[9.0] "Excellent match. Breakout perfomance for Kyle Fletcher. The chemistry was amazing, the history, the jealousy, the hatred, everything was on full display. Kyle Fletcher was put to the test, to see whether he could hang with the best and be the main event star that management wants him to be and he surpassed all expectations. I expected this to be good but not as good as this and Fletcher was much more impressive than I assumed he would be. This was a brutal match, very story and emptionally driven but also very Physical and violent at the same time. There was nothing technical or flashy here, it was two men with deep hatred, jealousy and bitterness embedded deep within their hearts tearing each other apart. From character work to in ring work to build up, this was excellent in all aspects although a little overdramatic at times. ****3/4"
[9.0] "Great match, the best match in the PPV. Absolutelly outstanding perfomarnce my Fletcher, showing that he can be one of the best wrestlers in the franchise in the future, if it's not currently. Also, praises to Will Ospreay, a fantastic work that can manage basically everything, can be on top and put people above him without any kind of ego behind. This is fucking fantastic."
[5.0] "I've decided I just don't really like either, two guys who hit the best looking moves in the world and are extremely athletic but are the epitome of the flaws in AEW's style. It's a decent match and I do like the story of their feud and how it plays out here, but Fletcher is always so damn slow and kinda grinds the pacing to a halt, and Ospreay kinda needs a fast pace to cover for his lack of psychology."
[7.0] "Not my style of match but this one was still quite good. Ospreay's selling is my major complaint. The whole match is working his neck and left arm. And a times, we do see this stop Ospreay from doing things. Namely, he collapses on himself once he tries his little handstand-rope thingy. Besides that though, many things in this one are left to be less impactful because Ospreay doesn't do a good job selling and telling us of this injury. He does a Torture Rack Bomb on Fletcher, which is a move where he carries the opponent directly on his neck and shoulders. He doesn't sell this, doesn't struggle with it at all, and while yes he holds his neck after, it doesn't do anything for me. Fletcher is a convincing heel here, and the finishing sequence is quite enjoyable. No big back & forth, just Fletcher straight killing him. The tombstone on the stairs is sick, its paced well, and its definitely got its positives. A better Ospreay performance, like the one from Worlds End, would send this higher. [***.5]"
[9.0] "Super great match but Ospreay kicking out after the Tombstone on the steps and the Tiger Driver was ridiculous. The last few minutes found it as a detriment as a result, but the other 20 minutes were so fun. I'm glad the top rope Brainbuster finished it too. [****.5]"
[0.0] "One of my least favorites matches of our decade. I generally don't like Ospreay as a wrestler. I don't like his matches or his in-ring style. And I think his character is pretty hypocritical within the realm of wrestling. The idea of teaming him up with Kyle Fletcher actually appealed to me since WrestleDream 2024, because it was obvious that Kyle Fletcher would destroy him convincingly. But during the promo leading up to the match, I caught myself thinking that Fletcher might actually be worse than Ospreay. Not because he's a good heel, but rather because he portrays a very poor heel persona. He looks less like the Shere Khan he's trying to play and more like an annoying hyena walking alongside the tiger Shere Khan, provoking a fight. That's Fletcher's character. During the match, I experienced such a dissonance that it actually gave me a headache. Ospreay doesn't sell the shoulder injury at all. Instead, he flies around the ring. The moves are scattered randomly. But what really pissed me off was how they tried to sell sympathy for Ospreay when Fletcher hits him with a piledriver on the steel steps. That was truly a disgusting moment--designed to evoke pity and sympathy from the audience for Ospreay and hatred for Fletcher because of that deadly spot. It would have been logical to end the match with a no-contest--Fletcher just laying out Ospreay--and then waiting for Ospreay's revenge on Fletcher. That would make sense for their feud. An even bigger villain than Ospreay should have appeared, one that Ospreay needs to defeat--Will Ospreay himself. But what does Ospreay do after those lethal moves on his neck and head? He just bounces back like a ball! Acting as if nothing happened, as if it was a mistake to continue the match. It makes no sense and is clumsy. It's unrealistic. One of the worst matches ever--like Roman Reigns vs. Uso in a cage. They tried to sell pity for Ospreay, which could have worked for sensitive viewers, but Ospreay just spits in the audience's face with that move. And that's pretty much what most of his matches are like. -5 stars."
[9.0] "Decided to give this match a rewatch after months of not seeing it, and after watching it again, this was a great match. To this point, this was one of Kyle's best matches in AEW and another banger in Ospreay's collection. Ospreay made Kyle look like a killer in this. I will say some spots were 100% unnecessary, most notably that steel steps tombstone spot. This was also Kyle's biggest win of his singles career to that point. {wrote on 09.09.2025}"
[10.0] "The chemistry between Will Ospreay and Kyle Fletcher was absolutely crazy. The match was perfect, both technically and physically. In short, an excellent match. The best of the ppv, without a doubt."
[10.0] "I may be slightly biased, as I saw this match live. But simply put, this was the greatest match I've ever seen live. Arguably the best wrestler today vs the future top heel of the company. There was plenty of build up to the match prior as well. Both guys put on 24 minutes of wrestling where I was hooked in nonstop."
[10.0] "Amazing match from beginning to end. Ospreay and Fletcher are mental doing those 2 insane spots back to back. Crazy atmosphere to be apart of."
[8.0] "One of Ospreay's better epics, thanks to a star making performance from his opponent and a great feud going into it. The added stakes make every big move hit feel more brutal, and I love the pure collapse into exhaustion after the tombstone on the stairs. Love that Fletcher went over too, he's made for life now."
[6.0] "It's a solid match, and especially Ospray gets a chance to showcase his unique talent. However the constant finisher spamming and kicking out really took me out of the match, disconecting me from the action. I understand that this is the culmination of a storyline of treason, so it had a lot of weight to it, but still, doing backflips and running through the ring after you took 3 big moves in a row removes the weight from said moves in my opinion. I am new to AEW, this is the second match I watch, after Ospreay vs Danielson (which I gave a 10). I know that big moves are more common here, but it's still a problem to me. There were many points during the match where, if they hadn't kicked out, it would've been a much better match for me."
[10.0] "Being at the match live in person showed me that Ospreay is the man of AEW. Fletcher had a great match also and is absolutely one for the future of the company. Match of the night!"
[8.0] "I don't think I was quite as high on this match as other folks were, but this match was great and really helped solidify Kyle Fletcher as a potential top name."
[10.0] "Fantastic match with some really excellent spots. Being there live I could feel the energy in the room, everyone LIT UP when Ospreay entered. These guys did some nasty stuff to one another and the finish and victor felt genuinely surprising. Ospreay sold his ass off for Fletcher and it made a star."
[8.0] "(8.5) Very solid match, feels as if they were a bit dazed between the very big spots but overall very solid match. I think Ospreay should've just sold the tombstone for the final count, and let Kyle's brutality show a bit more but it's a minor critique"
[9.0] "Great match, almost perfect. Love that Fletcher got the clean win. What annoyed me however was the final successful kickout. Fletcher hit a devastating move, dropping Ospreay right on his head, and he kicks out again. This one should have been left out, or he should have hit a less deadly looking move. The finish in the end was great but that one kickout before that was just one too much."
[10.0] "Definitely the best match of there trilogy. Decently a great story told in ring and the tombstone of the apron, Jesus. One of my fav Ospreay matches this year *****1/4"
[9.0] "High level match that establishes Kyle Fletcher as a main event level talent. Ospreay's fantastic 2024 continued here, his selling is excellent and adds to the impact of Fletcher's bigger moves."
[9.0] "8.8/10: Star-making performance -- or star-affirming, at least, if you been a Kyle Fletcher guy. A bonafide banger, but I'll be the annoying old head nonetheless and say that these matches will never rise to perfect for me if they continue to refuse to sell. Matter of fact, what elevated the match for me is that they finally started to sell everything like it deserves to be sold after the *spoiler alert* steel-steps tombstone. Fire stuff."
[7.0] "I enjoyed the match; in terms of in ring action it was as good as you'd expect from two great wrestlers like Ospreay and Fletcher. However, I felt it was a bit over the top. I'm not a fan of the Styles Clash being used as a transitional move, and while Ospreay's offense is outstanding, I believe he should place more emphasis on selling 7.5/10"
[10.0] "Rating this match on my second time viewing, and I got to say that this match is even better than when I first watched it. From the raw momentum of the opening strikes to the impeccable selling of Ospreay who refuses to give up but just has nothing left any more. Some absolutely gnarly bumps in this one too. I have some complaints, but they largely have to do with the circumstances surrounding the match and the way the Don Callis family feels trapped in molasses than anything bell to bell. In a finer grained rating system I don't think this is quite at the level of Ospreay v Danielson at Dynasty in the match of the year conversation, but still a superb match in a unreal catalog of matches from Ospreay this year."
[6.0] "A year ago, Kyle Fletcher had go away heat with me. I couldn't stand his moveset nor was he a compelling character to invest in. You saw a few sparks of babyface fire in the last few months of his New Japan run as part of Aussie Open, but nothing that would make me believe that he's a franchise player. Fast forward to 2024 and while he made some massive improvements in his moveset and look, I still never bought into his. This, however, was completely different. I can't say I was a fan of everything they did but I left being impressed with Fletcher. The cheesy melodrama was kept to a minimum and was packed with the action you expect from an Ospreay match. Will did get a bit too cute with the selling and sequences but that didn't take away much."
[10.0] "That's how you crown a king baybee! Kyle Fletcher came out of this looking like an absolute monster. God I wish that skin the cat headscissors into a tombstone on the outside worked out cause that's the only fault this match had, not that it was an absolute botch, I just can't help but think what could've been. These two had immeasurable chemistry together, Ospreay clearly went into this wanting to make his friend a superstar and he rolled the red carpet out for him, saying "I'm gonna give you everything but you're gonna give me more". The Don Callis family is finally looking like something to worry about."
[10.0] "An absolute perfect star making performance from Kyle Fletcher. Incredible match. Clean finish. Beautiful. Not often you see a star be born so well."
[10.0] "I thought this match was super elite. Will Ospreay on PPV doesn't miss. Respect to AEW for trying to elevate younger talent in Fletcher to make him a star. Some super elite sequences and spots in this match. Overall match of the night and was the hottest match in terms of crowd reaction."
[8.0] "Kyle had a star making performance here. He had a lot of offense that made me view him in a much more positive light as I hadn't been convinced by any of his performances beforehand. A critique I had of Will's selling before was at it's best in this match. He took a lot of bumps and pushed through the match while making Kyle look like a star. Good stuff. ****"
[9.0] "This match was amazing, a true Match Of The Year contender. Tony Khan really went all in with Fletcher, I think that's the first time Ospreay was pinned clean in AEW. I really curious to see what's next for both guys, I am expecting to see one of them winning the Continental Classic now. (****3/4)."
[8.0] "A very good match, but for some of it I felt like Ospreay was just wrestling his shadow form. Which isn't a bad thing, except I always prefer a mix of classes fighting over 2 of the same type. Like give me Ospreay vs Hangman or Jay White, and it would be way better imo. Fletcher is good though, he's really come along as a singles guy this year. Still think he's best as a tag wrestler with Davis. (Aussie Open still the best tag team in the world) But this was a good match, some really creative spots and Ospreay gets to put over his young protege."
[10.0] "I expected this to be match of the night, and it was. Ospreay is easily one of the best wrestlers in the world today, but Kyle Fletcher is making his way up my list. I wasn't too into him earlier this year as Ospreay's "Best Buddy", I knew he was good, but now I know he's great. TK is clearly behind him, and I fully expect Kyle Fletcher to be a singles champion in 2025, and if he keeps up this form, I have no problem with it whatsoever. Ospreay was very selfless and giving towards Fletcher here, as Ospreay was clearly interested in making Fletcher look like a killer, and getting him up to that next level. Fletcher was ready for all of Ospreay's big offense and Ospreay really had to work to one-up him and put Fletcher on the backfoot. I was into it the whole way through, but the finish was by far my favorite part. Ospreay refusing to lay down after that tombstone on the steps, trying to get one last gasp before collapsing into Fletcher to be hit with one final big move. I would've been a bit peeved if Ospreay just got up and kept fighting after that tombstone on the steps, but him trying to fight back but realizing and slowly accepting that he just cant, was the icing on the cake. Also the fact that Don Callis didn't even have to get involved and Kyle just won clean was great too. Makes it all the better that Kyle's whole thing before the match was him wanting to prove he was better, and he just was better, he didn't need to cheat. (*****)"
[1.0] "Ospreay seems to love wrestling younger guys who very transparently want to be him, so I can't help but I've seen this same match before... many, many times before actually. Also can't help but feel this tread almost exactly the same ground that Takeshita/Omega did not that long ago, and we all know how well that turned out for Takeshita, still fluttering around the midcard next to the heat killer himself Don Callis... well, anyway, I guess some of this is beside the point, but it certainly all dampened my enthusiasm for a match I was already not feeling very excited about. It was exactly what you would expect, right down to the moves used, so for the majority of folk it was just what they wanted and I don't blame anybody involved for that, all I can say is personally I thought this was a major drag and a soulless bore through and through.. Fletcher did the wannabe Ospreay thing that everyone in his position over the last several years has worked, and Ospreay worked pretty much the exact match he works with everyone. That's what I saw anyway, just absolutely not my kind of match in at all."
[7.0] "In terms of in ring action, it was perfect, but apparently, finishers don't mean nothing now. Kyle Fletcher kicked out of multiple special moves, including a tombstone on the floor, and then Ospreay kicks out of a tombstone on the stairs followed by a piledriver in the ring. Obviously they're both incredible wrestlers, but the non-selling becomes absurd and ridiculous at a certain point."
[7.0] "a pretty good match, but the lack of selling when it comes to huge moves gets annoying, especially when something insane like a tombstone pile-driver on steel stairs cant take a guy out. it just makes the match feel unrealistic after a while yknow? still good, but ospreay needs to sell more in his matches."
[7.0] "Ospreay's year has been really good. He continues to have what people consider the best match on every show. I didn't care for this one as much as others he has had, but it is still what we have come to expect from him over the last 5-6 months. This was too long and did nothing to make me want to see a rematch. AEW does not seem to know that they could have ended this on the spot where Ospreay jumped on Fletcher as he survived a countout or even had it be a DQ when Fletcher hit the awesome tombstone on the steps. Both finishes would have had more than enough cause to have a rematch on television where Fletcher wins like he did here. That would actually be a star making performance. It is hard to make him anything when you had to pay to see the one moment he is going to get. Hoping for the best when these guys wrestle in that upcoming 20 minute time limit tournament."
[9.0] "What are we doing here if a tombstone on the steps, and another piledriver in the ring, is only a two? This was well on course for a perfect 10 until then. Everything between that and the actual finish felt flat to me and honestly I nearly dropped this to an 8 for it. That said, these two had a really, really good match as should be no surprise, and I'd love to see it again in the final of the Continental Classic."
[10.0] "Kyle Fletcher vs Will Ospreay was an amazing, state-of-the-art pro wrestling masterpiece. This bout worked as a perfect star making vehicle for Fletcher who needed to deliver the best performance of his career and did in a major way. From his pristine character work to some great selling, Fletcher brought it here and didn't look out of place against the best wrestler in the world today. It is Will Ospreay on pay-per-view, which means the bar is at 5 stars in 2024, but this delivered a little bit more on a storytelling standpoint than his other PPV matches to stand out from the pack. Ospreay playing a different role as the vengeance seeking former teacher to the cocky protege of Fletcher made magic in Newark. (*****)"
[8.0] "Talk about a star-making performance. Kyle Fletcher cemented himself as a major player in the AEW roster with this match. I had a small problem with the finish of the contest, I feel like it shouldve ended after the tombstone piledriver spot on the steel steps. Everything after that didn't really elevate either guy and was sort of unnecessary. But other than that they got everything spot on, it was brutal but that is what I was hoping for out of an extremely personal rivalry like this one."
[10.0] "Amazing moves-fest; he way Fletcher brutalized Ospreay's neck and hit him with Superkicks in the middle of a chop battle was absolutely brutal and Will sold all of it like his life depended on it. And then, that fucking Apron Pilerdriver is some of the most sicko shit I have seen in AEW this year. One of the truly best matches of the year, this Fletcher would kill it in the main-event scene if he ever gets there. *****1/2(5, 5*/11 out of 10)"
[10.0] "That match could easily push Fletcher from protostar to megastar. Two ridiculously talented workers who have a great chemistry and know eachether so well, and wow, it was so damn good. The psychology, the rythm, the moves. That tombstone on the steel steps got me shocked for a good minute. A wonderful job to put Kyle Fletcher over as the (maybe? ) n*2 heel in the company and launch him great in this future Continental Classic build."
[8.0] "MOTN for me. I was scared this was going to be a spot fest between two guys that know their spots, but we already got into this match before the bell rings with a very interesting story laid out, then Kyle shows that he has improved massively because his moves tell a story, instead of just looking good, he made sure to add a reason as to why he was wrestling the way he was and showing how different he can be from previous versions, ironically, those same versions being similar to Ospreay who he's trying to separate from. Ospreay did his best to put him over while still looking efficient as a hard hitting wrestler, while it doesn't reach other heights in Ospreay's curriculum, this was a great match, told a great story, got someone over who needed to go over, and it made Ospreay look good in defeat. 4.5*"
[6.0] "Just one more Osprey big epic match, where his neck was destroyed by Fletcher. Their story interesting enough, but on the ring they don't care about it. Just one more epic and it's all what you need to know about it. Selling not their strong point and everyone know it, but here it was too much. I don't like storytelling in Osprey AEW epic matches, because all of them is over dramatic and looking like a soup opera with bad actors. Kyle destroy Will's neck, but during all match it means nothing. In the end Kyle did way more moves on Will's neck for pin him, but I think it wasn't necessary. They just a made a bad drama and still soulless. (6.0)"
[2.0] "This was with whatever respect is due, an utter shambles. All of ospreay's worst instincts came out to play here. Will Ospreay is a wrestler who at his best, vs the right opponents, can put on an incredible and focused display of athleticism, see Kenny Ospreay 1 for a prime example, but at his worst can produce some of the most overindulgent, fake seeming slop that wrestling can offer. Kyle Fletcher is a fraud. He was a solid second best member of Aussie open, but nothing has suggested to me that his singles run will ever be anything interesting, but he can certainly work the meltzer classic that everyone in American wrestling is expected to work, as that is the only acceptable good match in the eyes of many fans. Unfortunately there is nothing interesting about it, he is utterly uncompelling, and prone to the same excess as Ospreay with a much lower ceiling. Two workers, one of whom is capable of infrequent greatness, combined to produce a waste of everyone's time that did, unfortunately, tick enough boxes to be considered a "great match" by many onlookers."
[8.0] "****3/4 a very great match, they surpassed their match on Dynamite, a very great rhythm, great chemistry, a very good limbwork from Fletcher to Will's high back and shoulders and a great selling from Ospreay, excellent sequences , very good kick-outs, and that brutal spot from the Tombstone to the steps was spectacular, and the ending was great, with Fletcher being completely superior to Will and finishing him off with the Brainbustaaahhh"
[7.0] "Good match with some inconsistent selling that seems to be typical of Ospreay matches. I liked a lot of the content of this match but I struggled to love it. Kyle is someone who could be a big star for AEW in their mens division, also his current look is really good. ***.5"
[7.0] "Will Ospreay's arm selling was clever and really well placed. The neckbreaker Oscutter reversal was cool. Interested to see where Kyle goes from here, Kyle Fletcher is still growing with gaining in-ring presence. I feel like this could have been more compact but, still good+."
[10.0] "***** (10/10) You knew that when it was Ospreay and Fletcher's turn to enter the ring, that by the time that the two left the ring it would be after they had just put on the match of the night. I even have to admit I enjoyed this match more than some of his excellently executed fights of the year that he has had throughout 2024. The question going in was would his old buddy Kyle be able to hang. I think we got our answer. Meltzer is probably deciding how many plus-five stars he wants to glaze over Will while also trying to convince the Wrestling universe that this was the greatest singles match by two guys from England, anything to put his opinion over as the absolute truth and nothing but the truth. Truth Deez n**s, but in spite of him, I still give it a five."
[9.0] "my match of the night for sure. Great in match story and honestly this is the only match on the card with a half decent story coming into the show. Great in ring of course very enjoyable. 4.50 stars"
[10.0] "What a match this was i was there live to see this match and i can say this was easily match of the night and one of the greatest matches of the year."
[8.0] "Everything here was good, just felt like it was weaker than a lot of Ospreay's performances in AEW so far. I don't get the Kyle Fletcher push so far, but maybe he'll prove me wrong."
[8.0] "I thought this would be my favorite match on the card, but I think that honor goes to Mercedes v Kris. I love Will Ospreay (I think his match against Bryan Danielson at Dynasty is the best I have ever seen), but something about this was slightly off. Great respect for the selflessness of Ospreay in putting Kyle over. I actually thought Kyle came off as the better worker here though, which was maybe the point. I think Ospreay might also begin to suffer because of unrealistic expectations for an Ospreay "show stealer" at every match, but this just didnt hit like some of his other great work. Still way better than most wrestling matches out there though."
[10.0] "While this match was explosive, emotional, and engaging, far and away the most impressive element was how convincingly and dramatically Fletcher and Ospreay were able to present themselves in a particularly new light. I honestly think the gear was a very strong choice in creating this dynamic between the young, emotional protostar presented in all white and crowned against the man who helped him along this rise, only to be cast aside to the shadows in favor of the power and promise of Don Callis. That relationship comes through clearly throughout the bout, as Ospreay goes all out selling a pained, angry, and betrayed performance dominating drastically less than most of his matches, often failing to complete his typical sequences, and ultimately carrying his performance with more brutal, deliberate moves (tombstone on the outside, sky twister press, etc) than his classic explosive/reversal performances. Fletcher, on the other hand, perfectly comes into his true stardom, taking every moment for his own be it in terms of narrative work or flipping audience expectations on their head in terms of action, be it with the kick with Ospreay's hands behind his back or simply refusing to let Ospreay get through any of his supposedly over-choreographed moves. Ending is a pretty perfect finish as well, really kicking into gear with that Hidden Blade-Spanish Fly-Lariat sequence (the first really dynamic reversal period we get) before it transitions into the most brutal of spots with Fletcher's tombstone on the stairs and the incredibly slow, deliberate final minute in the ring. Really impressive stuff, but, more importantly, just an incredible watch."
[9.0] "This match was not only match of the night, it also changed my mind completely on Kyle Fletcher and proved how talented he is. I originally didn't like the new Kyle, however him and Ospreay proved that it was worth it and I can't wait to see the future of Kyle. This also continued to prove how truly talented Ospreay is and how much fun he is to watch in-ring. An absolute classic made by both of these guys."
[8.0] "Ein richtig gutes Match, aber was will man auch anderes von der Paarung erwarten? Richtig tolle Konter und Sequenz. Lediglich ein bisschen mehr Storytelling hätte ich mir hier erwartet, aber das ist meckern auf hohem Niveau. Fletcher als Sieger finde ich super! (****)"
[10.0] "A match that was a star making performance for Fletcher, boosting him up into the top heel in the company behind The Deathriders. Such an incredible performance, and of course Ospreay put on yet another MOTY candidate. Full of drama and violence and incredible near falls and big moves that built and built and built."
[6.0] "A very decent match and absolutely nothing wrong with it, in a vacuum. This is one of only a few stories on this show that's actually somewhat decent. I have nothing against Kyle Fletcher (though his look is so much worse without the hair). The problem is that Will Ospreay is the only top babyface that means something right now in AEW. The last thing he should be doing right now is fueding with lower card talent. I want to see Ospreay in big money matches against big money talent. Not in the undercard trying to get Fletcher over. Because the difference between the two in terms of their presentation and their momentum right now is too big, it only brings Ospreay down. I don't want to see this right now. They could have build Fletcher up first to get to this level."
[9.0] "Great match, capturing a tone befitting the build while also producing the thrills that fans expect from an Ospreay PPV match. Granted, they veer slightly further towards the latter than I'd have liked, but this gets it far, far more right than wrong in my book. Fletcher's performance is central to that, reiterating his dramatic improvement with a poised heel performance. He steers the ship here, taking much of this and coming off totally believable in the process. At times, he still overextends on occasion as a personality but bell to bell, there's increasing depth to the sheer snap of his work. Obviously, Ospreay is unmatched in that department also, producing explosive bursts along the way. ****1/4"
[10.0] "Without a doubt, the best match on the card, and one of the best matches of the year. Fletcher looked like a genuine star in this, Ospreay was his normal excellent self."
[7.0] "Ospreay getting those futile shots in after the two piledrivers dragged this one down a notch for me. That and the audience AEW has created which goes wild for the 21st century flashiness, but sits on its hands for the traditional connective moments ***1/2"
[10.0] "This right here was my MOTN by a COMFORTABLE margin, just spectacular out of both men, which is the standard for Ospreay but man Kyle exceeded my expectations here and then some, and that's saying something with how high I am on Kyle, this was a star-making performance for Kyle and a spectacular showing for Ospreay (per usual), everything was on point here, the match itself, the story leading in, hell even the gears looked spectacular here (would've felt like malpractice if I didn't mention the gears considering the dope ass Punisher gear that Will wore), just a spectacle and one I absolutely recommend seeking out..."
[9.0] "GOOD LORD! THIS is how you put someone over! "The Protostar" Kyle Fletcher has been elevated by this match up. An absolute breathtaking match from beginning to end with great reversals, great moves, a decent story and a beautiful ending that made Fletcher look like a heartless killer. Genuinely a grand watch. Every time you see Will Ospreay on a PPV you know it's going to be a highlight of the year. [****3/4]"
[8.0] "(Grade:B+) This was an great showcase for "The Protostar" Kyle Fletcher who's stepping into his own and no better way then to do that then facing Will Ospreay! Both these guys knew each other so well & were able to counter each other moves and even surprise them with something new. Ospreay looked great here as well as the match went on he kept getting broken down limb by limb though without putting up a fight and that tombstone piledriver on the steel steps had me cringing! my only issue was after that move they kept going for a little too long but nonetheless a incredible match!"
[10.0] "Match of the Show. This was the show stealer, and Kyle Fletcher is a made man now after beating Will Ospreay clean. I didn't expect him to win clean I thought members of the Don Callis Family would try to interfere and cause major issues but Kyle Fletcher got the win and now has established himself as one of the next young stars in the company."
[10.0] "Will Ospreay never miss and always steals the show, and I'm always excited to see how ! Kyle Fletcher is really impressive here and I loved how this match had such a good rythm. All the spots are so great and people are complaining about the "no selling" of Will Ospreay but, dude, that's f*cking Will Ospreay. If there's one person that I can accept to "no sell" (and I disagree with the no selling thing by the way) that's clearly him. So, another banger from Ospreay this year and I'm sure he will surprise us again before 2025 and Kyle Fletcher too !"
[10.0] "Der Beginn war hart, intensiv und schnell. Die Probleme von Ospreay wurden sehr gut aufgespielt. Als dann das Tempo aus dem Match genommen wurde, kam noch etwas mehr Stimmung in die ganze Angelegenheit. Auch hier waren Konter wieder ein wichtiges Instrument. Das Chop Duell war fantastisch! Fletchers Brust, die aufplatzte, gefolgt von dem Superkick war eine sensationelle Sequenz. Infolgedessen stieg die Spannung und die In Ring Psychologie wurde immer besser aufgespielt, als zum Beispiel Ospreay seine Nerven verlor und unvorsichtig wurde. Die Schlussphase war dann einfach voll von simplen Aktionen, mit dem schnellen Turnbuckle Brainbuster aus Schlusspunkt. Geniales Match!"
[10.0] "Masterful as always from Ospreay but never forget it takes two to tango. Kyle Fletcher didn't just prove he could hang with Ospreay, he proved he can be everything it takes to be a top guy. Coming out with a very interesting mix of vibes between Randy Orton and (serious) Baron Corbin - which is COOL and BADASS no matter what others might think. Kyle proved to be a killer, a man who can go toe to toe, be vile, be crazy, do all the insane moves and do all the dangerous stuff too. Clean brutal murderous win for Kyle was the right call and it would take a tremendous amount to fuck this up. Kyle is going to be a menace in 2025"
[6.0] "The match started with an interesting flurry of offence which began with a hurricanara and ended with Fletcher spiking Ospreay on the outside floor with a brainbuster. The flow from one to the other was natural and exciting. It also introduced one of the main stories of the match which was Ospreays neck being focused on by Kyle Fletcher, which was initially well done. I think Fletcher provided a great aggressive approach to the match when attacking the area and Ospreays selling was strong in the moment. One particularly great selling moment was Ospreay crumbling after a handspring springboard attempt. My personal criticism of Ospreay is usually him being able to do such moves with ease when he has an injured body part which is meant to severely affect him so he wouldnt be able to do them without some effort, and he addressed that wonderfully with that little sell. The best moments of the match were when the two aimed to work an aggressive match where the tension was Fletcher viciously attacking Ospreay or even later in the match when Ospreay was punching Fletcher violently while he was on the floor covering. When the match stuck to the story of two friends having a violent confrontation, this resonated with me the most. But this seemed to conceptually fluctuate between that and a broad idea that Fletcher is just trying to keep up with Ospreay during his usual run-of-the-mill workrate spots which is something thats more suited to the friends vs friends story type. Not a betrayal feud, which this is. I dont mind the story on its own, and it was well done in terms of getting the crowd over and showcasing Fletchers athleticism, but these two stories failed to be merged smoothly enough, in my opinion. It felt confused and I was left emotionally unsure because Id be interested in Fletcher spiking Ospreay on the steel steps but Id be left slightly impressed but majorly less interested when they were doing rana reversals and the standard crowd pleasing routine. There is room for these broad concepts to work together, but this wasnt it, despite the execution of the moves being more than good. ***"
[9.0] "**** 1/2. I got exactly what I expected as far as fantastic chemistry and Ospreay going out of his way to make sure his buddy Fletcher looked like a million bucks. I expected a dirty finish (Don Callis/screwdriver), but was pleasantly surprised to see Fletcher win clean as a sheet. Every match, with the exception of the main event, had an interference-free, clean finish, which seemed to be an intentional choice. Looking forward to seeing these two go at it again, and for the ascension of Fletcher."
[9.0] "Ospreay vs. Fletcher war großartig und hat genau das geliefert, was ich erhofft habe. Starkes Match, an dessen Ende Fletcher over geht - ohne Eingriff, sehr gut. MOTN."
[8.0] "[4.0*] I was in my mother-in-laws party, so this was the first match on the show I was able to catch. From those I saw, this was the second best match, just behind the Main Event, and one of the two really great matches on the show for me. Actually, the ceiling for this match was even higher and I think its highs were like, VERY high, MOTYC level stuff. I will explain why I am giving this an 8.0. Besides the two minor botches, Kyle Fletcher was fucking perfect on this match, in an environment where he had a lot of pressure. He was debuting a whole new entrance and look in the longest match of the night where he was going to beat AEWs biggest babyface. Not an easy task specially for a younger talent. He NAILED it. His presentation, his facial expressions, his psychology, everything was just on point. Nigel mentioned that if he wanted to be a king, he would have to beat the king of these lands, and I do not know how they would get there, but I think I am starting to fully support a future World Title reign for Kyle, something I never expected to want some months ago. What bothered me a little bit was Wills booking in general. I just do not love the fact that every single match of his we have at least 5 finishers combined. I know the majority of the people love it and I have a lot of fun too, but analyzing it technically, Idk. The fact that this happens EVERY match surely hurts it a little bit for me, it seems like all his matches are very similar to each other because they have the absolutely same ending stretch, always. The fact that I find it kinda repetitive (maybe because I know him for 7 years) and not ideal will hurt it almost every time. Thank God he lost tho, would have been wild to make him win after that Steel Steps spot. Fantastic match overall tho, it was made for most people love and most people loved, if I was Tony I would not have changed it to the way I individually prefer, for real."
[8.0] "What a great mix of a story bits and an amazing in-ring action. Kyle and Will has killed it. The action was great and has really elevated Kyle in my eyes. They went all out on each other from the beginning. The imprint of Will's hand on Kyle's chest is probably the most clear imprint I have ever seen in wrestling. Will sold greatly for Kyle and took some devastating hits. For example, the tombstone on steel steps was just brutal. Will looked like he could barely move by the end of it, especially after that tombstone and Kyle focused on that, damaging his arms even more. I really like the timing of the story elements and the action they had here. Kyle has a great sense for when to stop and scream out some words at his opponent. I did not actually expect him to win, but it is a pleasant shocker. Kyle has the talent and can grow into an amazing star."
[8.0] "Neben Mone/Statlander, dass beste Match des Abends. Leider auch hier, es hat mich nicht wirklich gekriegt. Was wohl daran liegt, dass man bei Ospreay immer die selbe Intensität bekommt. Es wurde dieses Jahr wirklich viele Klassiker von Ospreay abgeliefert, aber dadurch wird man auch satt. Die Matches ähneln einfach zu sehr. Flips hier, Flips da, Superkicks hier, Superkicks da, German auf den Ringrand, usw. Natürlich sind tolle Spots dabei (Tombstone vom Rand auf die Treppe), aber auch da fehlt die Relation, ein Samoa Joe wird durch eine Pappwand gehauen und fehlt seit dem komplett und Ospreay schüttelt sich kurz und macht da weiter. Trotzdem tolle Leistung von beiden und ein wichtiger Sieg von Kyle Fletcher. Nun heißt es weiter sein Momentum ausweiten."
[10.0] "Really strong performance from both - Will adapting his style slightly, Fletcher portraying the in-ring star he's claiming to be. Kept an aggressiveness that stopped it from being pure move-spam, but the counters into the big Hidden Blade was amazing, even though we've seen it before. As long as Ospreay remains healthy and is given good stuff to work with, his AEW career will be an all-timer."
[9.0] "Sure, we got all the big move spam and athleticism you were expecting but what made me really love this match was the closing stretch, Fletcher had Will beat, knew he had him beat and was going to ensure there was an exclamation mark on his victory so no one could call into question who was the better man on the night."
[10.0] "Best men's match that I've ever rated. We will look back on this as a match that made Fletcher into a star. This match was near perfection, built to a beautiful crescendo."
[9.0] "Kyle vs Ospreay 8.5/ 10 : did not care for the naff crown of the king gibberish in Kyles entrance, the presentation felt amateurish. The match started slow and then it just grew on me. By the end they had me. Excellent offence, Kyle pretty much destroying Will to the point he was helpless. This is how you build a star heel. My only concern now is how you rebuild Ospreay as a threat as it feels like a long time since he has had an important win. But the match was excellent. Kyle looks like an unstoppable demon."
[7.0] "The first two thirds of the match were good, with Kyle Fletcher being very effective during the heat segments, he seemed to hit a stride on that end and I look forward to see him versus great babyfaces like Briscoe and Garcia in the Continental Classic. The last third was overkill, filled with bombs and counters that left me unfazed. Good match overall but not great."
[9.0] "Since the announcement that we would have Ospreay vs Fletcher it was clear that this match would be at least very good, the great match that the two had on Dynamite earlier this year comes to mind, but this time things are MUCH more personal. Kyle winning was the right thing to do to move him up the card and consolidate this singles run, but they could have used interference or Mark Davis heel turn, they should have protected our dear Billy GOAT more (****1/2)"
[7.0] "Ended up liking this a lot more than I thought I would. If this was these two in their incarnations of 3 years ago, I would've totally hated it, but I think both guys have stylistically matured a good deal, particularly Fletcher. Maybe a bit excessive at some points with the counters/reversals but fine none the less"
[10.0] "Come on, are you really surprised? With these two and the emotions between them, how could this NOT be a straight up 10? This immediately elevated Kyle Fletcher to a future star, if not a current star, without any expense of Ospreay's stardom in the process. Very akin to Owen Hart leaping out the shadow of his brother, just with many more attempts of trying to break the other's neck. The spot with the steel steps, and Kyle Fletcher only adding more and more finishers on top of the other is so absolutely worthy of a "You sick fuck! " chant. What a brilliant story between the two, and I think the overall story line with Ospreay and the Don Callis family is an underrated one this year."
[10.0] "Classic Ospreay match with super speed spots and brutal looking strikes. This was a great match for Fletcher to show his new character, also he did great, blows my mind to see the legendary BRAINBUSTAAAAH as a finisher right here."
[9.0] "My opinion on Fletcher was low before this heel turn, and now I cannot see him as anything but a star. Monster showing. Incredible storytelling between these guys and just a gut wrenching finish. I'm all in on Kyle Fletcher."
[9.0] "Phenomenal match here. Kyle with a bit more improvement on promo / character can be on the same level as Kenny Omega / Ospreay. Some killer spots in this as the lads absolutely drilled each other. Good stuff, go out of your way to watch this and easily the match of the night."
[8.0] "FAWK. Would've been a strong 9 if not for the ending dragging on a little more than it should've. Fletcher does on awesome job of wrestling Ospreay like an asshole, which barely anyone can get right, and Ospreay keeps his more annoying traits to a minimum. This match's big spot being another piledriver, still playing off a match that happened all the way back in April is a surprising amount of commitment for a company that's always kinda sucked at being consistent."
[3.0] "This wasn't great. This was a match i was expecting not to like but I still hoped that they might deliver something worthwhile. But nah, this is the same Ospreay match that I've already seen 100 times before. Same spots, same overly choreographed sequences, same everything. Having a formula isn't bad but when most of your matches are the exact same then it's a problem because then everything just blends together. The thing is, Ospreay matches can be fun when they're just straight up fireworks displays, like the PAC match at All Out for example but this fell into the category of Ospreay matches that try to tell a story, which means that this was filled to the brim with shitty melodrama and piss poor acting and monologuing from both guys. The match is also supposedly built around Ospreay's injured neck but you wouldn't know that because of how infrequently he sells it. There's a couple of big spots here like the tombstone on the steps which are cool in the moment but don't matter in the greater context of the match because they aren't sold nearly as much as they should be before both guys start transitioning into the next spot. I've been thinking this for a while, but to me, Ospreay matches are literally just slop. People will praise this as a potential MOTY contender in the moment but in a week's time no one will be talking about it. I understand why people like this but I honestly just can't be bothered with this style of match anymore, they're just so boring and played out. *3/4"
[10.0] "This one had high potential going in based purely on the talent of Ospreay and Fletcher, and these guys still managed to smash those expectations with a surefire MOTY contender. Credit to Ospreay's selflessness in his desire to make Fletcher a made man, but Fletcher absolutely rose to the occasion to make this moment his own. This was spectacle with purpose, and hopefully just one chapter of what should be an excellent rivalry for years to come."
[10.0] "These guys are absolutely excellent, the match was everything it needed to be. These guys went in there with the intention of making Kyle Fletcher look like a star and boy did they deliver. Really great match in terms of athleticism, as all Ospreay matches are, but I rather enjoyed the simplicity theis match had and thought they did a fantastic job of getting the job done of focusing on making Fletcher look dominant, and I can't undersell the amount of credit they deserve for telling the story the right way and letting him go over clean in what was a fantastic match. This was everything it needed to be, great credit to both men"
[8.0] "I've actually liked this a lot, Ospreay and Fletcher know each other very well and have a pretty interesting chemistry, I was happy that this was a storytelling-heavy match with logical action, considering what they bring to the table. This wasn't the smoothest action ever, it had like, two or three major mistakes, which can be accepted when a match tells an effective message like this one. This was truly about turning Fletcher into a star, they've tried to do limb work, which wasn't effective on me, because the previous matches on the ppv also had limb work as part of the story, and that made this one pretty repetitive, but it was kinda nice to watch nonetheless. The piledriver on the steel steps was insane, and made the match look really dangerous, and after two more crazy beck bumps, Fletcher won clean. I'm really glad Ospreay haven't kicked out of those neck bumps, the match should've ended on the piledriver spot, but that's asking too much, the ending was good - {***3/4}"
[10.0] "When we look back on Kyle Fletcher's career 20 years from now, we're going to point to this match as what made him a star, similar to Sting vs. Flair in 1988. I was fortunate enough to be at this show and this may be the greatest match I've seen in person."
[6.0] "Will is known for constant no-selling. He was more consistent with selling this time though. Kyle was alright, especially his kickouts, but Will didn't captivate me, nothing exactly new. The booking of the final few minutes could have been better as Kyle had to absolutely annihilate Will to pin him. C'mon, he's not Brock nor The Fiend. I've seen better from them"
[9.0] "Ospreay continues to wrestle every match like it's the main event of All In/Tokyo Dome. Another GREAT match from him. Honestly, I adjust the scale for Ospreay matches, because I am kinda half expecting his matches to do wayyy too many things that it didn't need to. This match did feel surplus at points, but I think this was one of Will's better matches this year. Amazing chemistry. Love Kyle, dude carries himself like a young Randy Orton, and wrestles like a young Will Ospreay. BIG upside. Right guy went over."
[9.0] "We will start with the fact that Ospreay gives the best running hurricanrana i've ever seen. For Kyle Fletcher I hope that this leads towards a big singles build for him. Unexpected but he looks like he has the size, still has room to grow more, and can move in the ring. A lot of good wrestling early. Unfortunately mid match we get a "hit me hit you" back and forth. New Japan's worst contribution to modern wrestling. This at least goes in a direction where Fletcher heels up and just kicks Ospreay. But it is wasted as Ospreay immediately takes control. Ospreay strings some great offense together, but more than anything his aiming on high risk moves is just better than any wrestler today. Compare to a Guevara who does crazy things and is positioned wrong 90% of the time, Ospreay rarely misses a direct hit. There's a couple misses in this one where a reversal doesn't go properly and in both instances they recover great. Ospreay with some great punches to the back of Fletcher's head. Give us more punching! Fletcher delivers a jumping tombstone onto the stairs that had me holding my breath. It looks great, but if the match goes much longer it really loses it's impact. Another piledriver in the ring and Will kicks out. I actually thought this was pretty lame. This should've just been it. Ospreay can lose and it wouldn't do anything to him. They do end up giving it to Fletcher off of a avalanche brainbuster. I think there was a better way to do it but seeing as it ended not that long after the initial piledrivers and still making the right decision on the winner I can let it slide. ****1/2"
[4.0] "Ospreay v Kyle had athleticism, big moves, and high drama. Yet, for all its spectacle, the match left me rolling my eyes more often than it had me on the edge of my seat. At its core, the match felt like a parody of itselftwo guys going through the motions of an overly choreographed sequence that prioritized flash over substance. Sure, there were moments that were funny but mostly because looked Kyle kind of ridiculous, bless him. The constant kick-outs, endless counters, and melodramatic facial expressions felt too much and unearned"
[10.0] "A phenomenal match, easily the best match of the night. This was Kyle's breakout performance. He has had great matches in the past but here proved he has what it takes to hold his own at the top. He has the look, the charisma and the in-ring skill to be the next big thing. Ospreay continues his streak of unbelievable PPV matches in 2024. Just when you think "how can he top that one", he does so. I really liked how both men sold the hatred at the start. Ospreay didn't even acknoledge the "Ospreay" chants during his theme. The action was amazing and the crowd red-hot throughout the whole thing. Kyle focuses on Ospreay's injured neck and Ospreay has to fight from underneath. There were some absolutely outstanding exchanges and some crazy spots, the tombstone on the steps in particular. The final mintues were awesome and reminded me a lot of Swerve vs. Ospreay from FB in June: Ospreay survives everything he's thrown at, gets up and hits a hidden blade but he doesn't have any power so Kyle has to finish him with a sick brainbuster on the top turnbuckle. Kyle winning clean sends him directly into the superstardom, obviously the right call. Amazing match. 10/10 - 5*/5*"
[6.0] "Mir hat die Nummer persönlich gar nicht gefallen, da es mal wieder das Ospreay typische völlig überzogene Spektakel war. Mal wieder sind spots und das vermeintliche Meltzer 5 star rating wichtiger als die matchstory. Vor allem bei dieser Hintergrundstory wäre weniger mehr gewesen, um das gezeigte wirken zu lassen. Generell war mir persönlich das einfach wieder zu übertrieben und theatralisch. Zu viele übertriebene kickouts und fehlendes selling machen es hier zum Ende hin einfach unglaubwürdig. Natürlich war das athletisch objektiv gesehen mal wieder sehr stark daher gebe ich auch trotz meiner großen Kritikpunkte faire 6 Punkte."
[10.0] "Whilst my vote is still going to Danielson as Wrestler of the Year, it's evident from his body of work this year that Ospreay is going to curb stomp the opposition Most Outstanding. Seriously, AEW - and specifically, Ospreay - has had some matches this year that, in every other year, would be runaway winners for Match of the Year, and whilst my vote is still going to Danielson/Ospreay at Dynasty for that accolade, I can see this match getting quite a few votes. My heart was in my mouth throughout all of the last fifteen minutes, and with solid arm-work, I don't want to hear people say that "Ospreay doesn't sell" ever again. And hey, it also makes Fletcher a made man by getting the win, which I will never say no to because the lad is great."
[3.0] "My issues with Ospreay are consistent. In a shorter match against a midcard opponent, he is able to thrive as he really bumps for his life, and the comebacks feel more impactful as he throws himself into them. There isn't the expectation of a steal the show dream match and that makes his character feel more real, and his wrestling feel more focused. In the occasional high profile dream match, he synthesises his incredible physical abilities with a big narrative that works for his strengths, like against Danielson or Omega. However, a big issue with him on recent AEW PPVs (and an issue that was diabolical in NJPW) was that mentality of throwing all the biggest spots, all the most dramatic counters and bumps and moments that could inspire a this is awesome chant into each match, without creating the connective tissue to make those things matter or last long in the memory. He constantly takes moves that other wrestlers would be able to invoke for maximum drama (here it was the tombstone on the steps) and doesn't sell them with the brutality that they deserve, just being another step on the road to a kickout and a 5+ rating from Meltzer. I'm aware I'm in the minority but this felt like the nadir of Ospreay's recent AEW efforts, as while I had similar issues with the MJF matches, Fletcher is not yet the quality of opponent that can neuter Ospreay's worst instincts and didn't impress me too much with his heel performance. The moments of Acting didn't work for me, and I just don't feel like they structured this well, as it didn't commit to being a slower paced dissection like OC/Mox or Hangman/White, or the frantic epic bangers that Ospreay fans have come to expect. I ultimately feel like I didn't get any idea of what they were going for by the end."
[10.0] "Unbelievable match. We already know Will Ospreay is the best in the world but Kyle Fletcher, at 25 years of age, is not looking really that far behind him. Fantastic action, back and forth and a big win, you could even call it an upset, for the young Australian."
[9.0] "That was a very japanese strong style match .Very hard hitting and only flippy to a minimum which suits the circumstances of that match very well. Could have been a little better paced, but all in all very top notch and a clean win and therefore big momentum push for Fletcher. Ospreay took nearly everthing in his repertoire and was able to kick out until the end. A third match in the future should also be an absolute banger, like these two this year before. ****"
[10.0] "[5.5 Stars] An extraordinary match, the intensity of both wrestlers was insane, I was into it the whole time ! Ospreay is one of the best of all time but wow Fletcher gave a performance at his level it was crazy. Kyle is really the future of this company, he's got an incredible look, a very complete in-ring and he knows how to play with the crowd. I can't wait to see the rest of his career, but this is already the best match of his career. Well done to the 2 men and to AEW for offering such a high quality match. One of the best matches of the year, without a doubt. [*****.5]"
