[7.0] "Ospreay in 2021 was unrealized as a heavyweight and as a heel. Okada was in his weird Money Clip phase, something no one liked, and yet his obsession with the goofy submission was integral to this match. But this is Ospreay and Okada at the Tokyo Dome, and despite their flaws at the time (and now, still), this was pretty good. The first 15 minutes are eventful enough to keep you hooked, and while there's a big dropkick off the top from Okada, the match lulls a bit over the next 5 or so minutes. But then the table spot happens, and this kicks into the levels you expect from these two. And the ending, from the second Osprey hits the rainmaker pose to when Okada finally brings out the rainmaker to put Ospreay away, is the peak of wrestling. The crowd is very audibly making noise despite the restrictions during that time, and who could really blame them? It's an important match for both guys moving forward, and it only falls short of their 2019 G1 and 22 G1 matches in my eyes. Not that it's a huge bar to clear. 3.5 Stars"
[4.0] "Damn that was not a good match by any means and I don't even think it's close, I can't see the reason for this being this high rating for most folks really, and man a 35 minutes ? ! It feels even longer! which's also a bad sign for this one, but that was bad it actually put a bad taste in my mouth, I didn't like the structure at all and I think it's one of the problems for this being bad for me, but overall not for me I didn't like a thing here, nothing remarkable here unfortunately. And it's slow and sometimes fast and it's just don't make any sense."
[10.0] "Finally, this is a five stars match for me. Absolutelly incredible what both talents can bring to the ring when it comes to psycologh and storytelling when they really want to. And also, they're probably the best european and asian wrestlers in all history, so...there it is."
[7.0] "Ospreay in 2021 was unrealized as a heavyweight and as a heel. Okada was in his weird Money Clip phase, something no one liked, and yet his obsession with the goofy submission was integral to this match. But this is Ospreay and Okada at the Tokyo Dome, and despite their flaws at the time (and now, still), this was pretty good. The first 15 minutes are eventful enough to keep you hooked, and while there's a big dropkick off the top from Okada, the match lulls a bit over the next 5 or so minutes. But then the table spot happens, and this kicks into the levels you expect from these two. And the ending, from the second Osprey hits the rainmaker pose to when Okada finally brings out the rainmaker to put Ospreay away, is the peak of wrestling. The crowd is very audibly making noise despite the restrictions during that time, and who could really blame them? It's an important match for both guys moving forward, and it only falls short of their 2019 G1 and 22 G1 matches in my eyes. Not that it's a huge bar to clear. 3.5 Stars."
[10.0] "Their first encounter since the betrayment. NJPWs first five star in 2021. This is such an important match in Ospreays career. They got the right amount of time and the match was of course tremendous. Will had so much to prove against his former mentor and leader and I think he left an atleast small impression on Okada. Although he lost. Will didnt cared about Okadas health and just hitted him with every move he had. Highlight of the match: The suplex through the table (honourable mention: dropkick into powerbomb) *****"
[10.0] "The MOTN and a true Wrestle Kingdom classic. Okada and Ospreay were expected to have their best match together and they delivered. They also sold their hate for each other perfectly. They started off hot with strikes and big moves. Ospreay's performance in this match proved his growth as a wrestler. He still had his tremendous athleticism and high flying, but much less than we would usually see from him. It was a nice balance. His work was much more grounded yet still intense and compelling. I loved his cocky heel attitude and aggression which kept the match interesting in its slower moments. Okada was incredible. This was Okada's best performance since WK 14. He looked focused, his strikes were stiff and his selling was wonderful. Ospreay's attacks got more violent in the second half, and Okada sold them all like death. The pace was moderate for the first half but never boring. They still did their usual impressive and exciting sequences but dedicated a lot of time to selling and made every big move feel important. It kicked into next gear after the dropkick/powerbomb spot and they began to display their amazing chemistry and creativity. Ospreay went into full killer mode with power moves and hard strikes to the back of Okada's head. Okada hit all of his big spots with absolute perfect timing. Some incredible spots include the suplex through the table, the apron Tombstone and the Oscutter into a dropkick. The Money Clip was used really well here too. Ospreay sold it exceptionally. Ospreay stealing Okada's Rainmaker was an outstanding moment which got an audible pop from the restricted crowd. Okada booting the back of Ospreay's head and Ospreay just stomping Okada's face in were two awesome moments. As you could tell there's a lot of stuff packed into the 35+ minutes run time. It all harmonizes and comes together for a classic match between two of the best in the world. The return of the Rainmaker during the finish was the cherry on top of everything. Loved loved loved this. *****"
[10.0] "That was an amazing match and my personal favourite from both nights of WK 15. The atmosphere throughout the match was surreal. The layout of the match was excellent. The pacing was even and slow that highlighted Ospreay's change in attitude and wrestling style. The in ring action was excellent and the storytelling was done beautifully. Okada's subtle actions were clever as he showed a kind of a hidden and controlled rage towards Ospreay while Ospreay was openly being an asshole. Everything they did from Ospreay dropping Okada on a table to Okada's angry stomp on the back of Ospreay's head, Ospreay's sadistic stomps on Okada's face and most importantly Ospreay's audacity by attempting to finish Okada with the tombstone and RAINMAKER created a lot of tension and drama. I also loved the commentary particularly that of Rocky's as he has a personal connection to both Ospreay and Okada and his reactions throughout the match added a lot of drama to the match. MotN. *****"
[9.0] "Did not see the Main Event yet, but goddam, what a personal brutality this was. Yes, the build-up prior was bad as possible, but the in-ring-action and the storytelling throughout the match was point on. The not-yelling because of the restrictions even kinda helped, each blow and each curse could be heard. At the end the crowd couldn't help themselves and shat on the restrications a few time, and rightfully so. The only downside is, that Ospreay lost. AGAIN! The Empire looks like shit. That's not how you establish a new stable who's supposedly being a threat to the whole roster. Because of these two pointed out things, I can only give it 9 points. If you look just for the in-ring action, it's clearly full points 10/10. And man, there were some brutal spots, where I almost choked up."
[10.0] "This match Is more slow than they other matches but if you can enjoy the narration the told us, you 'll love It. Ospreay underrated Okada and Okada wanted to kick Ospreay's ass and when Ospreay esagerated Okada find the why to get the whin thanks his experience. A masterclass that elevated both two and the suplex trough the tables (yes plural) was mad. *****1/4 (5, 25)"
[10.0] "An all-timer and, in my opinion, the best match of Wrestle Kingdom 15. I can't imagine how Ospreay showcases something new and completely different in each of his big matches over and over again. The only downside of this for me was the winner. But I haven't watched any of their matches after this, so I'm sure they finished the match that way for something long-term. *****1/4"
[10.0] "Definitely the best game tonight! When Okada used Rainmaker, the narrator was excited, and the result of the game shocked me a little. Now, it seems that the identity of villains and heavyweights needs to greatly reduce flying high and some movements which are very flexible and difficult to please the audience. I don't know how this legion will collapse overnight. Let's see how the next story develops. 5 stars."
[8.0] "absolutely fine but not as good as i thought it would be. after watching matches they will have in the future i can clearly see that basically every big match they have follows a pattern. it wouldn't be bad if they fought once every few years but with how often they are being pared together it gets tougher to watch."
[5.0] "Hm, so this is a higher than 5 star match to a lot of folks? I suppose I can see the appeal but it was middling for me at best. It's got the usual Ospreay tropes, overly ambitious flips, weird facial expressions, whiffed strikes, I mean it's all very athletic but for the most part it lacks the kind of grit I hope to see in wrestling. A few cool moments, especially the table bump, but in the end way too damn long for the content."
[10.0] "The first 5/10 minutes were a bit slow, just like every other match of Okada, but after those minutes the pace accelerates and we begin to see what these guys are capable of. Combining Ospreay's spectacularity with Okada's technical style we had a fantastic match we'll remember for years to come. This match even told a great story, with Ospreay unable to defeat Okada because of his arrogance, and Okada finally finishes him with the Rainmaker. Awesome story for an excellent match"
[9.0] "Almost perfect match between Ospreay and Okada which unfortunately isn't because of the length because it wasn't necessary for this thing to last thirty-five long seconds but that doesn't take away from the fact that it was an absolutely incredible match that was not far from the maximum rating if I hadn't felt a few moments of length here and there, for me this bout places second in their saga just after their 2019 G1 Climax which was absolute perfection. Here they worked a different match than usual while still doing some great spots they've done in the past like Okada countering the OsCutter with a beautiful Dropkick, too bad we didn't see Ospreay countering the Rainmaker with a Stormbreaker like he had done before because that would have been fantastic. The action was great from start to finish, they have a chemistry off the charts that always gives us sensational encounters and this was one of them even though for me it was Ospreay who should have won."
[10.0] "Awesome match. They have awesome chemistry. This is not quite as good as their G1 29 match but they're both classics. ***** on the dot for me."
[9.0] "Amazing match. Started a bit slow but then turned into hell of a match. Ospreay was impressive as always. They both never disappoints together. (****3/4)"
[10.0] "I have always been on the fence when it comes to Will Ospreay. This match finally sold me. What a phenomenal story. Built through both the rivalry and the work in (and out) of the ring, Kazuchika Okada straight up punishes Ospreay for betraying his trust. A match that was beautifully paced and incredibly engaging. One of my favorites of 2021 and a top choice for Match of the Year. A story that was months in the making and tremendously concluded. 5 stars, 10 out of 10."
[10.0] "We're only halfway through 2021, but this is still a front-runner for MOTY. Okada looked amazing after months of hit-or-miss performances and Ospreay was a terrific jerk. I wish the match had started with a bit more heat considering how personal the feud was (not to mention the match was longer than it needed to be), but they did a great job conveying their disdain for each other as the match went on. The offense was crisp and impactful and the selling was terrific. It all built to a wonderful bit of catharsis when Okada FINALLY hit the Rainmaker after eschewing it for almost a year."
[10.0] "Match of the night for night 1, and an easy contender for best match of both nights but that competition is a lot harder. The rivalry between these two that I expect to unfold over the next couple years is going to be great."
[9.0] "Für mich das beste Match an diesem Abend vor dem Main Event und sicherlich ein Anwärter für das beste Match von Wrestle Kingdom. Es war eigentlich nur eine Frage der Zeit bis Ospreay endlich in den Heavyweight Bereich gepusht wird und wie er auch schon zuvor gezeigt hatte gehört er absolut zur Höchstklasse in NJPW. Das Match war natürlich echt lang und war daher in der Anfangsphase etwas langsam, aber das haben die beiden ganz gut gelöst mit den sporadischen Spots die es hin und wieder gab. Das Match nahm dann aber relativ schnell Fahrt auf und die letzte Viertelstunde war richtig stark. Es war schön mal wieder ein großartiges Okada-Finish zu sehen und Ospreay war dafür der optimale Gegenspieler. Sicherlich auch in der Jahresbetrachtung ein Highlight. **** 1/2"
[6.0] "Even if it has some nice spots I still not a fan of this match, this was dragged for so long. No man is really good here, Ospreay is at an all time low recently and this show, this also is the conclusion to the silly No Rainmaker Arc of Kazuchika Okada."
[5.0] "It was okay, the best Ospreay match in a long time but he's still just such a terrible heel. Don't like being the hater of someone consistently but it bugs me that a man with his track record keeps getting major matches."
[8.0] "Sehr gutes Match. Sogar mit einem Aufbau mit Story (zumindest für New Japan Verhältnisse). Ohne jetzt den Gesamteindruck schmälern zu wollen, muss man doch sagen, dass es mit dieser Matchführung zu lang war. Beide haben sich mindestens genauso oft geblockt, wie Aktionen durchgezogen. Auch deuteten sie größere Geschwindigkeit immer nur phasenweise an und das Finish hätte rasanter, spannender und dramatischer sein können - nein - müssen! Insofern fehlt noch ein bisschenzu einem Klassiker. Aber dennoch sehenswert."
[9.0] "This started slow, but by the finish was my favourite match on either night and probably the second best the pair have had together. It was also nice to see Ospreay show that he doesn't need endless flips to put on a good match, as here outside of a springboard cutter, I can't recall him doing any high flying."
[8.0] "Great, but not the best match of those two wrestlers. Okada needs to discard that STUPID cobra clutch submission. Last 3 minutes with Rainmaker moves were very good."
[4.0] "Very dissapointed match, the firsts minutes was very great but after this match follow the traditional boring ME type of match, with too much outside action that kill the rythm and the ridiculous Okada's submission. The last 5 minutes was great as usual in NJPW. 25 minutes of nothing on 35 minutes..."
[4.0] "I really liked the match they had during G1 where Ospreay turned heel, so I was somewhat hopeful about this one, but yea, this wasn't really for me. Went over 35 minutes & certainly every single second of that long duration was felt -- there was nothing outright 'bad' or annoying about this, but it was just so unremarkable and forgettable for the absolute majority of it, save for a singular spot here n' there. Not a bad match, but very forgettable other than the fact that it happened in the Tokyo Dome."
[5.0] "It has it's moments but god, it's too overlong. Ospreay's heel work didn't work for me, him arguing with Red Shoes feels cringy. And his constant moanings are also annoying. They both did some good things, but it's ultimately doesn't go beyond being a overlong standart njpw match."
[9.0] "Well, that's just a Match of the Year Candidate right out of the gate, isn't it? I can't say I'm surprised. Okada is Okada, Ospreay has only barely lost a step since bulking up to a full heavyweight in terms of athletics and has more than made up for it with intensity and psychology in the ring, and this just went like fire from start to finish. For me, personally, it was missing just that little bit of extra something to put it over the edge and make it a truly legendary match, but it's impossible to say anything but good things about this war - especially, even as not a huge Okada fan, how satisfying it is to finally see the Rainmaker score a pin again."
[8.0] "Easily the best match of the show. I was pre-disposed to disliking Ospreay after seeing some of his spot-fest flippy matches in the UK indies but he really impressed me here. He seems to have grown as a wrestler, knowing that just because he can do spectacular stuff at a mile-a-minute doesn't mean he should do it all. As my first Okada match, I was impressed with him too as he was clearly leading it, but Ospreay was the star of the match. Good psychology and story for most of the match. The pop for finally hitting the Rainmaker, even with the noise restrictions, was wild and was the biggest pop of the night. It was oddly paced though, whilst the first 20 minutes flew by, the next 5 or so minutes felt like a slog before it picked up again for the finish. Also, apparently they were telling the story of Okada not wanting to use his biggest move against his former-friend, but that story doesn't exactly work after you've tried to murder the guy by piledriving him headfirst on the apron."
[10.0] "My MOTN so far into the show , after some underwhelming matches this one blew the roof and thus the show picked up momentum after this. The story telling might have been basic but the way it was interpreted was simply beautiful , clever story telling of the little brother vs big brother feud . The enmity , hatred and cold blooded rivalry was visible and vivid . Both individuals had some hard hitting exchanges and risky spots and maneuvers . I also liked how neither individual wanted a count out victory as this was personal and wanted to reign supreme over the other by proving the other was inferior by pinning them shoulders down to the mat 1.. 2.. 3 and that in my opinion is very good psychology. It had fiery intensity and although the first 15 minutes were slow, methodical and orthodox , I look upon it as a firmly and well built foundation for the explosives planted in the latter part of this bout. There were some crazy near falls and kick outs like Okada kicking out of the Os-cutter and later the storm breaker as well as the rain maker version of Ospreay. The money clip did disturb the momentum and direction because lets be honest it feels like a ordinary move that does not yield much impact on the opponent. The match had immense pace and momentum after the 15 minute mark. It picked up that pace and never slowed down and had me invested for every second of the match . There were some interesting sequences and series of offense as well like the sequence moving towards the end with Ospreay reversing a dropkick by Okada into a powerbomb and Ospreay reversing a german suplex by landing straight onto his feet . The stares also played a good role in story telling and this is arguably the best performance by Ospreay since moving to the heavyweight division. My favorite spots were the top buckle dropkick by Okada , the piledriver on the apron by Okada and the suplex to the outside on the tables by Ospreay. the momentum shifts were very realistic and enjoyable. The match was unpredictable and Okada using the rain maker in search of revenge knowing that he could not beat his former best friend by the money clip . I also liked the part where Ospreay was down on his knees using okada as support to get up as Okada chopped him twice sending him back to the ground , Okada then attempted a missile drop kick and Ospreay used his last breaths to super plex him off the top rope . This had a lot of content and was a phenomenal match up overall. My only complaint is the outcome as I wanted Ospreay to win and I think it was much needed. ****3/4"
[9.0] "Brilliant match at least on par if not better than the main event this was a tough physical battle with both men showcasing their brilliant move sets while not trying to completely overshadow the main event to come probably for that reason they have had better matches but still well worth a watch and an early MOTY contender."
[1.0] "I went in knowing I wasn't invested in this match, or really in either wrestler all that much for that matter. But I figured, whatever, there'll be cool spots, lots of neat counters. It's an Okada Wrestle Kingdom match, so there'll be some subtle but clever storytelling. Even by those metrics, this managed to disappoint! I really do think this was one of the least interesting closing stretches I've ever seen to an Okada match. But what actually has me so down on this match is the completely ridiculous story with the Money Clip. I guess Okada was intent on winning with this dumb submission hold no one is buying into, until he suddenly wasn't and just did a Rainmaker instead. But when I say no one was buying into the hold, I mean not even English commentary. Rocky Romero was practically burying the move. I was watching Night 2 with two other people, and asked if either of them had, at any point, believed the Money Clip was dangerous and might end the match. They both laughed and said no."
[6.0] "This was, for the most part, very underwhelming for an Okada/Ospreay match. The first 20 minutes were so soulless, they literally bored me to tears, and even the usually great finishing stretch of Okada's epics could not wash away the nothingness of the first half. However, there were some individual moments that were really awesome like the falcon arrow on the table, Ospreay's selling of the money clip submission, and Okada beating the hell out of a downed Ospreay but when taken as a whole, this was an unnecessarily long, textbook Okada epic that really didn't do much for me. (***1/4)"
[5.0] "Two back to back 30 minute matches, and this was the weakest. I did not care for this contest, I felt like there really wasn't anything going for it. The deadlift announce table spot was the only memorable spot. Okada does his nice dropkick, goes real low on that spinning tombstone and nearly breaks Ospreays neck. big ol' meh."
[10.0] "So I haven't watched a wrestling match in quite a while (well over a year) but what a re-introduction. I knew their history minus the betrayal and they played this out really well, both of these guys were out to end each other. I believe this is Okada's first use of the Rainmaker in a year or so, amazing time to use it. The muted crowd is a little weird to wrap my head around but the emotions were conveyed effectively regardless. Brilliant. (****3/4)"
[9.0] "What a shocker, Okada has a MOTYC at the Tokyo Dome for Wrestle Kingdom but that wouldn't be doing justice to the man he was with in that ring. I am not a fan of Ospreay, I never have been but I can't deny he does put on a great match sometimes, this was one of those times. Both men absolutely killed it on Night One of the Dome."
[10.0] "That was f*cking amazing. There was so much intensity in everything they did, like they actually hated each other. Almost every move meant something and were done very well. Okada brought back his best finisher to end it, which only made it much better. So many great spots and the pace was very good for 35 minutes. Just awesome. ****3/4"
[9.0] "Great match in a program designed to re-establish The Rainmaker as a killshot move after it had been cooled off from kick-outs over the couple of years prior. Ospreay was his usual great performance and Okada brought the big game. Shout out to the particularly nasty looking table bump. While I anticipated this being my MOTYC from the weekend, I felt is was just missing a little something - a bit of a faster pace? Kicking into an extra gear for the ending sequence? A few more big spots rather than the handful they had being spread thin across 35 minutes? I don't know, all I know is that it didn't quite hit full 5 territory for me. Still, incredible match and 2nd best on the night (and 3rd best of the weekend). 4 ½ stars."
[6.0] "Another overrated match from NJPW. The in ring vas very good, I loved the beginning of the match, but the building of the match is horrible. Okada looks trash. Even if I don't like Ospreay, I have to say he carried it because of his very good neckwork. Great selling from him too, like the one because of Okada's Front Dropkick outside of the ring. But all the match is built to see Ospreay win it, Okada is so lost in his work than he starts a neckwork after 20 minutes of match where he has some Dropkicks and thats all in terms of his first offense. The neckwork of Okada is completely illogical because he does what he does like every time, Dropkicks and many attempts of Money Clip, what is illogical if he choose to do a neckwork. Okada was lost in this match, so it was really logical to see Ospreay win it, then Okada is so lost than he does his Rainmaker, forgotten by him for 1 year. Like every overrated NJPW match, it was great in the ring but horrible in terms of building. ***"
[9.0] "This match was epic but I didn't rate it 5 or 4. 75 stars because the first 15 minutes of the match weren't that spectacular. Okada should try to add some new moves because he always doing the same moves all the time in the last years and it's getting boring. He should fic that because he is a very talented wrestler."
[9.0] "Für mich das MOTN. Hier hat vieles gestimmt, Intensität, der Wille zum Sieg und am Ende gibt es sogar wieder den Rainmaker. So dämlich diese Story um den Money Clip auch war, für die Fans in der Halle hat es funktioniert. Das hier war wieder viel mehr Okada, wie wir ihn in den letzten Jahren kannten."
[7.0] "Kazuchika Okada -vs- Will Ospreay [*** 1/4] Ever since I got back into wrestling in 2017, I felt these two had a path that led to natural rivalry. Unfortunately it starts coming together during the Covid-era and after a turbulent out-of-the-ring year for Ospreay, taking some of the hype off. They both still had an aura coming out, especially with Bea Priestley escorting her man to the ring with matching costumes. The match felt big in a quiet arena. I never put my eyes off it, but it was a very calculated put together match, lacking the spontaneous aggression to make it a classic. Always buzzing, though. With moments excellently executed. Felt like they put too much effort in putting the match together, and didn't let it flow natural enough. But that might be hard when you can't rely on crowd reaction in the same way as before. Not the strongest of climaxes, but it did end on the first Rainmaker in a year, so far from the worst ending."
[8.0] "A tale of two matches. The first 20 minutes were fine, but not spectacular. That's okay. The final 15 minutes were great and ****1/2 quality. I guess I'll go with a **** for this. It wasn't a classic for me like it was for some others, but it was still close to great. If someone wants to check this match out and not spend 35 minutes on it, just watch highlights of it instead."
[10.0] "Ich lese viele Kommentare das das Match die Leute nicht bekommen hat. Also mich hat es voll bekommen. Ospreay und Okada liefern sich ein absolut gigantisches Battle welches in einem unglaublichen 10 Minuten Finish endet. Ospreay ist absolut ready für die Heavyweight Division und Okada ist einfach der GOAT von NJPW! Brilliant! *****!"
[1.0] "This match did nothing for me. Maybe it's because I have biases against Will for the Polyanna situation but I don't think that situation really would have changed how I viewed this match. It was way to long in my honest opinion, Will has always been sub par in my opinion and Okada just doesn't do anything for me anymore. Maybe this is a bit bias but I just really hated this match"
[8.0] "While I do have significant gripes with portions of this match, taken as a whole, this ruled. The first part of this part was a bit a of slog, but still technically solid, they couldn't seem to fully settle on whether they wanted to be bitter rivals or the gatekeeper taking on the defiant up and comer and ended up landing somewhere in the middle. After the beginning portion this gets really great, these two tell these two stories across some jaw dropping, brutal spots. Okada's dive over the top, that drop onto the table, the really out it all on the line. This match still felt disjointed in spots, and the money clip really feels like a rest hold (notice the resounding silence from the very pro-Okada crowd every time it's locked in), which held this back from being the five star classic I think these two have in them, but this was still incredible and a great culmination of their history to this point. ****+"
[10.0] "This was a hell of a long match, but there was so much about it that I loved. They did truly treat this like a grudge match, as Okada was going right at Will from the start and not letting up. It was nice to see Okada truly on his game after a long 2020 when that was few and far in between, and he both dealt it and took a hell of a lot of punishment, especially some of those strikes and that sick suplex onto the announce table on the outside. But I was impressed with Osperay just as much. He came into this and worked as a heel, and a real good one at that. Much of his control early on was grounded, but intense, and he incoporated more heelish stuff like even just stomps to Okada's head as he held his arms, and the huge strikes to the back of Okada's head. And he still kept his impressive athleticism, but he learned to balance that stuff out and incorporate it as the match went on. They actually paced it wonderfully given the length as well, giving us plenty of great counters as per every main event Okada match, great near falls, and if anything the only negative I can really say is I was surprised to see Okada win in the end. I loved the story here of Osperay wanting to embarrass Okada and humble him at the biggest stage, and I love the near fall with Will's rainmaker leading to a clean rainmaker win by the one and only. A wonderful, awesome match. ****3/4"
[7.0] "This was a decent, but not great match. Quite monotonous especially when compared to the emotionally charged main event. I just didn't care that much about the beef between these two even though it was based on a major betrayal. Okada is one of the absolute best in the world and Ospreay is somewhat overrated. He is very good at certain moves, but his character, selling, and pacing are all sub par. PS: This app is pissing me off because it expects me to write a novel about this dumb match bc I don't love it as much as other people do. I mean it's not like I'm even giving it a zero for Pete's sake."
[10.0] "My investment into that match was hella dope that I literally couldn? t find words to give my feelings about it ! Without any doubt, the MOTN in all of this masterwork that was stunning ! A level of storytelling as it? s truly rare to see in there, alot of damages have been made ! A noticeable was the back of Okada suffering so much because of Ospreay nearly killing him including himself ! The final moments of the match was gold as hell namely the referee going to the rope to escape the Oscutter? s attempting off the top turnbuckle but it failed with the umpteenth dropkick and then it went one of the craziest way I? ve ever attended in my life ! Ospreay becoming Okada in few seconds executing the Tombstone + the Rainmoker but it didn? t hit Okada that he? s been able to capitalize on this and smashing Ospreay earning the big win ! One of the best emotional matches I? ve ever experienced in my life it? s just beautiful !"
[8.0] "A very good match but probably won't be a MOTY candidate (by the way, maybe we should wait longer than FOUR DAYS into the new year before we even start considering shouting MOTY for anything at all? ). The last half of the match was really fun, and that table spot on the outside was simply brutal. Great sequence to finish the match but I feel like the wrong guy won. I understand the psychology of Okada going back to the Rainmaker to get the W but neutering Ospreay like this so early into his heel run is gonna really set him back. I know New Japan loves making guys look Strong In Defeat but it was just the wrong call, IMO. That didn't affect my rating though, because whether or not the guy you wanted to win or not did should never have bearing on the quality of the match itself. Just an observation. Again, great match but far from either guy's best."
[10.0] "Great match with several great moments. I believe this is Okada's best match since Naito/Okada at last years WK. Had a decent build-up too with Ospreay and his new character turn."
[8.0] "Easily MOTYC: great spots to remember, great psychology and storytelling with one of the best Okada match since a lot. Ospreay is now totally (not Aerial) Assassin, hype for his future."
[10.0] "The year is young, but this is my match of the year so far, and I don't see anything that can take it down soon. Fantastic storytelling and in-ring action. The story revolved around Ospreay betraying Okada. Ospreay hitting the rainmaker which drove Okada to hit the rainmaker was great storytelling. This match proved Ospreay can stick with the heavyweights, and also proved that Okada is still Okada."
[9.0] "Ospreay beginnt hier wirklich stark mit technisch dominantem Heelwork und scheint früh das Heft in die Hand zu nehmen, macht aber entscheidende Fehler, welcher die Turning Points werden, aufgrund derer sich der Altmeister zurück ins Match kämpft und in der Folge entwickelt sich ein High Energy Match mit tollem Timing und einigen krassen Spots. Insgesamt ein wirklich sehr gutes Match, welches in meinen Augen 9 Punkte verdient."
[10.0] "Starkes Match. Der Großmeister Okada weist den aufmüpfigen Emporkömmling Ospreay durch technische Finesse in seine Schranken. Ospreay hingegen agiert mit unsäglicher Brutalität, schafft es aber nicht über den Rand eines Sieges hinaus. Wie immer eine schöne Story im Okada-Big-Match. ****1/2"
[8.0] "I cannot give a higher score, because this match was 35 minutes long! If all this action was put together in a 20 minute match I would be much more satisfied. Something didn't click there. Both O'Spreay and Okada had much better performances in their careers. My favourite spot was O'Spreay Brainbustering Okada on announcers table. Also, great ending sequence by Okada."
[4.0] "Seeing this cited as an "instant classic" genuinely makes me wonder if I actually enjoy watching wrestling, because I didn't see an instant classic. I didn't even see a good match. I saw Okada's exposure as a one-trick pony continue and I saw Ospreay continue to blossom into the most ineffective heel in the business. I saw a 35-minute match that felt much longer, in which the wrestlers seemed to forget that this was meant to be a blood feud between a hero of the promotion and a traitor who stole the G1 from him, because working a match that felt that way might mean they couldn't get every last drop of their shit in. I saw the culmination of Okada's storyline in which he ditched his appalling-looking submission to go back to the move that actually wins matches for him and felt like my intelligence was being insulted. Bleak."
[7.0] "Ospreay zeigt zwar recht schnell, dass Big-Match-Will auch 2021 nicht Realität wird, aber er liefert halt, das was er kann und das ist in Kombination mit einem gut aufgelegten Okada dann immer noch sehenswert. Letztendlich passt es ja auch gut ins Gesamtbild des Finishes. Okada ist pissed, arbeitet seriös, gallig und haut raus, während Ospreay überwiegend immer noch so performed, als würde er 500 Fans in GB unterhalten wollen. Mimik ist nicht da, Selling ist lückenhaft und letztendlich nimmt Okada ihn auseinander und gut ist. Mit einem anderen Finish hätte ich das Match wohl zerrissen, aber so passt es auf eine schräge Art und Weise dann doch. (***¾)"
[6.0] "It was fine. Some predictably hot sequences but too drawn-out, too long, felt like they were just doing stuff for the sake of it for the majority of the match. Good finish tho."
[9.0] "Es war jetzt nicht der Klassiker zu dem das Match bereits schon so früh gemacht wird, aber es war dennoch richtig stark. Beide haben eine tolle Chemie und das lange Warten auf den Rainmaker hat sich gelohnt."
[10.0] "It was a classic between Okada & Ospreay. It felt so short but it was over 35 (! ) minutes long. Great match with Great Storytelling. First 5* of the new year."
[7.0] "On the best of nights, Okada is one of the most exceptional performers in wrestling history, and Ospreay is one of the most exciting, full-throttle athletes in the world today. Neither of these statements are reflected in this match. Will is still awkwardly transitioning into his heavyweight size and status, and is now saddled with a smarmy heel gimmick that is about the exact opposite of his actual personality. Will is an enthusiastic sweetheart who still has alot of the boyishness of his youth. Watching him edgelord his way through a heel program and then ultimately lose a major match against an opponent that gains next to nothing for the win--discrediting this new ragtag 'faction', the "Empire"--only serves to make this more frustrating. Okada working a 'babyface' (that is rarely ever an actual babyface) while patiently ambling around and dominating Ospreay (at his usual methodical, boring pace) further makes this entire angle irritating. They had a markedly superior match at G1 29, where Okada was the dominant bully, and Ospreay worked from beneath attempting to prove he could hang. That match achieved similar goals with far superior pace, workrate, creativity, impact, and urgency - all accomplished in a full 13 minutes less than this swollen bout, and without any of the hollow 'character' work bullshit. I don't see how this accomplished anything for anyone aside from having a good match. The "Empire" has lost 2 of their 3 WK matches, and these two had an inferior match to their incredible G1 29 match, but I'm seeing people on this site and Reddit act like this match is GOAT territory. It's all very confusing. To be fair, that countout tease where Okada pulls Will into the ring and immediately nails him with a lariat was genuinely awesome, and an excellent example of urgency. We were always guaranteed at least a good match with these two involved. By no means is this a poor showing, nor do I regret watching it. Nevertheless, good press is good press for a company that deserves it, and ultimately I'm happy when people are positive about New Japan. A great, overly-long match with confusing booking, hollow character nonsense, where the guy who needed to win ultimately choked. ***3/4"
[6.0] "Standard formula Okada match with some unpleasant Ospreay stylings thrown in. Felt rather unncessarily drawn out and lost my attention multiple times."
[9.0] "Das war das Match of the Night. Kazuchika Okada endlich wieder mit einer guten Leistung, nachdem er zuletzt recht langweilig war. Ospreay bekommt hier eine große Niederlage nachdem er grade erst gegen Okada geturnt ist."
[10.0] "I was surprised when I saw here that this match was 35 mins, because to me, it felt under 20, this was sooo good that it flew by in a flash, this was such an enjoyable match, Will wrestling a different style since moving up to heavyweight while still keeping some of his flashy moves is great, some crazy spots here especially the table one, Okada using the rainmaker for the win is incredible"
[8.0] "This won't put the "Okada is srsly bad now! 4 real! " crowd to rest, but it should. This was a wonderful performance from both men, and I'm only as low on it as I am because I still struggle to enjoy wrestling that's in front of such a heavily restricted crowd, since it removes the most palpable atmosphere there is in a wrestling match. These are 2 of the best wrestlers in the world, and it's a massive shame that, through no fault of their own, their match didn't get to live up to its full potential. This was the first match on the show that the crowd truly cared for to the extent that they were allowed to, shown by their constant and loud clapping. Ospreay's first singles match as a full heel was a very different performance to the one we're used to from him. He still had his fantastic high-flying (though notably less) and striking, but also used some more aggressive brawling and traditional cocky heel spots as engaging filler in between his more interesting offence. Okada, being Okada, sold all of Ospreay's work fantastically with his facial expressions, body language, and posture. The match was worked at a deliberate mid-pace, with both men keeping interest as they intermittently went through bursts of energy before dedicating time to selling and then setting up their next big spot or exchange. They eventually brought out their beautiful run-on exchanges and teases, showing off just how tremendous their chemistry was. Ospreay unleashed some vicious power moves and strikes, as per usual, and Okada's selling took another step up to put it all over. I LOVED Okada pulling Ospreay back in the ring to save him from the count-out only to immediately short-arm Rainmaker him, showing just how badly Okada wanted to properly beat Ospreay. After that, it was all about Okada hitting his big spots before expertly applying the Money Clip, which Ospreay sold extremely well. People still complain about the Money Clip, but Okada's transitions into it were very clean, and with a proper seller like Ospreay, it can come off as truly compelling just like it did here. It was great seeing Okada stand over Ospreay and laud his dominance, aggressively egging Ospreay on to fight back and prove he could beat him without cheating. Some more tremendous signature-move trades followed. Ospreay even made some fantastic new additions, like attempting the Hidden Blade to the front of Okada instead of the back, playing on how much he now hated his ex-mentor, and even stealing Okada's Rainmaker, which led to the SICK moment of Okada deciding to FINALLY bring the Rainmaker back and show Ospreay how it's *really* done, gifting him the win. Not the best Okada-vs-Ospreay match, but definitely still an incredible one. ****1/4"
[9.0] "FUCKING AWESOME! Kazuchika Okada and Will Ospreay told a MAGNIFICENT story here together. Everything was from great to above and despite the match being 35 minutes long, it feels like it was 20 minutes. I already knew that Okada was going to bring the Rainmaker back in this match, but I couldn't kept my emotions inside and I screamd like a baby. These two REALLY hit it out of the park, even exceeding my expectations about this insane match-up. Also, Okada almost losing because of his anger was a very cool detail and a great way to tell the story between them. Ospreay losing because of his pure cockyness and arrogance was also great. Summarizing: Great match with a wonderful story being told. ****1/2"
[10.0] "Absolutely great match but that's whay was expectied from 2 of the best in the world Interesting finish. Can't wait to see where thiis story gors."
[10.0] "Great match. I certainly knew that these guys would show something worthwhile, but I didn't expect such awesome wrestling. I haven't received such pleasure from a match for a long time. Surprised by the result, but not disappointed. Okada is incredible. Rainmaker is back. 2021 is officially the year of Okada. Priestley has a separate respect for Okada: D"
[9.0] "Of course. These two had to knock it out of the park. That's what was expected of them and they absolutely delivered to that standard. Not only did they have a great classic match but they were able to mix and incorporate some of the elements of their grudge feud in with it which isn't easy to do. Okada started off like a rocket, hitting a relentless assault on Ospreay with his brutal running back elbow and then hitting a gorgeous tope con hilo. Okada's main issues are his execution of certain things but none of that showed. He laid in his strikes, tightened up his ring position and brought his A-game. That and his amazing chemistry with Ospreay gave us an outstanding Okada performance. Ospreay brought it as well. He knew how to adapt to a heel style, slowing down the tempo after initially being overwhelmed but also adding enough flair and speed to his offence to keep it from being mundane. But what really impressed me was his selling for the closing stretch. It's hard to sell as a heel because you could get sympathy but he didn't come off like that. Ospreay came off like someone who wasn't going to let a chance to overtake Okada, who plays into it by booting the shit out of the back of Ospreay's head, slip. This match packed a lot in with a near 40 minutes run time, including a nailed-on suplex on the table, Bea Priestley being knocked off the apron by Okada via Ospreay, a plethora of suplexes and counter wrestling sequences that came off really well and fluid, etc. It also went a risky route of changing (slowing down) the match flow instead of ramping it up to tell the story and it executed it perfectly. It was a tremendously worked match that brought the restricted Dome crowd alive. A Dome classic. ****1/2"
[9.0] "I can only take one point of the perfect 10 because this match was TOO LONG, like the ending stretch went on FOREVER. They should have sticked it to a 30 minutes match and it would have been perfect. I get that they had to do a lot reach the point of okada hitting the rainmaker but still a bit too long for my liking. The rest of the match was really good, i enjoy ospreay's showing here, he needed to shine as this new main-reventer/leader of faction guy and that match turned of my doubts regarding Ospreay"
[10.0] "This was amazing, and it made the entire Money Clip long-term story to have a nice payoff. I love the new Ospreay, it shows that he can be one of the best in the world at multiple categories, while Okada remains the best there is. This did not feel like 35 minutes, it passed in the blink of an eye! 5*+."
[9.0] "Though I can usually get into the slow starts of Okada, for whatever reason the first 10 minutes of this did nothing for me. But after the back body drop, things picked up in a big way, and though the strike exchanges were unnecessary and a lot of the Money Clip moments slowed the match down, there was a lot of great stuff. Ospreay's selling during one of the Money Clip sequences was exceptional, and the creativity that we expect from both of them was abundant. Really great match. (****1/4)"
