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Will Ospreay vs. Zack Sabre Jr.

Match

Match Data
Date:
14.10.2023
WON rating:
*****1/2
Match type:
9.25
Current Total Rating (?)
Valid votes: 364
Number of comments: 57
10.0 187x
9.0 115x
8.0 49x
7.0 4x
6.0 5x
5.0 2x
4.0 1x
3.0 1x
2.0 0x
1.0 0x
0.0 0x
Average rating: 9.26  [364]
Average rating in 2026: 9.40  [5]
Average rating in 2025: 9.15  [34]
Average rating in 2024: 9.06  [66]
Average rating in 2023: 9.33  [259]
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shaney645 wrote on 14.11.2025:
[9.0] "great match very good 5.25 star definetly need to revist this in the future for sure and ppl really underestimate ospreays grappling"
amiraarty wrote on 08.05.2025:
[9.0] "Not much to add that other people haven't already said, but I really appreciate how the selling picked up in the second half of the match (around when ZSJ begins focusing on Will's arm) and it helped the lack of it in the first half from being too much of an issue."
FelipeTalksGraps wrote on 18.02.2025:
[9.0] "[4.25*] Another amazing match, a MOTY Contender for sure and the 2nd best of the night in my opinion with Shingo vs Ishii being slightly better. The mash-up of the different styles was very well done and both guys have just an incredible chemistry. My only (literally the only one) issue with this excellent bout was the fact that Will hit literally 5 finishers, the leap of faith, the super oscutter, the hidden blade and two stormbreakers, I think this is a little too much but that is fine. Bryan vs Zack is better tho."
ClockworkFire wrote on 06.01.2025:
[10.0] "[10/10] In the few events I have attended in-person, this is probably my favourite match to see. Ospreay and Zack absolutely tore the house down at the Copper Box. A stunning continuation of their long history, doing justice to the IWGP UK (US) Championship, and providing an extremely satisfying end to a night to remember. Technically fantastic, fast paced, near falls that actually kept us on the edge our seats, and a sustained level of brutality to go with."
danzitorock wrote on 05.09.2024:
[10.0] "This was a classic and formidable match, simply incredible. This match had basically all the three predominant styles in pro-wrestling, with technical, powerhouse and high-flying moves, it was really a joy to watch. This was the best performance ZSJ has ever had in my opinion, he was stellar, with an unmatched technique. That first half was a legendary display of technical wrestling, maybe the best part of the match. The second half had a lot of Ospreay style moves, and it was phenomenal too. The chemistry and dynamic between these two is out of this world. This was also the best match that I've ever watched in terms of reversal of moves, what was that? oh my god, so many crazy and mind-blowing reverses - {****3/4}"
Joe907 wrote on 09.08.2024:
[10.0] "The greatest British rivalry in wrestling. Two of the very best of the best. This match was very technical and fast paced. Will Ospreay really upped his technical game and it showed in the match. It went back and forth all match, it was nearly perfect. They have great chemistry together. They're both awesome."
moxuresu wrote on 30.07.2024:
[5.0] "When I first watched this I was in total awe because of the hot crowd and just genuine emotions of watching it with friends. But looking back this match is ridiculous and makes no sense at all. Zack Sabre Jr.'s technical abilities are insane but if he is paired with Ospreay all his skills become meaningless. They completely killed the concept of technical wrestling in this one, but it is an Ospreay match so what do we expect. He totally ignored all the work Zack Sabre has done to him so he can make a few cool looking spots to create another overbloated match for people who watch wrestling just for the spots and crowd reactions. I'm not saying it's wrong but if you are going to do that type of match just don't pair a wrestler like Ospreay with somebody like Zack because it hurts his technical credibility. ***"
Kyle from TheMatchGuide wrote on 18.07.2024:
[6.0] "Looking back on this, it's just every other match these two have had with worse production and more bloat. I get people love this as it's their first introduction to Ospreay/ZSJ as a pairing, but watch their stuff in Japan instead, or their match in RevPro. 3ish Stars."
davo2027 wrote on 14.07.2024:
[9.0] "Tremendous match. These 2 are argubly 2 of the best wrestlers alive at this time, though they have completely different in ring styles. Match was full of terrific counters, ZSJ has unique grappling pulling off things I haven't seen before. You can tell these guys were just having fun from the start of the match. Match wasn't perfect as it did lack some emotion & at times selling. Crowd was into this from the jump. I enjoy this type of setting. Ospreay never seems to dissapoint. The last few sequences were something special. Would absolutely recommend to anyone."
CoolKyle wrote on 29.05.2024:
[7.0] "I truly don't know what to make of this. On one hand, this was one of the most captivating matches I've ever seen with me rewinding sequences several times. It wasn't as gritty and snug as their recent encounters but smooth chain wrestling with no struggle. Often that's a pet peeve of mine but this was done at such a high level, you're just in awe. Will Ospreay and Zack Sabre have unreal chemistry. Their historic encounters have always shown that but the matches in recent years especially the New Japan Cup ones are extraordinary. I don't remember the last time I saw Sabre pull out offense like this. Sure, a great base in Ospreay helps but I haven't seen this cerebral in ages. This had some of the best substance ever but not much glue to hold it together properly. There was no emotion in either of them. Zack just ate offense and got right back up. There was no story on his face. Ever. You couldn't tell if he was hurt, dazed, or just bored. Getting into position for Ospreay's next move but always had a stoic face that hurt the match in my opinion. The biggest flaw coming out of this was the nonexistent selling. The amount of jaw-breaking reversals saved this match from getting a DUD from me. First Zack targeted the leg and we just moved on like that never happened. No room was given to breathe either as Ospreay was right back on offense where his legs were doing the heavy lifting without any problems. I loved the work Sabre did on Ospreays neck and upper back which was also no sold entirely. I just dont get it, this match almost had everything to make this one of the greatest matches ever. Yet they failed to deliver in the most important department. The only narrative that was loosely followed was the arm work which too was forgotten by the finish but props for stringing it and not forgetting it after 5 minutes. Overall, this match was lacking in the drama department. No emotion or heat by either of them. But it also featured some of the greatest sequences Ive ever seen. Brilliantly paced, extraordinary counters but very surface level. With a few tweaks, this couldve been an all-timer. Shame because I know these two are capable of it."
Styles619 wrote on 18.05.2024:
[10.0] "This match was just awesome. Will Ospreay was the man of the year in 2023, which is incredible considering guys like Bryan Danielson and Kenny Omega were putting on awesome matches, but it just seemed like everytime Ospreay was in the ring, he was just pumping out greatness. His match here with Zack Sabre Jr was no exception. Sabre Jr has garnered a reputation for being a fantastic technical wrestler, expertly going after any body part. There's too many moments to point out, but I will say that the selling from both men was great. For much of the second half of the match, Ospreay was selling a bad arm, to the point where for a while he couldn't use him forearm shots effectively enough. Meanwhile, after a splash from Ospreay, Zack was selling his ribs, constantly grabbing at them like he was hurt. Gotta admit, I was surprised that Zack Sabre Jr kicked out of the Stormbreaker, which is a move most don't usually kick out of. This was a classic. *****"
Zander wrote on 18.02.2024:
[10.0] "These two have amazing chemistry together and this just might be their best match yet. I love the contrast in the twos styles and how both mens abilities were highlighted to perfection here. The counters and reversals here were smooth as hell and Ospreay retained."
GM56 Champion wrote on 16.02.2024:
[4.0] "Tiring match. Ospreay was treating this like house show match. He was focused on pleasing the crowd for far too long and Sabre wasn't even close to get into his element, because of it, let alone making me believe he was going to win for a single minute. Their NJ Cup '21 and '22 matches were actually gritty, had psychology and had back-and-forth action. This one was an Ospreay show and in a bad way. It just tells me that Will is one of the most overrated wrestlers ever. Wish Sabre had got a lot more time to shine here"
Judestar wrote on 20.01.2024:
[9.0] "Near perfect, and I honestly prefer it to Danielson/Sabre from earlier in the year. The styles clash of technical and high-flying wrestling is enough to always make this match up enjoyable but these guys always pull out new ideas with every outing that just blow my mind. Maybe the most creative match of the year."
MrCascjeh wrote on 18.01.2024:
[10.0] "Without a doubt the two aces of British wrestling. The contrast in their styles is always a joy to to watch but what made this match superior to their previous is that neither man plays into each others style. This isnt an Ospreay or ZSJ match, its a true combination of the both. Easily top 10 match of 2023"
2violent4tv wrote on 16.01.2024:
[10.0] "A new highly anticipated match between Will Ospreay and Zack Sabre Jr., the best exports produced by British wrestling, at least in the modern era. A more intimate atmosphere in terms of the number of spectators, but their passion translated into the in-ring action. Ospreay kept up with ZSJ's wrestling style, and the latter managed to adapt just as well when Ospreay's style took center stage. However, it lacked that extra something, in my opinion, to be considered the best match of the year."
tds42099 wrote on 06.01.2024:
[6.0] "In my opinion this match was good, no way it wouldnt be with a matchup like this. But at times it felt like it went on far too long, Ospreay could have ended it with the first finishing sequence. Also not enough selling for my taste, Ospreay is so damn good just wish he would sell more."
mathxyz wrote on 25.12.2023:
[10.0] "fight that is in my top10 MOTY of 2023 so far. It was complete, I liked the technical moves that Ospreay successfully implemented, even though he wasn't great in that sense. I agree with the rating that Meltzer gave (5.5*), but I don't agree with her having the same rating as Bryan vs. zsj. Anyway, it was a great fight."
felixshanewestern wrote on 21.12.2023:
[10.0] "MOTYC with an awesome blend of the technical style of ZSJ and the high-energy epic of Ospreay. The two best British wrestlers in the world square off once more for what was certainly a classic, and one of the best matches ever on British soil. FIVE STARS"
Zakaria Guigui wrote on 08.12.2023:
[10.0] "When it comes to a Ospreay vs ZSJ matchup, awesomeness will prevail! These two really are one of the best to deliver high quality in-ring in series of matches. Zack is so incredible using his legendary technical abilities countering the cutter or tossing him and Will off the top to turn into a massive submission ! They cant never fail in this !"
Tawren wrote on 28.11.2023:
[9.0] "I hope this doesn't get lost in the shuffle when people review the best matches of 2023. Absolutely classic battle between Ospreay and ZSJ. They manage to build tension and excitement throughout, utilizing ZSJ's special style and ability to create counters including some harsh arm submissions. Great match. ****3/4"
SoundwaveAU wrote on 16.11.2023:
[6.0] "Kind of a weird match. They're both two wrestlers who very often have 'their match', a particular style they like to build. It starts off as more of a typical Zack match, and then becomes an Ospreay match, and they never quite click together. Zack works a lot of submissions and stuff in the first half, and none of it really matters at all. It doesn't get sold very well, and Zack is in his worst form as he just kinda glides from hold to hold and doesn't focus on anything. The finishing run is actually pretty good even by Ospreay match standards, as Zack has some really sweet and unusual counters to Ospreay's offence. So those counters were the first thing to really sort of wake me and make me feel anything, because I spent about 20 minutes of this match just feeling absolutely nothing. It's still the same kind of Ospreay finishing run you've seen dozens of times, but Zack makes it fun, at least."
Tiger Driver 91 wrote on 07.11.2023:
[9.0] "My first ever NJPW life event and my first review for Cagematch. What a match to kick it off with - Will Ospreay and Zack Saber Jr styles mash very well together allowing for many reversals and unique offence. I'm very new to Zack Saber Jr and I'm blown away by his technical ability so I was on the edge of my seat never to sure what way it was heading. Added value both men were in their home country. Definitely a match of the year contender. ****1/2"
Robareid wrote on 04.11.2023:
[7.0] "There was a great match in here, but it suffered from excess and bloat. They missed the peak, and the crowd fatigued, and then it still went another fifteen minutes. There was a lot of really great stuff within this, but it left me ever so slightly cold due to its repetitiveness."
flightaker321 wrote on 31.10.2023:
[6.0] "They had a ton of fun exchanges, but the selling in this match really isn't existent mainly due to Ospreay. Sabre is going after all kinds of body parts like his neck and leg, but you wouldn't be able to tell that based on how Ospreay worked this match by jumping and flying all over the place here. At one point commentary talked about how Ospreay adjusted his set up for hitting the os-cutter, but when Ospreay hit the move he hit and perfectly fine; that kind of perfectly sums up how this match went, it never really felt as if Ospreay was in danger despite Zack Sabre doing all that shit to him, and him half ass selling throughout this thing.Overall the creativity in their work, and doing a lot of cool shit is the reason I'm giving this a decent rating.***"
Blueskiescoming wrote on 30.10.2023:
[10.0] "Absolutely amazing - two men who have had a number of phenomenal matches this year, and this might have been the best either of them has had in 2023, which is really quite incredibly to say. One of the best 'styles clash' matches I can think of, the various counters by ZSJ were thrilling and I genuinely bit on him winning."
Okaro143 wrote on 28.10.2023:
[9.0] "These two are amazing and its no surprise that they would be able to produce a match of this quality. It was an excellent display of technical and athletic prowess. This match was billed as a match between the two best British wrestlers of their generation and rightfully so. The action was amazing, the sequences were spectacular, the pace was excellent, the match flew by seamless without almost no mismatch spots, no dull moment. In terms of action, its up there among the best matches of the year but I was disappointed that they didn't fully commit to the technical aspects of the match, the foundations that Zack laid earlier felt little wasted, they focused more on a flashy finishing stretch instead of a technically driven one. I love flashy finishes but the match had a different build up so I was hoping for something a little more meticulous. Ultimately, the match ended up being an excellent exhibition match rather than another classic chapter in the Ospreay Vs ZSJ saga. Awesome match but styles over substance. ****3/4"
kiddgoon wrote on 28.10.2023:
[10.0] "I have never seen a match like this before, and I have never seen shit that I saw happen in this match before. insanely innovative counter-offense from ZSJ. Will Osprey is the most impressive athletic performer in pro wrestling today and ZSJ looked just as great in this match with big spots despite his more ground based technical style. Not every match has to have the same final stretch of finisher spamming and false finishes to be great but I think once it hit that next gear it felt right in this match even though sometimes less is more in others."
kford13 wrote on 27.10.2023:
[8.0] "Joel on the Super J-Cast said this wasnt the best Ospreay vs. Sabre match, but it was Sabres best performance in any of their matches, and I agree with that assessment. Still, this match rocked. It was two of Englands best wrestlers battling in front of their home audience to determine who was the better man in 2023. What I loved especially about Sabre constantly going after Ospreays neck during the match was that in the opening exchange, Ospreay scrambled away from Sabre the moment he had his feet wrapped around his neck. Ospreay knew the damage it would do, Sabre saw his reaction, and he used it to shut down Ospreay any time he could. It totally shifted the dynamic of the match and put the challenger in the drivers seat. This could be their last singles match for a while, if not ever, and the location and crowd helped to make it special."
Johnny Rellik 949 wrote on 26.10.2023:
[5.0] "I had a lot of hype for this, and was disappointing On the good things, it appears that the longer the match goes it benefits Sabre, he's persistent on his offensive and after some tries eventually hits, Ospreay had that crazy kick that i don't remember anyone counter, one of his best moves to regain control but Zack finally has an answer for it, it has to be him A kick out after each others finishers, awful, the stormbreaker gets weaker every time A good dynamic, but when the match was getting good, ended"
Kyledixon wrote on 23.10.2023:
[10.0] "Two of the best wrestlers in the world in their home country so its no surprise that they put on a classic. I LOVED how the character work of each man played into this. Will has had an incredible few months so his confidence is sky high meaning he is doing things that in February, he would have hesitated with. Meanwhile, ZSJ was motivated in a big match scenario after his WrestleDream loss to Bryan Danielson. The start is actually a little slow where they made it a bit too even and uneventful but when it picks up, IT PICKS UP. The counter work in this is some of the best Ive seen all years as ZSJ just kept snatching Ospreay into submissions. Add that to some stellar limb work on Ospreays arm and it made for some thrilling near tap outs. The final sequence is incredible as ZSJ hits a top rope arm bar and I was certain Wills arm was DONE. BUT HE POWERBOMBED OUT. HIDDEN BLADE. STORMBREAKER. WIN. This Will Ospreay is kayfabe looking at the peak of his powersand unbeatable. Watch this match. *****"
KingChook wrote on 23.10.2023:
[6.0] "While I can't say this match wasn't entertaining, at the end of the day, this match was a longform display of Will Ospreay at his most overpowered. There is never a point where it really feels like Ospreay is in trouble, and Sabre Jr. might win the match. Sabre Jr. in general feels nerfed here, and nothing about his niche really benefits him in this match. Overall, I expected a much more compelling match from these two."
Mizzle Assault Ant wrote on 22.10.2023:
[3.0] "I've liked some of their past matches quite a lot, because Sabre I think maybe more than anyone has been good at pushing Ospreay out of doing his same old Ospreay match every time. Alas, we've reached the point where I don't think anyone can budge Ospreay from simply doing what he always does. Don't get me wrong, it's exactly what almost everybody wants to see so I can't fault the guy. All I can say is it's really not for me. Sabre doing everything he can to string a story together, work a body part, make something coherent of the match, but Ospreay will just blow off each and every single thing and continue being as Ospreay-ish as humanely possible, which is just something I don't enjoy. Sabre works the ankles, the neck, the arm, none of it makes even a tiny bit of difference to how Ospreay wrestles the match, Sabre might just as well have been picking his nose in the corner while Ospreay flipped himself around the ring. Ospreay's job isn't to entertain me personally and he's doing all the right things for his considerable fanbase, so it is what it is, that's just my two cents on the matter."
NoSell wrote on 21.10.2023:
[10.0] "This was another unreal match in their rivalry. They are geniuses at escalation and counters, they had the crowd in the palm of their hand throughout and if you've watched all their matches you can see how in each match they find a new way to counter each other, it's brilliant wrestling by brilliant wrestlers. I've said a million times that Ospreay is the best wrestler in the world but flowers need to be given to Zack, he's unbelievable at this too. It's a borderline 5 star match maybe a stingy ****3/4 because I may slightly prefer their match from the NJ Cup last year but don't listen to me, just go watch it."
Fifth Pillar wrote on 19.10.2023:
[8.0] "Almost a very good match, the clear highlight being ZSJ's beautifully executed counters to Ospreay's signature offence. Unfortunately Will's selling was patchy as fuck - you'd never know he'd had his ankles & neck targeted the way he kept springing all over the place & hoisting Zack overhead. They seemed to be building to something special, but then ditched the ebb & flow for a rapid-fire no-sell flurry ***3/4"
SpookySuzuki2 wrote on 18.10.2023:
[7.0] "It speaks to the quality of the in ring work on display here that a 7/10 is considered disappointing, but this is still a generous rating I think. I like Will and Zack and they have some great co-operation and spots in this match, but it's all that it was. Zack was doing his best here by trying to work over Will's bodyparts, but by the end it all felt completely meaningless due to Will's no-selling and being completely unaffected, shaking it all off and hitting his finish to win."
CharCharSlide wrote on 18.10.2023:
[9.0] "This is the golden age of wrestling. Two of the greatest wrestlers ever and theyre English. Wrestling for the UK title in ENGLAND. The crowd are molten hot. Will osprey is as crisp as ever. ZSJ is special, and i think underrated. No one wrestles like him he is is own match type. Just awesome."
NikoKillbain wrote on 17.10.2023:
[10.0] "ZSJ and Ospreay's NJ Cup matches the past two years have been some of my favourite matches in that time. This started more exhibition-y, with less impetus on the IWGP UK Championship and more on the celebration of how far these two have come, the years they're having, and British wrestling in general. They were polite in their early exchanges, so I didn't think I'd enjoy this as much as the NJ Cup matches which were barbaric, emphasizing their come-up. But then it turned with ZSJ's ankle pick on Ospreay's springboard. The striking, counters, sequences and submissions were all top tier. Given the relatively low stakes though, this would always struggle to break the very top of the MOTY rankings, but it comfortably sits in the top 10."
arrancar wrote on 17.10.2023:
[9.0] "Coming off a string of matches that were all various different levels of 'great', this is easily the best match they've ever had. It had some issues that held it back from being truly amazing, but it was still so awesome that it's easily somewhere in my top 5 MOTY list, and right now I'd probably put it 2nd. I always love how Ospreay gets to show off his technical skills when paired against Sabre, since he's genuinely got fantastic talent there and could easily make that his style in 10 years time if/when his 'epic' style becomes untenable. Every technical exchange they had in that first 1/4th was awesome, and of course Sabre mostly came out on top in them, but Ospreay still more than held his own, and he naturally then had the advantage when it came to the strikes and power moves, where his natural athleticism and explosiveness could be better directed. Sabre was no slouch himself when it came to his own strikes, but Ospreay was still the dominant one in that field. Sabre also relied on his trademark slick and perfectly timed counters to keep himself in the game and work around Ospreay's natural athleticism and power/strength advantage. The best part about this match *wasn't* that literally every single one of their interactions had great technique and intensity, but actually that it was probably the most creative match I can remember from the last few years in terms of the absurdly high number of ways that they mixed their styles together to highlight each other's fantastic skills. Even if there were a few spots/sequences I've seen them do a few times before, at least those ones were usually set-up with, or followed up by, something I'd never seen or even imagined before. I was left genuinely astonished by the fantastic ways these guys managed to counter each other at least 4 or 5 times, and just when I thought "alright, their new tricks are done now", they'd immediately throw out yet another. The only few things I'd be critical of would be: (1) the selling, and (2) the overkill structure. With the selling, it became a slight annoyance when either guy would sustain a tonne of damage but then suddenly pop up for a big, damaging attack of their own. I think those moments would've added to the match in a major way if kept far rarer, but we sort of got one of them what felt like every minute in the 2nd half, which did become rather overkill. I also did think Ospreay's arm- and neck-selling deserved greater focus, since Sabre targeted both quite extensively (and wonderfully), but Ospreay was understandably (yet still disappointingly0 more focussed on the 'big-move trading and countering' style they were going for. At least Ospreay's real-time selling was mostly very good, even if it occasionally went into his standard 'goofy face' territory. The entire final 1/3rd featured many truly amazing moments, but I couldn't help but feel they would've felt more exciting and memorable if they'd paced a few periods there with extended selling and not as many 'epic' near falls, since it did start to become ridiculous how many they were trading, which then diminished the significance of the many truly amazing moves they were hitting each other with. I still really couldn't get over the massive number of ways they just kept throwing out creative and unique spots and sequences one after the other, and I was genuinely shocked when Sabre kicked out of the Stormbreaker (though that's an example of a moment which would've felt even more significant if they hadn't already traded so many other big moves and near falls by that point). The entire sequence with Sabre's double shoulder lock (set up with a beautiful flying takedown off the top rope), followed up by the Michinoku Driver and then various desperate triangles and armbars, was fantastic, and was the best tease of the night that Sabre might pull out the win. Again, a bit of better selling and pacing in other periods of that final 1/3rd would've helped make the match feel like even more of a genuine epic, but it was still a truly outstanding match. Oh and this clears Sabre vs Danielson, btw. ****1/4"
PuroresuLover wrote on 17.10.2023:
[10.0] "Tremendous match! A true spectacle between two amazing pro wrestlers! Both Will Ospreay and Zack Sabre Jr did a great job here and delivered a lifetime performance, they were definitely being paid for the move. The technical work was amazing, the fast-paced sequences were great and the counters were just perfectly executed, especially that attempt of a Triangle Choke from ZSJ countering a Hidden Blade, that was just beautifully insane to see. These two never miss and always deliver a match that you'll leave wanting more and more, just like a cake. Also, I gotta say, I feel like ZSJ was the best performer here and slightly carried Bosspreay, but both were great. Very entertaining, especially for their (possible) last match. ****3/4"
djones06 wrote on 16.10.2023:
[7.0] "Very entertaining match, it is clear that these two have a deep comfort and enjoyment of working together. There is much to enjoy here. However I must take issue with Ospreay's selling. Sometimes in matches like with Omega he is excellent. Here there was no logic or consistency."
Zlatkii wrote on 16.10.2023:
[8.0] "At times, this match was lacking pace and speed, which I usually like stylistically, but what they continued to deliver was absolutely flawless the pace stopped mattering. Loved the slick tekkers of Sabre jr versus the strikes of Ospreay. Some moments were totally mesmerising and gorgeously executed. Great graps."
ARANmax wrote on 16.10.2023:
[10.0] "I believe this to be the very BEST of the long-running -- cross-continental -- feud of Ospreay and Sabre. Hopefully this isn't the last. (I would love to see them in America at least once -- making their feud span THREE continents). This match was tenser, more composed, more strategic and more psychological than we have ever seen the two of them. 31-minutes of two brits who know each other better than any two wrestlers in the industry do and at the peak of their craft. Absolutely glorious."
Wright15 wrote on 15.10.2023:
[10.0] "It wouldn't be a proper year of wrestling without Sabre and Ospreay going at it at least once, and this time around was among their very best encounters. These two have always had unreal chemistry, and this was no different, as the wild jockeying for pins and submissions demonstrated. They pulled out all of the stops, going further than they have ever done before, and in doing so pulled off another classic. *****"
Oswuold wrote on 15.10.2023:
[10.0] "I'm still processing suck an amazing display of beauty. Everything was extraordinary, to the facial expressions to all the unbelievable stuff they did; you can't get counter wrestling better than this. Ospreay has never stopped to be pissed up by the referee error of their last match and while he knew this could have been finally the ending of his obsession this was also something else: Sabre's opportunity to finally show to the people that he is the best british wrestler ever and got revenge from his loses, and the only way was humiliating him forcing him to tap to an arm lock; this time for real. And that's why every second of this is meaningfull, two obsessions 1 vs 1 and ready to do anything to kickout anything and to win in front of the british crowd. Ospreay was able to survive all the pain Sabre did to him and he finally got the win in what it's the actually best finish of this feud and their best match together. ****** (6*/ 12 out of ten, my third pick for the MOTY)."
benny5bellys wrote on 15.10.2023:
[9.0] "Some of the counters in this need to be seen to be believed. This is just incredibly high level modern professional wrestlers between two of the best around. Everything was just so so good but never quite landed at masterpiece level which these two have in them ****1/2"
robotmonster wrote on 15.10.2023:
[10.0] "Another classic from these two, and one that had the feeling of finality about it. I hope they get to continue their rivalry somewhere down the line. The chemistry they have is unreal. This also had the interesting twist of Zack fighting as the underdog, not his usual role."
deeco97 wrote on 15.10.2023:
[8.0] "Crazy counter-sequences, hard strikes, excellent grappling and submission work, deserved near-falls, all topped off with both guys being extremely over among the hot crowd. Ospreay's selling is fairly inconsistent, and during the second half he doesn't really allow ZSJ's submissions to truly wow you as he gets to the ropes so quick."
Malarkian wrote on 15.10.2023:
[8.0] "Really great match between these two as always, as their styles mesh so well together. HOWEVER something was off about this match that has me not wanting to shower it with praise like so many others. It just felt a little... soulless. Like just 2 guys trading bombs for 30 minutes. Some of the counter-wrestling was beautiful and the action high octane and awe-inspiring, but not particularly nuanced and because of that it didn't reach the level of past Ospreay/ZSJ."
rhys4peace wrote on 15.10.2023:
[9.0] "This match is very, VERY good, and handily the best match of the weekend. Ospreay and ZSJ are forever rivals; no matter how far apart they drift, they always come back together to tear into eachother. And thank God for that, because it rules everytime. ZSJ has entered a career peak these last 2 years; it cannot be understated just how much more complete he is as a wrestler since he bulked up at the end of 2021/beginning of 2022. His strike are hard and crisp, and that makes his offense so much more dynamic, and that is on full display here. Inbetween twisting Ospreay into a pretzel, he softens him up by just clocking the fuck out of him. Ospreay continues with making his case for best in the world, combining incredible athletic skill with the sickest moveset in the game. This match doesn't quite reach the heights of their phenomenal RevPro match in 2020, but damn if this match isn't fantastic in it's own right."