Will Ospreay Calls NJPW Bout The Best Tag Match He's Ever Seen
Will Ospreay is regarded as one of the best professional wrestlers today, racking up 23 five-star matches (as determined by The Wrestling Observer) in his career. "The Aerial Assassin" quickly rose through the ranks in the United Kingdom before making strides in New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Amid his ascension, Ospreay formed a dominant stable, which was later named the United Empire. Included in the faction were decorated tag team champions Kyle Fletcher and Mark Davis, collectively known as Aussie Open.
During a recent appearance on"The Commentary Booth," Ospreay paid the ultimate compliment to a recent match between Aussie Open and AEW's FTR for the IWGP Tag Team Championship at Night One of NJPW: Royal Quest II in London. "[That was] the best tag match I have ever seen in my entire life," Ospreay said.
Ospreay competed at the show, defeating Shota Umino, before watching the tag bout. "I was in the crowd for that match," he said. "I didn't want to be ringside, because I just finished my match, so I quickly took off my costumes, showered, and I got out just after the bell rung, and I stood in the crowd."
Aussie Open would battle FTR (Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood) for more than 30 minutes. "I remember the announcer saying 20 minutes had passed and I remember [the entire crowd)] standing up, every person," Ospreay said. "There was 2,500 to 3,000 people and they all stood up and were cheering. None of them sat down until they said 35 minutes had passed."
In the end, the London crowd saw FTR retain its title in the first two-on-two match between the teams. A few months prior, FTR partnered with Trent Beretta on "AEW: Dynamite" to defeat Fletcher, Davis, and Ospreay in a six-man tag team bout.
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "The Commentary Booth," with a H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.