Will Ospreay vs. Zack Sabre Jr.

[7.0] "Man, Zack Sabre Jr. in this match! Absolute snobby little PRICK, and I loved every single second of it. He plays such an amazing bully in this match, especially with the work over Ospreay's leg. But then Ospreay himself really isn't all that good in the match, and he's trying way too hard to get the crowd on his side with all of these big moves and hard strikes, yet he doesn't really get any pops out of them. He's already able to match Sabre's technical prowess and that makes him a lot less of an underdog. Good ideas, making for a good match, but honestly... I think it's a bit of a carry job. ***"

[10.0] "This was an excellent scenario for Ospreay to crown himself a true Heavyweight. Not only was the action amazing but the story was told brilliantly and Sabre was the best choice as his opponent. The story of Zack and Will has been written since before they were even in New Japan; Zack was the best Final boss for Ospreay. Ospreay has beaten Zack before but his record against Zack at time was heavily against him and he just recently suffered a crushing defeat by Zack's hand less than two weeks before . The match has subtle differences from their previous encounters and the action adds a lot to the story of the match; Zack constantly sneering at Ospreay as if beneath him; Ospreay's change in style which highlights his growth from Jr. Heavyweight to Heavyweight; The way the match ended with Ospreay overpowering Sabre with his strength and using the StormBreaker to claim the British Heavyweight Championship was a fitting conclusion to Ospreay's journey towards glory in the Heavyweight Division. Ospreay's win closes his door to the Jr. Division and indicates new beginnings for the former 3 time IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion and 2 time BOSJ winner, who has been one of the best if not the best non-heavyweight wrestler for the past 4-5 years. *****"

[10.0] "[5.5 Stars] This is definitely the best match in RevPro history. What Will and Zack did that day was absolutely incredible--they're such wrestling soulmates. There's not a single flaw in their matchups."

[8.0] "Look, there's very very little wrong with this match, it just doesn't EXCEL. I'm not the biggest fan of Zack Sabre Jr nor how we wrestles, but it's nowhere near BAD. Great match just didn't move me at all."

[10.0] "one of the most complete matches i've ever seen. One of my favorite matches from both of these beasts. Just fantastic all around not much to gripe about at all. 5 stars"

[10.0] "(5*) I think this is my new favorite match, everything in this match was perfect and made sense, Ospreay's instinctively grabbing the ropes while ZSJ tried to lock in a hold was excellent, the counters were incredible, the offense just everything in this match was incredible some people may criticise this match but I think its one of the best of the Decade."

[9.0] "Amazing display of skill by both men, who have such wildly different styles, yet their versatility and experience paid off to give such an investing fight. Fantastic countering and sensible, smooth flow on a move-to-move basis."

[9.0] "I lost track of how many times I found myself yelling wow while watching this match. From a pure move-for-move perspective, Will Ospreay and Zack Sabre Jr. showed why they are not only two of the best wrestlers of their generation, but of any era. The counters were not only precise, but absurdly innovative. Every sequence that seemed to be headed left would end up on the right before I could even blink my eyes. That turned me yelling wow into my rhetorically asking what the f I was watching. And I mean that in the best way possible. For that reason alone, this match deserves every ounce of the praise it has received over the past few years. What takes this over the top, however, is the attention to detail that fills the gaps and makes this more than just a trading of incredible moves and sequences. Moments like ZSJ digging his knuckles and elbows into the cupping marks that were left on the back of Ospreay. Brilliant psychology making high-octane sequences all the more enjoyable, including Ospreay baiting Sabre into running the ropes and then going the adjacent direction to catch him off-guard with the Corkscrew Roundhouse Kick that Sabre had somehow transitioned into a mind-blowing submission a few minutes earlier. And a consistent story throughout of Sabre no longer caring to bathe in the adulation of the masses, but instead inflict punishment in an almost emotionless state as perhaps his greatest rival still clings to the support of the fans as he pursues what has so long eluded him. As the match progresses, the story does the same. Sabre can no longer bully Ospreay, as he even attempted to during their ring introductions, because Ospreay has put on weight and become one of the most lethal strikers in the game. But Ospreay can no longer do the moves that have made him famous without taking additional steps to set them up because Sabre knows every single thing he has to offer. Look no further than the absurd Cheeky Nandos sequence. Or the way Ospreay goes full ZSJ by allowing his rival to Penalty Kick him twice just to set up his planned counter. A Kings Road move that Sabre himself is famous for. As that steady build of a story takes shape, the crowd and I all but simultaneously went from calm appreciation of incredible technique to emotionally reacting to every twist and turn. All of this building to the Oscutter that led to the roll out of the ring that could not be completed. Next. Level. Wrestling. Capping it off with a Triangle Choke sequence for the ages and a phenomenal finish, this was an independent wrestling classic that simply needs to be seen. 4.75 stars, 9.5 out of 10. An absolute CLASSIC!"

[10.0] "A very good clash of styles sabre technical style and will osprey high flying style this was a really good match*****"

[3.0] "Another hyped Ospreay match that I didn't get much out of. I actually liked their New Japan match around the same time, but this one just seemed just showy for the sake of itself, and the lack of selling by Ospreay really makes a guy like Sabre's techniques seem pretty much useless. A full half hour of just moves moves moves."

[10.0] "An epic match with a perfect mix of psychology and action. The counters and move exchanges were creative and precise. This is in my top 5 best matches of 2020. *****"

[10.0] "Absolute belter of a matchc here. Ospreay bringing a great high flying style whilst still being able to keep up with the great ZSJ technically. This is such an important match in Ospreay? s career and honestly one of the best."

[8.0] "This was an improvement over their 2017 match, but the excessive length held this one back from being a top-tier MOTYC. They could have saved some of the insane sequences here for another match and the ones that would use would feel much more effective. Sabre is sublime at being condescending to the younger Ospreay. Sabre shoulder barging into Ospreay like he's a lad on a night out looking for a fight did wonders getting the crowd behind Ospreay. Ospreay's athletic feats need no introductions and he didn't slip up once during the entirety of this match. Sabre cutting off Ospreay by using his superior technical ability created some memorable highlights and I love that callback spot to their 2017 match that saw Ospreay hit his cutter, only for Sabre to roll into the sanctuary of the ropes. This was great, but not quite to the level that I was expecting."

[9.0] "This was yet another excellent and relatively long match between these two talented wrestlers. It wasn't quite as good as their 2/2/20 match that took place in Japan, but that was a truly great match, so there's no shame in this being "just" excellent. Some of the things they did showed that in the story of the match, they have learned from their previous matches against each other."

[9.0] "Criticisms apart, Ospreay had the huge heroic moment here by winning the title that alluded him for a very long time after multiple failed attempts of capturing the title. Both men have fantabulous chemistry and this was no different day. Two Brit stars colliding in front of a compact yet scintillating crowd for the premiere prize of the promotion in a flow that was expected - and it all ended happily! Kudos to Sabre too as he did his work extremely phenomenal as he stands out for me as one of the best technically gifted wrestlers currently. The post-match promo from Will was really solid and a perfect way to send the fans home beaming with a smile. 4.5 out of 5 stars!"

[9.0] "Great match between Ospreay and Sabre to the surprise of absolutely no one I think and the most ironic thing is that just a week earlier they had given us an incredibly good match in NJPW for that same RevPro Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship, so to see Ospreay's rematch taking place only a few days later in a totally different context was going to be something really exciting and it obviously was. They used their usual formula with Sabre doing the violent heel-work he's so good at, Ospreay selling it perfectly and making great comebacks, it's always long competitive back-and-forth affairs between these two but it's always so well executed that you can't get enough of it. Although I didn't find it as amazing as some because for me they've had better matches and this wasn't a five star classic, I still found it really qualitative and Ospreay's title win was so well build that it makes his moment truly legendary."

[10.0] "Total belter. These two could put on a good match together blindfold. Very different than their njpw cup match this year which is currently my 2021 MOTY but this is phenomenal in it's own right. Have to go 10/10 on this their chemistry together is so special. Go watch it."

[10.0] "This was a storytelling masterpiece and a tremendous match from an in-ring standpoint. Ospreay and Sabre have been having great matches for years and this was a perfect culmination to their feud. This was very similar in structure to their Sapporo match 2 weeks prior. They start out with some wonderful grappling and athletics until it transitioned to their usual dynamic of Sabre heavily dominating Ospreay on the mat. All of Ospreay's comebacks are great and well-timed. His offense is explosive and executed with perfect technique. There were lots of small added touches of both men knowing each other so well they had to find new ways to counter and hit their offense. Their Sapporo match was fast paced throughout, but this match built the tension and drama slowly. Sabre's transitions and submissions were smooth and nasty looking. Ospreay could've sold better in parts, but overall he did a very good job at selling those submissions and teasing a referee stoppage. All of the big moves and counters in the closing stretch were excellent. There was a very nice detail of Ospreay stopping Sabre from rolling out of the ring too. The final minutes were intense with callbacks to their Sapporo before Sabre locked in a Triangle Choke. Ospreay made a great comeback from it with a top rope powerbomb and finally beat Sabre with his winning formula of the Hidden Blade/Stormbreaker combination. Lovely post-match promo from Ospreay as well. *****"

[4.0] "This match frustrates me so much. It IS good. In theory. In execution, it comes off as indulgent and about as un genuine as it gets. I have no clue what it is, but I despise this match. It just comes off as two guys doing moves with no fluidity in between the movements even if there is technically moves in between. Ospreay tanks this match HARD and it was the first match that snowballed into him becoming one of the most frustrating wrestlers on the planet. The Sapporo match is special because of escalation, timing, and the dynamicness of the match. This is long, indulgent, and boring. Again, I can see why people like it, but this match is just not for me and probably my least favorite good match of 2020. **3/4"

[7.0] "Similar to their New Beginning match a couple weeks prior, but this comes across a more indulgent affair, with its flaws more obtrusive and disheartening overall. As a heel, the quality of Sabre Jr. 's matches is usually dependent on how the opponent reacts to his offense. When they're clearly worked over, selling the pain long-term and gradually finding it harder to stay ahead over the course of the match, it makes for a great dynamic. Then you have his matches against Ospreay, where the structure is more 50/50; evenly divided between being the bully that'll get you tangled in whatever submission he wants, and taking a beating from someone who isn't as compelling when in control. For as much as Ospreay wants to be a dynamic personality, the effort goes into the wrong places. Sabre Jr. twists his joints and bends him all sorts of ways, yet it doesn't register in the selling. He still hits a flurry of kicks and several flips like it's effortless, which doesn't coincide with the babyface overcoming adversity the match lays out. The pacing and technical side of things are still great, though I do prefer the more subdued, competitive approach in their New Beginning match. The third act here is also noteworthy, especially with calling back to key moments from that aforementioned match. Ospreay learns from his mistakes there in order to finally win the RPW British Heavyweight Title. ***1/2"

[10.0] "Maybe the best match I've ever seen in the european scene, ZSJ is just the best technical wrestler in the world, he does moves with an absolute perfection, he is fluide as f*ck, for me, big fan of technical wrestling, he can deliver masterpieces all day long, he can carry every wrestler he faces, he can do what he wants. He gives to Ospreay his bests matches this year. *****"

[8.0] "Zack Sabre Jr. (c) -vs- Will Ospreay - (RevPro Undisputed British Heavyweight Title) [*** 3/4] These two have delivered amazing stuff for years, so the quality level on display here hardly comes as a surprise. It's just top notch! Excellence! I'm not sure which of the two 2020 matches I like best as the atmospheres are so different. Big arena vs close and intimate. I think I'll go for the Japan show, but there's not much difference. The Sabre/Ospreay matches are a must in 2020!"

[8.0] "8. 15/10 : I wanted this match to blow me away, and maybe that's what worked to its disadvantage. After watching their match from a few days prior, and it being a solid banger, seeing the significantly higher ratings on this one hyped me up af. I still prefer their earlier RevPro match, that one took me somewhere special. This time, I knew it was good, I can tell it was good, but it never took the time to establish itself as a match, as a story, leaving me feeling the match is off-pace the entire period. Nevertheless, don't let my spotlight on the negative insinuate that the positive did not heavily outweigh it. Make no mistake about it, this was a banger, and they did deliver. Both men are in top form and in-control. Oh, and also, Revpro, please please improve your camerawork. The camera is way too close to the action. Use your hardcam, please. Wrestling is better when you can see it from outside, not when you look like you're crouching from the apron."

[9.0] "Zack Sabre showing why he's the best technician in the world, having a new submission counter for everything Will Opsreay threw at him. Ospreay's athleticism and fire help further elevate this to an amazing match. Only one issue: Ospreay could have sold his arms more. A minor problem, but enough of one to prevent me from going the full 10. The finishing sequence is really something special, though."

[10.0] "Ospreay shines as he continues to prove he? s the most versatile wrestler in the world. He can wrestle any style and still have a great match! *****"

[8.0] "Preferred their NB bout, but this was still a fantastic outing. Chemistry between these two was on point, as per usual, and the finish was the perfect way to cap off this rivalry. My biggest gripe is that the selling was pretty arbitrary. ****"

[10.0] "ZSJ and Ospreay manage to maintain their excellence with an outing that was just as fantastic as their match in Sapporo. Ospreay is continuing his excellent form of 2019, and, if he keeps it up, more well-earned awards will be going his way."

[8.0] "This was even better than their New Beginning match. It started off similarly, featuring a lot of athletic and acrobatic grappling that played off both guys' styles, but the second half was much different, featuring more of the 'epic' style Ospreay usually works. This consisted of Sabre's pure grappling against Ospreay's pure acrobatics and physicality. Sabre's many counters were as creative and precise as ever, and Ospreay's panicked selling did very well to put over the danger of Sabre's attacks. I loved the constant shows of competitiveness and disrespect between the two, playing off their history and status as the two top British talents in the world. Ospreay was heavily dominated in the first 10 mins, but then his comeback sequences and spots which followed were picture-perfect. After about 15 mins, they decided to start going full-speed with the crazy big-move exchanges, and everything was executed with perfect chemistry and a high degree of creativity, ensuring both guys could show off their unique styles in unison. Sabre's holds continued to look vicious, and all his transitions remained ridiculously smooth. Ospreay's strikes remained stiff and precise, and his acrobatics remained totally awe-inspiring. The extra touch of Ospreay preventing Sabre from rolling out of the ring after the OsCutter was great, reflecting how Ospreay had learnt from his past mistakes in allowing Sabre time to escape. Ospreay would continue to do a fantastic job of teasing that he might tap out or lose consciousness from Sabre's many holds. Sabre continued to get many, many great finish teases, which just made Ospreay's corresponding comebacks that much more exciting. That final minute was incredible, with Ospreay desperately struggling to escape the triangle before powerbombing Sabre off the second rope and then hitting the Hidden Blade and Stormbreaker to FINALLY win the British Heavyweight title. ****"

[5.0] "This was fine? Ospreay and ZSJ have good physical chemistry mostly, but theres nothing really interesting or substantive about their matches at least the ones Ive seen. Did really like the finish though w/ Ospreay power bombing ZSJ from the triangle choke, aside from that this was pretty mediocre for me, their NB match was better."

[9.0] "Amazing conclusion to a long going story. Feel like this may get overlooked as the year goes on, but should definitely be everyone's year end list. STRONG ****1/2."

[10.0] "The hype behind the main event was justified. This was one of the best matches I? ve seen in a while. Great story told and wonderful execution of moves. The crowd was on fire the entire time. A great sequel to their previous match, with the only logical result. Brilliant stuff."

[8.0] "Maybe the biggest match you can do on British Soil with British wrestlers. In some cases, these matches can be spoiled by doing them in other companies such as New Beginning. But they actually made it better and gave it more stakes with Ospreay being even more determined to win in his home country while giving ZSJ all the confidence in the world. This was a pretty awesome match. It was very counter heavy with ZSJ relying on flash counters to counteract Ospreay's explosive high flying offence. It was a great follow up to their previous matches with more added on top. There was great drama near the end with ZSJ's octopus hold being locked on. The nearfalls from Ospreay were good as well. A very good match. ***3/4"

[10.0] "Absolutely fantastic! This match was fabulous, everything here clicked and it was perfect. The drama was great, the storytelling was excellent, the callbacks from their last match was incredible, and etc. Sincerely, this is the best Ospreay vs ZSJ match to date. *****"

[10.0] "This was an epic main event with some great wrestling moves chock full of moves and counter moves with plenty of technical holds and submissions with Ospreay getting his chance to do some flying as well. This match told a great story with Ospreay trying to win the only belt he had failed to win in RevPro and having to overcome the technical might of ZSJ. This also featured a post match promo which should not be missed."

[10.0] "What a match! An old combination but they always know how to make their matches work. The story is simple. Zack uses his usual strategy - submission to shut down Ospreay every time he tries to gain some momentum. The match is built well. Ospreay is clearly the favorite of the crowd here and Zack also plays his role well here. The counters and moves exchange are very well-done for crowd investment. The journey to the RPW title for Ospreay is completed. Excellent."

[10.0] "I've seen a lot of matches on indys but this one is the best one along with Starr vs Devlin OTT Fifth Anniversary. Also best match of ZSJ vs Ospreay series. ZSJ kicking out from top rope OsCutter and Ospreay kicking out from Zack Driver which is only used ones and finished the match. This is one of the best matches of this year. And we are only in Febuary. Can't wait to see Ospreay's reign. ? t was time for Zack to drop the title. I hope he wins a title in Njpw. I am giving this match 5 stars. Just watch it guys."

[10.0] "One of the favorite competitions this year! Second only to the Ospreay and Hiromu games on WrestleKingdom! Ospreay finally won the heavyweight championship after 7 years, and the competition was also very good! Congratulations on Ospreay's promotion to heavyweight! *****ratings!"

[10.0] "My favorite match between the two and that's saying a lot considering the amount and quality of matches these two have had in the past. This was a culmination of years and years of storytelling. Zack has always had Ospreay's number, while Ospreay could never seem to get that big victory over Zack during the course of both mens career. Mix that in with Ospreay never being able to hold the British Heavyweight Championship, these two had all the makings of putting on a classic... And they did. These two always have had great wrestling matches so this being great wasn't a surprise. Both men are excellent at what they do and bring out the best in one another every time they face off. Ospreay trying to find the best way to incorporate his offense while also being weary of Sabres submissions was a great touch. And Sabre even using some of his more old school offense like the half nelson suplex, is a great way to show just how much Zack knows what it's going to take to beat Ospreay yet again. The psychology was wonderful and the action was always at the right speed. The crowd was super into it and made this match that much better and sent it over the top by the end of it. Just an awesome match all around and quite easily a MOTY contender for sure. *****"