
1) Financial constraints: Frankly, Ospreay has wrested in so many promotions across the globe and that’s a lot of subscriptions to have. At one point, I was paying for RevPro on Demand, NJPW World, Honor club and Wrestle Universe. When you pay for them all, in addition to having to cough up more money for decade old Pay Per Views,( I’m looking at you RevPro) it starts to add up quickly. Consequently, I have been unable thus far to review his matches in Progress Wrestling, and a few unavailable RevPro ppv’s as well as some indie matches that I simply was unable to track down.
2) Additionally, some matches I must declare as lost media. If anyone is able to find any of these, or is willing to sponsor a few more subscriptions, send them my way. There are matches listed on his cagematch that the FBI could not find if they looked.
2) One of the um… less legal viewing sites I was using gave my computer a virus rendering it incredibly difficult to work on the spreadsheet I was crafting.I watched all of the RevPro and Southside matches on my phone, and had to do the vast majority of spreadsheet updating on there as well. Please excuse any typos, I’ll get to them, eventually.
TLDR: Some matches are indeed missing, forgive me for slacking. I’m not a God.
As a consequence of the aforementioned issues, I realized that the project had inadvertently gone stagnant for a rather long period of time. I was conflicted on how to proceed, but ultimately, I decided that I had worked too hard on this already to just sit on it until it was perfect. I had to remind myself that literally all of these strict guidelines were self imposed. Sometimes the best way to start is just to start, so I decided to share what I do have with the world, or more specifically, wrestling twitter.
Acknowledgement of Biases
I do indeed think I, like many, unintentionally fall prey to the ideology that Korauken hall and the Tokyo dome automatically adds a star. There’s an electricity and big match feel that accompanies fights in these storied buildings that is unlike almost anything else on Earth. While I do not know how to combat this bias that I do believe I and plenty of other reviewers, I did want to acknowledge it. I am incredibly emotionally attached to New Japan Pro Wrestling as well as All Elite Wrestling, as they are the promotions that introduced me to some of my favorite performers and helped me become more familiar with wrestling as a sport.
I briefly noted this earlier, but I also had to acknowledge my bias towards matches I had already seen before beginning this project. I had already seen some of Ospreay’s better known classics with Kenny Omega, Hiroshi Tanahashi and Speedball Mike Bailey for example. I rewatched all of them, with a fresh set of eyes, and a this new revised set of guidelines
In addition to my own recency and company related biases/ I want to note that I am viewing these matches through a 2025 lens, and the standard for Will Ospreay’s work quality has increased exponentially over the course of the last few years. What might have been considered an absolute barn burner in 2017, might look commonplace in comparison to some of his more recent work .In my opinion though, a 5 star match should reach the ranks of a classic and should stand the test of time, even when put against modern day works.
Overthinker’s Corner
I would also like to acknowledge a couple of things. First, some might call this whole thing a little bit insane and I want to acknowledge that yes, it probably is overkill. I want to be so abundantly clear that I make absolutely no money off of wrestling. I run a little twitter account where I complain about AEW and NJPW and I sometimes make videos with my Iphone but this is completely a hobby for me. I have a job that has nothing to do with wrestling and no affiliation with any company, brand or wrestler themselves. To pull the curtain back, I am incredibly insecure about putting this out into the world. What if this is not thorough enough, or insightful, or maybe it’s inconsiderate? The internet is public and permanent, and that’s a scary thought. Ultimately though, I am making no money off of posting this, the video or the spreadsheets, I just wanted to share my opinions through this personal passion project, and things got a little out of hand.
At the end of the day,the reality is that all I did was watch a bunch of matches, but the real talent lies with the folks who create the in-ring magic. I would be remiss if I did all this and didn’t shout out Ospreay himself. I sat in front of a screen with a few notebooks, I could never do what he does, so, yeah you can for sure take all my thoughts and critiques with a grain of salt. Sorry if you’re underwhelmed.
Also, I would not spend this much time watching the match catalogue of someone I hate. Will Ospreay is one of my favorite performers and in my very first and (so far only) media scrum, he was kind and gave an incredibly thoughtful answer to my very basic question.Ospreay is currently dealing with an incredibly serious neck injury that will have him out of commission for the foreseeable future, and I hope that if any part of this reaches his fanbase or him for whatever reason, that releasing all of this does not come across as insensitive. If anything, I am choosing to drop this at his moment, to help spotlight his incredible work throughout the course of his career and give some perspective of just how bright the future will be once he returns. Okay, enough glazing.
If you made it this far, I owe you a friendship bracelet and my left kidney.
Here is a link to my spreadsheets I used to track all of these matches.
Ospreay’s 5 Star New Japan Matches Are:
Bandido BOSJ XXVI
Ospreay decides to get deep iIn his full on lucha libre bag. Juice Robinson on commentary and I really do love it. I think I'm in love with this match. Bandido's dropkick is Okada level. High flying, fast paced start to finish, must see BANGER. I struggled to find time to look down and write anything of note because the action was so creative and nonstop. This match is absolutely incredible and I cannot recommend it enough.
Ibushi G1 Climax 2019
This one is incredibly creative. I fucking loved this match because I was so invested, another example of not wanting to take your eyes off the screen for even a second. This match also serves as a reminder that Ibushi is an all-timer. Athleticism, pacing and emotion are what sets this bout apart from other matches . A near perfect match in my eyes.
Okada G1 Climax 2019
This match is absolutely fucking awesome. Kazuchika Okada is on his fucking horse in this match and it's amazing to see. The speed and reversals in this one are next level, and both men know how to build to the crescendo beautifully. . I think about this match a lot.
Omega Wrestle Kingdom 2023
This match is so buzzy, there's a palpable energy in the arena that is so rare nowadays. This one is exceptional, but it is outdone by their forbidden door rematch in my opinion. I still give it 5 stars because it makes you smile, gasp, tense up and fills you with nerves and uncertainty as if you’re in it. You cannot watch this match without feeling something. Also, let the record show, you can say a lot of things about Ospreay, but he sells his ass off in this match.
Omega Forbidden Door 2023
This match is just as incredible as you remember it being the first time. A much more even bout than their WK17 fight, with unnecessary interference but both men are so great and convincing that it's forgivable. Kenny is a hero in this and Ospreay plays his supervillain role perfectly. The match builds to its crescendo the same way all Kenny Omega classics seem to do. The Canadian crowd adds another level to an already outstanding performance from both men.
Other Ospreay New Japan Matches I Recommend:
Lance Archer New Japan Cup 2019
I think they have great chemistry and Ospreay takes a nasty bump when Archer catches him off the barricade and just chucks him. They play David and Goliath very well,even though Ospreay is not a small man. He leaps over a STANDING Lance Archer, and he makes himself look like a reaL life superhero. Ospreay is still pretty little and he gets him up for a storm breaker which is a fun visual. Honestly a personal favorite of mine.
Okada New Japan Cup 2019
The ensemble OKADA comes out in eats so HARD. The crowd is not giving us much but this match is very slow at times in their defense. But I mean, that’s Okada's MO. The sasuke special is crisp and there are some really fun sports in the last minutes of this Ospreay hits back to back shooting star presses and shit gets insane rather quickly.
ELP BOSJ XXVI
It starts off pretty vicious and they take out several rows of chairs and then fight in the crowd for a while. ELP does an extended rope walk to show off his athleticism. I really enjoy the sky twister to the outside. Red shoes pushes ELP in a fun shake up from the norm . I really do love this match.
Shingo Takagi BOSJ XXVI
Emphasis on Ospreay's lucha libre influences, not as much emotion as compared to some of his other matches, but he gets ragdolled for most of it due to his size. I love this match, I think it’s great, I just think that in comparison, their later matchups are better.
Hiroshi Tanahashi G1 Climax 2019
I enjoy the submission grappling at the start. ACE ACE ACE. It's a refreshing change of pace to see Ospreay get his guts rearranged and then his back blown out. I accidentally left Tanahashi off the list of wrestlers who always make me feel something, and I would like to rectify that now. There is emotion seeping out of this match. The only reason I do not rate it a full 5 stars is because I think we have seen better in-ring performances out of Ospreay himself both before and after this match.
Amazing Red Super J Cup 2019
I'm not feeling the hair dye, but I appreciate the commitment to the bit. Another freak 4 freak match and you can tell that this match means a lot to both competitors and the crowd. There's an oscutter to code red counter that made me let out a squeal of delight . I loved this one.
ELP King of Pro-Wrestling 2019
Freak 4 Freak and Speed 4 Speed. Twin flames. ELP I was not familiar with your game. He threw him over the announce table into Gedo. This match is insane?? They're on the balcony?? I like the theatrics, but not the finish. This match is so much fun, I don't care.
BUSHI Power Struggle 2019
I really like the black hair, he should bring it back. He gets misted very early on and sells it incredibly well throughout the course of the match. BUSHI does a crazy bridge over Ospreay's back. I enjoyed many parts of this match.
ZSJ The New Beginning 2019
When they want to be, ZSJ and Ospreay can be two very creative wrestlers. I love the speed of this match. They hit some freaky positions. I love this match. I love Zack Sabre Jr. Ospreay has pink hair and chooses to take an equally as twisted technical approach to this one as Zack typically does. A refreshing change of pace within Ospreay’s match catalogue.
Okada G1 Climax 2020
Ospreay does a dive to the outside and he literally jumps over Okada. There's a reversal sequence that ends with a rainmaker and the end of this match could be put up against almost anything until the interference.
David Finlay New Japan Cup 2021
I really enjoyed this match, which is unlike me because I am not typically a fan of David Finlay but this match is frantically paced, and both performers wrestle like they are absolutely desperate to win. I actually bit for several different finishes and I half believed Finlay's foot injury. This match is fantastic, but you do feel the limits of the time constraints. The Ospreay counters at the end of the match are absolutely unreal .
Jon Moxley Windy City Riot 2022
Ospreay meets Mox in the crowd during his entrance and they both look super cool. They both feel like incredibly dangerous individuals and Ospreay bites Mox's bleeding head within the first 5 minutes. Mox turns this bitch inside out. The match has a palpable energy and edge to it, Ospreay is frantic. It's sick and I love it. BLEED BLEED BLEED.
Shingo Takagi G1 Climax 32
I think Takagi is an opponent that truly challenges Ospreay and brings out the best in him, and I find it refreshing. It's a reflection of how well they know each other. The shots feel heavier than usual, and there's passion behind them.
Okada G1 Climax 33
The dropkicking Ospreay off the middle rope in mid air is so fucking beast. Slower at the beginning, as most Okada classics are, but then there are some super fun sped up sequences that suit Ospreay much better. An absolutely bomb ending and the storm breaker looked so fucking cool. Still neither man's best match.
Ospreay’s 5 star matches in RevPro are:
Drew Galloway Live in Sittingbourne
Galloway looks the exact same. Galloway throws Ospreay into the actual wall during this match and then Ospreay uses the wall for momentum for a flip, it's incredibly fun and gives the match charm. This match is really cool and it shows off the best from both men, and it's incredibly unique within his match index. Watch it.
2. Leon Slater Epic Encounters 3
This is nonstop action from bell to bell. Slater is the truth and he absolutely makes the most of this opportunity for sure. It's rare to see Ospreay fight someone with more youthful exuberance and arguably more athletic, it's a great dynamic. Every second of this match has something else, blink and you miss it and it's a little rough around the edges but I think that adds charm. Even the drilla moloney interference can't ruin this for me. Sometimes, there is nothing wrong with a good old fashioned spot fest.
Other Ospreay Rev Pro Matches I Recommend:
AJ Styles High Stakes 2015
The is prime styles and it's cool to see him give this match his all even though Ospreay was still not Ospreay yet. This match fucking SLAPS. I don't have many notes because I did not want to look down.
2. Matt Sydal Rev Pro TV.08
I do believe that I have seen this match again. This one is grea. Matt Sydal, the legend you are. Sydal drops the guardrail on Ospreay then takes the fight on the ramp and Ospreay has to crawl all the way badk to the ring in a fun change. Watch this match for sure.
3. Trevor Lee Live in Portsmouth
Lee whoops Ospreay for the first few minutes of this match, Lee looks great in this match until we get the over the top selling. The second half of this match is great. Watch this one for sure.
4.ZSJ Global Wars 2017
I do love the spiderman boots. This is one of their better matchups, it felt like ZSJ put his working boots on for this one. Ospreay hits a reverse 450 and I sat up straight in my chair. I really enjoyed this match. For sure one that you want to watch. He taps into Kingpin Ospreay at the end.
5. PAC High Stakes
It's no secret that I love PAC and I think he is incredibly underrated. These two mirror each other for a few minutes so both can establish they are equals. PAC is a more vicious kingpin Ospreay. Ospreay gerts dropped on the ramp and then ends up having to crawl all the way back to the ring. This match is great, we gotta run it back. All of the counters in this match are great, and they are actually logical. Only reason it's not 5 stars is because the interference ruins the finish, and I was really hoping for a clean one.
6. ZSJ High Stakes
ZSJ baits Ospreay into doing a standing shooting star press and catches him in a head scissor. This match showcases both men's strengths and shows off how well they know each other. This match is great and the crowd is insane. Ospreay has some crazy hangtime in this one. This is defitnelty one of their better ones matches, that is for sure. Commentary is great in this match as well.
7. Ricky Knight Junior High Stakes 2021
It's weird, I feel like Ospreay has a completely different aura when he wrestles for Rev Pro specifically. RKJ shows so much more in this match in comparison to their epic encounters match. This match is great, super easy to watch. The ref gets kicked into a table and Ospreay jumps off the barricade for an oscutter but the table doesn't break.
8. Shingo Takagi 11 Year Anniversary
This crowd is amazing and extremely british. Takagi alley oops him and throws him inside out and catches him for a stellar Made in Japan. This match is phenomenal and the crowd are eating out of the palm of their hands, but I do wish this match was longer, I feel as though they were just really starting to cook.
9. Gabe Kidd Uprising 2023
Kidd has hair, which is a startling sight. They start mollywhopping each other immediately, and there's a palpable hatred in the air and that's what makes this one different. The exploder on the stage is craxy. There is not a dull moment in this one.
10. Michael Oku High Stakes 2024
Ospreay, this white jacket might be your best ever, he has that shit on. This crowd is electric. This match is great . Ospreay hits Oku with a tiger driver, hiden blade and a stormbreaker and Oku still kicks out. The last 5 or 6 minutes of this match can rival just about anything else on this list, I don't give it a 5 just because I do think Ospreay outshines Oku a little bit theatrically, and emotionally.
Great ROH matches I recommend:
1) Dragon Lee Manhattan Mayhem
Sometimes, there's nothing wrong with a good old fashioned spot fest, but that's not what this ended up being. They say that Lee is bigger with more muscle mass than Ospreay which is a crazy thought in 2025, This one is very creative and fun. It was a gnarly bump that saw Lee's head ricochet of the turnbuckle, but I liked it!
2) Jay Lethal Death Before Dishonor
This match is great. It has an incredibly serious feel to it and it's my first time seeing demon Lethal. It's a phenomenal refreshing change to see Ospreay be edgier at this stage of his career.
Added Benefits
This whole endeavor taught me a lot, for better or for worse. I was able to see more matches from a whole host of legendary talent, particularly British and Japanese stars. Folks like Doug Williams, Jushin Liger and KENTA, all legendary performers whose careers I was only vaguely knowledgeable about, prompted me to go beyond the project and continue to explore their storied careers.
Takeaways:
I think it’s interesting, when Ospreay was getting started in Lucha Britannia for example,he was reliant on his speed and on a certain set of jaw-dropping moves that impressed audiences no matter how many times they had seen them. He was hitting that standing moonsault like rent was due (because I’m sure it was) and bumping his ass off. I would say that he struggled with selling in the early stages of his career, but I honestly credit it to him just getting ahead of himself. I think he was constantly anticipating his own next move,which is a great attribute to have, just not at the cost of believable selling.
I would say the aforementioned pattern continued with him on the independent circuit and the early years of his Rev Pro stint but we begin to see progress by the time he participates in his first New Japan Tournaments, BOSJ XXIII AND Super J Cup 2016. It’s then that he begins to experiment with some interesting counters, and introduces the reverse 450 into his more regular arsenal. Like most young wrestlers fighting for their spots in top companies, when Ospreay was younger, I do think he made a concerted effort to make every second of screen time count, even against lackluster opponents.
I don’t think it's fair to say that Ospreay was ever ”phoning it in” given the incredibly physically demanding way that he works, and as he continued to get older, and put on more weight. However,I do think there is merit to an argument that he sticks to a ” play the hits” pattern in these matches, as he does not necessarily tap into the most creative version of himself, especially as he gets older. Though one could argue, understandably, there is no need to take unnecessary risks or bumps in untelevised or non-marquee matchups. My biggest point is that I think you can tell almost immediately when the bell rings whether Ospreay professionally likes his opponent, or respects them as a worker, for better or for worse.
Ultimately, I think there is more truth to the formulaic match allegations than there is to the no selling allegations but I do think both have merit especially earlier on in Ospreay’s career I think that he does tend to follow a certain, albeit impressive, predictable move sequences, but he, like all great performers has certain opponents that bring out the best in him, that completely disrupt that pattern. Those opponents included Shingo Takagi, Tetsuya Naito, Matt Sydal, and Kenny Omega.
Opponents that he faced a million times like ZSJ, Ricochet and Kazuchika Okada really demonstrate the full unlocked to locked in spectrum. These are all folks that he has faced a million times over in his career, making it particularly difficult, in my opinion, to have unique matches each and every time. So, I definitely think the project has merit, there are some really underrated matches within Ospreay’s match catalogue, mainly because I think many folks have seen them. I plan to
Watching all of hese matches,I think it’s very fair to say that the more modern iteration of each of these matchups, are naturally better. Each performer has improved and grown into their own styles, characters, and have refined their craft over years of hard work and deviation. However, there is a certain charm to the earlier bouts, with each man with a point to prove, rent to pay and very little regard for their own safety and well being. For example, I think Ospreay’s best match with Ricochet came early in both of their careers. In these matches, they are trying things out, testing the limitations of their own bodies, live for all of us to see, a scary thought but a fascinating watch. As a result, a lot of these older matches do not have the same patterns, crowd work or moves. Ospreay, for example, over the years has retired his reverse 450 and introduced the hidden blade. He has transitioned from frequently using the skytwister as a finisher, instead favoring the stormbreaker. Then of course, there was the summer where folks thought he killed Kenny Omega with the Tiger Driver 95. Evolution is natural for any pro-wrestler with a lengthy career, your body changes, and finding ways to reinvent yourself is paramount to durability, and though Will Ospreay is still certain within his best years, he has already shown his ability to adapt to his own limitations.
Conclusions:
After watching all of singles matches in NJPW, RevPro, ROH, SWE and Lucha Britania Ospreay has a total of 8 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐singles matches
Ospreay’s best match was against Kota Ibushi (the match before he fought Okada in a back to back) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ bouts, followed by the Forbidden Door match with Kenny Omega, and the Danielson match that started this all comes in a close third.
Babyface Ospreay is phenomenal. He comes across as incredibly genuine and he’s convincing with every word he says. He always does a great job of connecting with an audience and mirrors a superhero’s arch of triumph bell to bell, that is surprisingly, not what he does best. In my opinion, Commonwealth Kingpin Ospreay is the best in the world. He’s dangerous, vicious and unrelenting in a way that almost nobody can replicate.
I never want to hear elevated again in my fucking life.
