[9.0] "Their matches together is highly criticized for be somehow "unreal", it is a ridiculous fast pacing with some no selling moments that bother even the most chillest fan like...me. However, that match right here is what we can consider the perfect booking setup for the style they love to wrestle. Less than twenty minutes, well paced, with some of the craziest sequences I ever saw in my life that we do actually had some selling. Shingo sold the bumps he took pretty well like he always did, while Ospreay also did a fine job in the selling, specially in the last part when he sold impact his poor arm had after the Hidden Blade. Some minor details made that match, somehow, enjoyable. It is finest at what you can go with an perfect with perfect workrate without an proper crowd."
[10.0] "[5 Stars] An incredible match, as always with these two! Clearly one of the best games of all their meetings even if it is far from the BOSJ 2019 final. (*****)"
[10.0] "Far to be their best match but also not their "worst" one, after they started with the sequences and the big moves this one was something else as usual and yet different in terms of action of their previous matches. Can't go wrong if you love modern wrestling. *****"
[8.0] "While it's clear Shingo and Ospreay would never be able to top their BOSJ final match without the help of a real crowd, this one topped their match at Dontaku. The Dontaku match was a epic of almost offensive proportions, one that could've been tamed with a crowd. This crowd, the best of the clap variety. They clapped their ass off, and even let a little noise slip out when Shingo hit the Last of the Dragon for the win. Two particular sequences in this match feature 5+ reversals from each guy with seamless timing, as well as Opsreay's Made in England moment, and Takagi's wonderful cutter counter. If you're afraid or intimidated by pandemic crowds in NJPW, I recommend you start with this match, because although there might not be as many classics during the COVID era, this match proves there's plenty of breathtaking wrestling to be found during this time. 4+ stars."
[7.0] "That was... underwhelming. I think this match highlights a big problem I have with the nature of the G1 tournament in general, and it's that certain wrestlers have to wrestle each other's for no reason other than just for the sake of it, so this match felt very heatless and unimportant as a result of it just being a random tournament match. These two are absolutely capable of having great matches (just see the BOSJ and Dontaku matches for some examples of great matches). This match felt like a very simple and watered down version of their previous stuff and because of that, this match can easily be skipped if you wanted to go through some of their classics together. Very impressive athleticism like always, but just a filler match in an otherwise great rivalry, and there is no shame in that."
[10.0] "Amazing match. This is one of my favourite pairings in New Japan comparable to all time great rivalries like Tana/Okada, Okada/Omega, Flair/Steamboat and Misawa/Kobashi. These two simply cannot have a bad match together. There is a clear rich history between these two and they know each other so well, they had to work and to struggle to get their moves in, the sequences were similar to their previous matches but there was also something new that always kept me excited throughout the match. Both men were obviously prepared for each other and scouted each other's strength and weaknesses, taking advantage of every mistake and capatilizing on it. Shingo in particular had the hidden blade scouted and work on Ospreay's arm so that Ospreay would not be able to use the hidden blade lightly or use the Stormbreaker. They didn't go as deep as they did in their Dontaku match or BOSJ match but the action here was well executed and choreographed, the pacing was excellent and the little details that called back to their previous matches added a lot. Easily one of the best match of the tournament and one of the best matches of the year. *****"
[10.0] "Another outstanding bout in their saga. As always, Takagi and Ospreay know how to bring the best out of each other with a flawless action. Honestly, I've really don't see the 20-minute bell go by. They know each other pretty well and it's a rivalry with the only goal of being better than the other. Takagi had surely studied some of Ospreay's fights because he had an answer to each move, but you can also count on Ospreay's resilience. Takagi's armwork was interesting as it was sold well as well. It played out on details and that surely replaced the epic aura which was absent because of the COVID restrictions. These lads can't have a bad fight together, it's unreal. Especially at this kind of level."
[8.0] "In ring wise? This was awesome. The sequences, the hard hitting moments, the technical aspects were all amazing. The only reason this doesn't get a nine is because Wills selling was awful with the stuff directed at his head. Other than that, a must see classic."
[5.0] "A bland and uninteresting first 10 minutes, but the pace quickens and my enjoyment heightened. I liked the ferocity of the last 10 minutes of action by Ospreay, and the drive that Shingo had. All together, 10 bad + 10 good, this is pretty middle of the road. A match full of unentertaining, slow-paced, non-dramatic snooze of offence, but picked up with fiery action towards the end, but not enough energy is created to make me feel like this was enjoyable."
[1.0] "These two have a pretty specific match they do together, and most people love it so I can't really fault them for it. But man do I find it uninteresting personally. Weak selling, overly convoluted sequences, and frankly at the end of the day I didn't find anything very memorable in this one even in the context of the style they were playing to. Just super not for me."
[9.0] "The chemistry between these two is enviable and it's impossible to get a bad match out of this combination, another great match between them, but far from instant classics like the BOSJ final or Dontaku 2021 (****3/4)"
[9.0] "Meltzer's rating is a bit too much here. I know they understand each other very well. I know they produce high quality counters. I know this match was a MOTY contender. But you give 5.5 stars for one of the greatest matches in pro wrestling history. This one was incredible, but was based on Ospreay's athleticism. And btw, what's the point of saying the opponent's name before executing a move? It's something NJPW's wrestlers do often and I think it doesn't make any sense."
[9.0] "Shingo Takagi versus Will Ospreay never ceases to amaze. Two of the very best on the planet doing things that a vast majority of professional wrestlers could not even imagine pulling off. The story is constantly evolving between them, the in-ring action is truly second to none, and the hatred between them is as palpable as I have found with any rivalry in professional wrestling today. There were at least a handful of spots or sequences that blew my mind in this match, which is saying something considering all they have done already. What I loved about this match, however, is that it reminded me of the Okada versus Tanahashi match from the G1 where the rivalry had pretty much reached the point of questioning what could possibly having next. That is the exact story they told. Both attempted to attack the midsection and labor the breathing of the other to prevent the breakneck pace that has exhausted and destroyed them both over the years. Both changed up their offense in subtle ways that indicated a sense of fear of how well their opponent has come to know them. Both broke out maneuvers typically executed by the other as a psychological missile meant to sink the expectations that had otherwise been created. The overall story of their rivalry was advanced, the story within the match was constantly changing, and the ending was as sudden and violent as the rest of the match built it up to be. There was not a moment in which I was not feeling anxious as these two went to war with what may very well be the turning point in this rivalry as they are forced to go outside of what has gotten them to World Champion status and find even more unique ways to attack their equal. Pretty much the epitome of how to turn 22 minutes into a perfect storm. 4.75 stars, 9.5 out of 10. This rivalry is deep into all-time territory already and I cannot wait to see where it goes next."
[9.0] "these two men never disappoint. my favourite match from G1 Climax 32. fun spots, non-stop pacing, beautiful sequences. they went at it for 20 min straight. you didn't know what to expect next. [****3/4]"
[9.0] "The blueprint that every wrestler should follow when they want to put on and amazing, captivating match. These 2 men not only met, but exceeded every expectation you could put up for them. Lariats, Spanish Fly? s, Made In England, etc? Name a move that can be performed well by these two and they probably did it to near perfection here. 4.75 Stars."
[9.0] "I thought it was the least good of all their fights, but still a fantastic match ! Glad Shingo took the win too, I hope we'll see them fight again in a near future, but this time with more psychology/selling and beyond the 30 minutes mark."
[9.0] "This was spectacular and all, but it was still flawed. When your match is a spot-filled spectacle, it has to be perfect execution when there's only minimal storytelling. Other than the work on Ospreay's arm, there's not a whole lot of psychology. Yes, it was spectacular but I can't give it higher than ****3/4."
[10.0] "Another 5 Stars match from this two. It is notable that both are at the point were they know each other very well, their chemistry is amazing, a lot of good spots and reversals, the cutters and kicks were the best of the match, sometimes they even go so fast that you think this is a videogame. But apart all the good of the match, i was surprised by the finish of the match, i mean it was a good finish but at the end i don't think this is at the level of a 5.25 STARS match. I don't even care of the ratings of Meltzer most of the time but I think it is only 5. All what they had done were excellently well but it feels like the time has passed very quickly. It was a fast match of more of 20 minutes. In my opinion, a GOOD 5 Star Match."
[9.0] "This was yet another great Ospreay/Shingo match but I think it's time to keep these two away from each other for awhile. Their exchanges are starting to feel too familiar and if we're being honest, the "We know each other so well, therefore nothing we do looks telegraphed " argument can only take you so far. But even with a few glaring flaws this time around, I can't deny the level of quality these two bring whenever they wrestle. It's a top-tier spotfest. Ospreay does a handspring counter to a DDT and controls the match for a bit. Ospreay is incredible with his impactful power moves, stiff strikes, and athleticism. After Shingo made a comeback with his signature explosivity, the match kicked into next gear early and we get wrestling craziness that only Ospreay and Shingo could do. Around 10 minutes in there was an incredibly smooth run-on exchange that ended with Ospreay hitting Shingo with a roundhouse kick. Shingo switches his attacks towards Ospreay's arm to weaken the elbow strikes. Ospreay hit a picture-perfect Made in England and followed it with an Oscutter for a nearfall. Ospreay hit the Hidden Blade but couldn't follow up. Ospreay has some great looking spin kicks but Shingo would once again cut off his momentum and get the win which was expected. ****1/2"
[10.0] "What a damn match. They really stole this G1 so far, the pacing was non-stop but made sense. The near miss reversal sequences were great. I don't know what else to say. Moty candidate."
"[ 9.0] These guys couldn't show a bad match. Timing, technique, emotions - everything was at the highest level. Can they do better? They can, I'm sure."
[9.0] "Ageless classics. It's just that fighters are created by God for each other. Phenomenal movements and non-stop action until the very end. I really love such combinations of strength and agility in the ring. Shingo Takagi has probably adopted one of the most realistic Oscutter in history. Will performed wildly cool kicks and his favorite hybrid flips. Shingo Takagi was walking straight into the breach and felt almost no pain. As a result, this is the next match of the year for the fighters if no one interrupts them in this field. Brilliant wrestling embodied in reality is what we deserve."
[4.0] "This started off decent enough as it seemed like they were trying to cut all the filler but a lot of the match was telegraphed, relying on the crutch that both guys know each other so well that of course they? ll counter each other. I won? t fault their execution because it? s all fluid but it was just too familiar. The same old spots, such as Ospreay backflipping out of the Lariat only for Shingo to drop out of the powerbob, were hard to buy as off-the-cuff this time around. Large part of the new wrinkles added to the match came from Shingo Takagi attacking the elbow of Ospreay for around a minute or two. Immediately after Shingo hyper extends Ospreay? s arm, they opted for a slightly different version of the backflip/lariat where Shingo makes more of a connection and Ospreay still lands on his feet - which was cool and creative - but it? s followed up by an awkward cutter counter into a pop-up death valley driver. Ospreay has good spinning kicks and gains brief momentum from them but gets caught with a backslide, which is followed up by a Spanish Fly, leading to the finish where Shingo counters the Hidden Blade and puts Ospreay away with a pumping bomber and then a Last of The Dragon. Decent enough but it wasn? t something I found myself invested in. Repeated matches and pairings produce similar outputs but I feel like I? ve seen everything and the further it goes from the original match, the less it comes off as authentic and not pre-planned. I would? ve preferred there to be more time to breathe between the signature spots of the match as the momentum kept stalling, oddly enough. I just wasn? t invested. I? m a fan of both wrestlers but perhaps not together. **1/4"
[9.0] "The baseline for these 2 is simply incredible pro wrestling. Yea, maybe we've seen some of this stuff before but its still better then 99% of anything else."
[8.0] "Another amazing match between Shingo Takagi and Will Ospreay that reflected their Best of the Super Junior's bout. This one took a while to get going, but when it did there were a series of amazing counter sequences. Some longer and even more impressive than some seen in their other greatest matches. Will Ospreay was relentless in this one, and in turn we also got the best out of Shingo."
[9.0] "Theyve done it again. Holy shit, these two just have some sort of magic between them. Shingo working over Wills arm was masterful, and Shingo finally beat Will. I love it."
[10.0] "These two have such effortless chemistry that even a weaker match of theirs is still spectacular. Great little story and selling when Shingo works on Ospreay's arm which allows him to later kick out of the weakened Hidden Blade (which Ospreay had already used to beat ELP and Yujiro earlier in the tournament)."
[1.0] "I just want these two to do something different man, can Ospreay just sell good and not do that same flipping sequence that just ends with a liger bomb? Is it really hard for him to not do that? Also another sequence I despised was the one where they were on the top rope and the kept switching from move to move until it ended with an extremely underwhelming Spanish Fly. At least Shingo was good but he's always good so that's not surprising, and you know what, he didn't really do anything that stood out in the match, I felt like I was paying more attention to Ospreay playing around. At one point Ospreay does that Elbow to the back of Shingos head which I thought was a kill move? But Shingo kicked out... OK. And then Shingo finally won in a match that I never want to watch again but they'll do it again anyway. However I'll end on a positive; at least it was under 30 minutes."
[10.0] "This is the best match I have personally watched in this G1 and really blew me away. I figured it would be good, but this was as close to perfect as any match can get. It's amazing how great the chemistry between these two men is and that the timing on each move felt perfect all the way through for maximum impact. *****"
[3.0] "This match was a LOT of the common Will Ospreay - Shingo Takagi spots, as well as Ospreay's worst tendencies (specifically lack of selling, working like a junior heavyweight as a heavyweight [which isn't necessarily a bad thing, it has its points where it works], and lack of an overarching plan to the match, and the overplayed Ospreay-Takagi reversal sequence). Ospreay's floundered during this whole tournament, and it shows in this match the most, with a very familiar opponent. Shingo did some interesting stuff, but it was very much out to lunch for him as well."
[10.0] "Surely their best match since this gigantic rivalry began a few years ago. Counter by counter by counter, the reversals these men did were insane, the chemistry they have it's unbealivable. Great match, one of my favorites of the year. [*****]"
[9.0] "I'd heard a lot of people say this was pretty conclusively their worst match to date so didn't have super high hopes. This was still awesome though and I wouldn't say definitively their worst at all. Loved the Shingo cutter. These two may have the best rivalry of all time when all is said and done ****1/2"
[10.0] "What a match. I'm glad to finally see Ospreay v. Takagi 1-on-1, as we should've gotten it during Shingo's IWGP World Championship run. I saw things in this match I wouldn't think I'd see. I loved the Spanish Flies by Ospreay, which Shingo sold perfectly, along with the poisonrana by Shingo, and Made in Japan by Ospreay. That was the best match of this tournament so far, and that will be tough to beat. A must-watch for wrestling fans. 10/10"
[10.0] "This was definitely the greatest hits version of their matches but even then its one of the best all year. I dont care at all for Ospreay unless he's facing Shingo and this is why. The dorky shit is put away entirely and he tries matching Shingo's intensity every step of the way. Shingo as always is amazing and the smile he has on his face when stealing Ospreay's moves is the best thing ever. Had a great sequence with Shingo hitting a reverse frankensteiner and all the confidence on his face fading once Ospreay hit him with the Hidden Blade after no selling it. That shit ruled. If the finish was a little better this might actually be my favorite match all year but it felt a little clunky. I did however like Shingo not wasting any time hitting the last falconry. No fluff or anything like that he was determined to get his win over him. Nothing they do will ever top the masterpiece of the BOSJ match but this was awesome. ****3/4"
[10.0] "In one insane sequence they captured a 'you don't know what's gonna happen next' feeling - something that imo is the biggest difference-maker to make a pro-wrestling match must-see today, and they carried it through all the way until the match was over. Easily the best Takagi/Ospreay match, and I want to see another one (when the time is right, obviously). Without a doubt one of the best pro-wrestling matches this year."
[8.0] "I don't get all the talk about this being their worst or one of the worst enocunters to date. This was for me, their best performance since the BOSJ finals. They didn't waste any time here and went straight at it for 21 minutes. What really stood out for me here though even with all the insane stuff they did was Shingo's work on Ospreay's arm. The whole thing came together pretty neatly and played a huge part in the finish. My biggest issue with their other matches is that they felt long and like they were trying to have an epic rather than just having one. This one packed a ton of great action into the right timeframe, played off their history, and never went overboard."
[10.0] "Felt like a more conventional affair to begin with, but that changed quickly. With lower stakes than their previous bouts, they somehow made this as good as any of their encounters. The kicker was the move stealing. Shingo hitting a cutter and a reverse rana was bananas. MOTY."
[7.0] "I love these two together as much as anyone. Gave 2 of their prior matches a full five stars, But to say this is on that level or even near it is absurd. Not a bad match, but largely run of the mill stuff with nothing we haven't seen before or any added emotion. Cool counters and spots that will make you pop, but as far as the match as a whole.. that's about all it is. Still gets ***3/4 from me, though. The chemistry these two have is undeniable so it's fun to watch even when they just follow the most dull formula they possibly could. It also left me disappointed, though because this was the most anticipated match of the tournament for me. Oh, well. Fun or whatever, but I think their actually great matches together are behind them."
[9.0] "Ospreay/Takagi deliver another spectacular match in an exceptional catalogue of encounters. While their BOSJ match will probably never be touched, this one is easily on par with their other 3 one-on-one matches. They way they ebb and flow, move after move, makes total sense within the familiarity of their rivalry. You can see repeating of certain spots from their past matches, but the way Ospreay and Takagi layer them with new and creative moments makes each of their matches stand out."
[10.0] "one of their best matches together, better than their donatku, new japan cup, but not quite as good as their BOSJ match, still moty candidate *****"
[8.0] "Either I'm slowly starting to get over this matchup or this was their weakest match yet, the bar is really high with these two though and I'd still call it great. It's just that this feud has become less of a rivalry and more of a spectacle of who can pull off the most insane reversals and choreographed sequences, which is fun to watch in the moment, but they're starting to have more and more of a diminishing return the more they repeat the same match."
[8.0] "Best 2022 G1 match thus far. Yet another series of fantastic athletic displays from these 2, with some of the most beautifully smooth chemistry you'll ever see. The stories here were nothing complex but still competent. One was clearly: "we know each other REALLY well, hence how we constantly predict, evade, and counter each other, plus why/how we even stole each other's moves". The other story simply followed the natural stylistic conflict of powerhouse Shingo vs flashy and agile Ospreay. Neither story was complex, but then wrestling is inherently ill-equipped for truly "deep" storytelling anyways (at least compared to other mediums). The stories here competently fulfilled their purpose anyways, which was to provide an engaging and logical backdrop to make sense of both men's awesome displays of offence. Yes, their exchanges were all "well-choreographed", but not in the way that mega-indy matches often are where there's no weight to their attacks, there's far too obvious cooperation, and they're only ever focusing on the next spot (never giving 100% effort to the spot at hand). In contrast, both men here had great impact and technique in every attack, and their speed was so rapid that it felt far more realistic than if both men were countering each in an overly cautious, slowed-down way. Here, it just looked like two men perfectly countering each other because: (a) they were already immensely familiar with each other due to their long-running rivalry, and (b) they're both world-class athletes who, with the benefit of the established 'spectacular' nature of pro-wrestling combat (compared to IRL combat), were already well-equipped to seamlessly trade/steal control in the blink of an eye. I understand not liking how much of a "counterfest" this was, but to dismiss it as just another spotfest from the likes of GCW, AAA, etc feels brash. There was definitely a bit of recycling of spots/exchanges from their previous matches, but they still managed to have quite a few that were impressively creative and gave this match its own, unique identity. The few bits of "no-selling" from Ospreay felt clearly justified due his natural agility playing into how he continued the momentum of his body's rotations from Shingo's attacks, allowing him to land upright and thus in prime position to respond with a big attack of his own (with the help of adrenaline, too). For the most part, they still did a great job taking time to stand up unsteadily or just lie down for a while selling the extensive damage and weakening physicality/cardio caused by the other's onslaught. Maybe their move-steals went a bit overkill, but they still felt appropriately epic by playing upon their storied history (as opposed to stealing moves 'just because'). Would this have benefitted from a bit more messy and realistic 'grittiness' to their interactions, à la 90s AJPW? Maybe. It this still an awesome match as it is? Definitely. ****1/4"
[10.0] "Another great match between the two, the story of the match being shingo countering osprey's offense was executed to perfection and also leaves you wanting for more when there will be another match between them."
[2.0] "There were indeed moves and counters and then more moves and counters and it kinda went like that for 20 minutes until it ended. So many sequences you can call what move their going to do before it happens and aside from that there were quite a few awkward moments where neither guy knew what to do so they just stood there infront of each other"
[4.0] "There is no denying the athleticism and body control these two have, and that is impressive enough in itself. But outside of that, what exactly does this match offer? Is "creativity" really just tacking one more reversal onto an already-convoluted reversal sequence from a previous match? There is no sense of struggle or tension or even animosity - just spinning and flipping and rolling into and out of intricate sequences to hit an exclamation point move so the fans can say "wow, cool". If that is what you want out of wrestling, this is 100% going to blow your mind. If what you want out of wrestling is two people telling a story by getting you invested in the outcome of their match through the portrayal of a deeply intense, violent and physical struggle, I don't know what you get out of this. This felt nothing like a match between rivals (calling this a "great rivalry" is insane), but rather a friendly exhibition to tally up a high score for the most reversals or .GIF spots in a match. What is the logical extreme of this sort of match? A single, long, perfect and vapid choreographed sequence, with callbacks on top of callbacks and counters for the counter's counter, played out without any of the messy energy you see in a combat sport or the organic and chaotic energy of a real fight? It blows my mind that people who criticize old, broken down mat workers for being "unbelievable" can get into a match like this where absolutely nothing even vaguely resembles a real fight. To nitpick further, this also suffered from NJPW's pervasive near-fall issue where we are conditioned to know exactly what moves can finish a match when and are still forced to act surprised at completely perfunctory Pumping Bomber two-counts. The limb work by Shingo was an interesting note but only served as a minor detour and didn't really do anything to impact the finishing stretch (other than maybeee serving to weaken Will's forearms, which, fine). I would have liked to have seen that start earlier and play a bigger role as this would at least differentiate it a bit from their past matches wherein the limb work is stuffed in simply to pass 5-10 minutes. But neither of these really make a difference here and matter much less in comparison to the sleek, mindless emptiness this match embodied. Shingo vs. YOSHI-HASHI blew this out of the water. ** just because they did some cool moves, but if this is what the future of New Japan Pro-Wrestling looks like, it's going to absolutely suck."
[8.0] "Good match. They did some fun changes from previous match spots. Easy top 3 G1 matches this year. Overall this whole show felt fun and all the G1 matches were enjoyable."
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