#40: Will Ospreay vs. Shingo Takagi, NJPW Wrestling Dontaku (5/4/2021).
This is for Ospreay's IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.
Poor New Japan. They went from being the must see top promotion in the world to the struggling ship that somehow made it to the other side of the pandemic in Japan. Present day, they have yet to return to their former glory, but compared to where they were in 2021, you could call them the luckiest wrestling company on the planet.
On the surface, the build to this match is simple: Ospreay beat Shingo to win the New Japan Cup, then went on to defeat Kota Ibushi at Sakura Genesis to become the 2nd World Champion. Kazuchika Okada had intially made the challenge to Ospreay, but Shingo said he should get first dibs since he obliterated Okada from the New Japan Cup. And so, we have this match.
On the outside, New Japan was in total shambles. The day before this, six wrestlers tested positive for COVID - the first for the promotion. This caused the semi main event for this show - a Junior Title match between El Desperado and YOH - to be canceled. This show also took place just days before Japan experienced its 3rd lockdown due to surging COVID cases.
Thus, this became a four match show, with three undercard matches that served as filler, and this match, a battle between two supremely talented individuals fighting for a championship that came into existence 2 months prior due to the merge of the Heavyweight and Intercontinental Titles. A merge that I might add, absolutely no one wanted.
Could these two pull off a miracle during the worst of times? I say yes. As a bonus for this entry into my reviews, I'm going to share my exact thoughts of this match, as written in my wrestling passion project, "King's Road: 25 Years of Wrestling Fandom Condensed Into 100 Matches."
After the customary pre-match video showcasing the 2 holders of the title so far, Shingo Takagi makes his way to the ring first. He’s confident that he has the skill to take the champion down tonight – something he wasn’t able to do in the New Japan Cup finals.
Will Ospreay, the defending champion – and also the RevPro British Heavyweight Champion – enters next, and he’s oozing with confidence. He completely tore Shingo apart in the New Japan Cup, and he’s confident he’ll do the same tonight. Jeff Cobb, Aaron Henare & Great O-Khan – all hail – accompany him to ringside.
The bell sounds, and we are under way. The crowd’s clapping indicates that they are hyped for this one. Ospreay and Shingo look to tie up in the middle, with each man feeling the other out. They lock up, and Shingo gets Ospreay against the ropes. Ospreay slips out and misses a high kick to the head. Shingo with the side headlock now, and Ospreay escapes and gets one of his own locked in. Shingo sends him into the ropes and both men collide into each other with shoulder blocks.
An exchange of forearms follows, and Shingo chops Ospreay down. The champion kicks back up and kicks Shingo in the face. Shoulder tackle by Shingo, and a senton attempt is avoided by Ospreay. Hip toss by Ospreay, and both men are back up again, at a stalemate. Test of strength is next, as Ospreay uses his upper body to force Shingo back. Shingo sends Ospreay into the ropes and hits a high body toss. He grabs Ospreay’s arm and stretches them behind him, while also driving his knee into the back.
Shingo with a knee to the midsection, followed by a hard shoulder tackle. He hits his senton this time, and that gets a 1 count. He goes back to the headlock on the mat. Back up, Shingo sends his elbow into the side of Ospreay’s head. The champion kicks Shingo in the face, and the challenger responds with a hard clothesline that sends him to the outside. He smashes Ospreay’s head off the apron, and the champion responds by sending Shingo into the steel barricade. He attempts a back suplex into it, but Shingo slips out and sends Ospreay chest first into it. Shingo drops Ospreay’s chest on the apron next, then rolls him back into the ring. Ospreay attacks Shingo and sends him back to the outside. He irish whips him into the barricade, then hits a back suplex onto the apron. Ospreay grabs the championship and stares at it, then takes the ringside table and brings it over the barricade. Unbeknownst to him, Shingo has also grabbed a table, and he tosses his into Ospreay’s table, knocking the champion down.
Shingo sets both tables up next to each other, then follows Ospreay to the apron. He goes for Last of the Dragon to Ospreay, who counters and suplexes Shingo from the apron to the inside of the ring. Ospreay with a springboard forearm that brings Shingo down, and that gets a 1 count. Ospreay chops Shingo in the corner, then kicks him in the chest. A backbreaker follows, and that gets a 2 count. Ospreay quickly transitions into an armbar, and snaps the arm back hard.
On the outside now, Ospreay ties Shingo’s arm up in the steel barricade, kicking the steel against his muscle. He now swings it against the ring post for extra damage. Back in the ring, Ospreay continues to target the arm. He kicks it with zero remorse, and now traps it in a stretch. He goes to hyper extend it over his shoulder, but Shingo escapes. Ospreay slams his head into the turnbuckle, and Shingo just shrugs it off. Kawada kicks by Ospreay, and Shingo just slams his head into the turnbuckle to hype himself up. Huge chop by Ospreay, and Shingo responds with a back elbow and a punch to the face. He fakes Ospreay out with a lariat attempt, and switches to a DDT instead.
Huge shoulder tackle out of the corner by Shingo, followed by a powerslam. He hits a nice brainbuster that gets a 2 count. In the corner, Shingo unloads with a combo of punches and chops to the chest. Ospreay transitions into a chop of his own. Ospreay places Shingo upside down in the corner and kicks the back of his head. Shingo lays upside now, and Ospreay sits in front of him, slapping him in the face. Looks like Shingo bit his ear? Ospreay responds by kicking him down.
Ospreay hits Sunday Bloody Sunday, and that gets a 2 count. He goes for the Stormbreaker, and Shingo uses his strength to break out and toss Ospreay overhead. Ospreay kicks at Shingo’s arm again, but Shingo catches one and hits a Dragon Screw Legwhip instead. Ospreay counters out of a suplex with a Stundog Millionaire. A dropkick to the arm follows, and Ospreay locks Shingo in a Kimura Lock. Despite some struggle, Shingo makes it to the bottom rope to break the hold.
Shingo tries to fight back with forearms, and Ospreay hits one big one to slow him down. Ospreay goes to fly off the ropes, but Shingo catches him and goes to drop him. Ospreay counters with a kick to the chest, and a standing moonsault – the latter, Shingo gets his knees up to block. Shingo grabs Ospreay and hits the Noshigami, sending Ospreay falling right on his face. Shingo lifts Ospreay up and hits a release swinging slam to his back, which gets a 2 count. The crowd claps to will Shingo on, as he gives quick parry kicks to Ospreay’s face. The champion counters back with kicks to the arm. Shingo catches one of those kicks and sends Ospreay flying into the air, inside out.
Shingo goes for a sliding lariat, and Ospreay moves out of the way. Ospreay goes for a running Pele, and Shingo catches him in a German Suplex. He hits it, and Ospreay lands on his feet instead, hitting Shingo in the head with a kick. Ospreay reverses a clothesline into a powerbomb attempt, and Shingo lands on his feet. He goes for a clothesline, and Ospreay ducks to go for the running Pele again, hitting it and sending Shingo into the ropes, who comes back with the sliding lariat. Nice sequence.
Shingo with a hard clothesline in the corner. He runs for another, and Ospreay catches him in the opposite corner with a boot to the face. He places Shingo on the top, and traps his head down, then superkicks him square on the jaw. On top, Ospreay attempts the Stormbreaker, but Shingo won’t allow it. Ospreay goes for a Sunset Flip Powerbomb, and Shingo fights it off. Ospreay with a kick to the head, then he scales the top. Spanish Fly to the mat below! Ospreay makes the cover, and Shingo kicks out. Ospreay places Shingo on the ropes, then comes down with a shooting star press right on his back that flips him over.
Back to the top, Ospreay hits another shooting star press, which gets a 2 count. Ospreay kicks Shingo to the outside, and now he’s laying on the tables. He punches his head repeatedly, then goes to the top. Shingo is back up and grabs Ospreay. He places him on the apron, and Ospreay goes for Stormbreaker. Shingo fights out of it, and Ospreay is quick to hit the Hook Kick. He jumps up the turnbuckle and goes for the Cutter, but Shingo catches him and lands the Made in Japan to Ospreay through the two tables! If those were the tables Japan had in the 1990s, Ospreay would be dead! Thankfully, they’re not as stiff in 2021.
Red Shoes begins the count of 20 for both men. Great O-Khan – all hail – tries to will his fellow United Empire mate on. Shingo is back in, and Ospreay just barely gets back, and eats a sliding elbow to the head for his troubles. Shingo hits the Made in Japan in the middle of the ring, and Ospreay kicks out! Shingo sets up for the Pumping Bomber, but Ospreay merely collapses to the mat. Shingo looks to irish whip Ospreay into the corner, and he falls over again.
Shingo with a hard clothesline in the corner to Ospreay, who falls so easily now. Shingo lifts Ospreay and brings him to the top rope. Ospreay tries to elbow Shingo in the head, and now he’s perched on the top rope in the lead. Ospreay goes for a top rope hurricanrana, but Shingo holds onto the ropes, and Ospreay hits the mat hard. Shingo comes down for an attack, and Ospreay catches him in a Cutter! Ospreay dives from the middle rope for the Oscutter, and Shingo somehow kicks out!
Ospreay with a series of forearms that drop Shingo, and he positions him for the Hidden Blade. Ospreay misses and goes right for a kick to the head. He comes off the top rope for an Oscutter, but Shingo catches him in a GTR instead! He follows with a hard lariat, and then concludes with a Pumping Bomber attempt. Ospreay is able to flip out of it and he goes for the Oscutter again, but Shingo catches him and hits a Cutter of his own! Shingo comes off the ropes and hits the nastiest Pumping Bomber I’ve ever seen! Red Shoes counts, and Ospreay somehow kicks out!
Shingo tries for Last of the Dragon, but Ospreay is able to fight out of it. Shingo tries for a Death Valley Driver, and Ospreay counters into a pin attempt. Hook Kick by Ospreay next, and a roundhouse/superkick combo keeps Shingo down. He goes for Stormbreaker next, but Shingo counters and goes for Last of the Dragon. Ospreay slips out and hits a nice Poisonrana. Shingo is up with one of his own now! Ospreay uses the last of his will to hit the Hidden Blade out of nowhere!
Ospreay makes the cover, but Shingo has his arm under the ropes, breaking the count. Back to the middle of the ring, Ospreay goes for Stormbreaker again, but he seems too beaten down to do so. Both men have been wrestling at such a pace, and it’s incredible that they are still going. Ospreay with light stomps to the back of Shingo’s head. Shingo looks pissed, as he slowly rises back to his feet. He takes all the forearms from Ospreay, and unloads with a rapid fire series of his own! He goes for Pumping Bomber again, but Ospreay ducks. Shingo is able to hit the Death Valley Driver instead.
Both men press their heads against each other, and Shingo hits a nice clothesline to Ospreay. The champion with a kick to the head, and then he runs the ropes. Shingo meets him with another clothesline, and Ospreay follows that with a standing Spanish Fly! Red Shoes counts, and Shingo kicks out! Ospreay goes for Stormbreaker again, but Shingo reverses into a clotheslines. Ospreay with a V Trigger out of nowhere! Shingo and Ospreay exchange small headbutts and slaps to the face next, as they both work their way back up.
Forearms by Ospreay, and Shingo responds in kind with forearms of his own! Ospreay hits a bomb on Shingo, who just smiles it off and hits one of his own. Ospreay with a hard headbutt, and Shingo responds by driving his shoulder into Ospreay’s face! A quick closed fist, followed by another headbutt! Shingo goes for Last of the Dragon, and Ospreay counters with Chelsea Grin! Ospreay with a Rainmaker to Shingo now! He removes his elbow pad, and explodes out of the corner with the Hidden Blade! Ospreay lifts Shingo up and finally hits the Stormbreaker! Red Shoes counts, and it’s finally over! Post match, Ospreay thanks Shingo...for being a stepping stone.
What a war of attrition. That was as good of a marathon style match as you’ll ever see out of New Japan. For nearly 45 minutes, Will Ospreay and Shingo Takagi threw bombs at one another, and somehow kept up a frantic pace like it was nothing. It was almost like watching a 1990s Joshi match! This is one of the most divisive matches New Japan has put out in quite some time, and the main critique against it is that it is pretty damn excessive.
Do I agree with that? Absolutely. These guys hit every single move in their entire arsenal it seemed. It could definitely be categorized as a “movez” style match. There’s not much psychology or overall storytelling going on here. This is just two guys, throwing absolutely everything at each other until the other falls? Is that a bad thing? I guess that depends on what kind of style of wrestling you like. Me personally? I fucking love this match. It’s extremely entertaining watching these kind of blitz matches from time to time. And unlike other times, where I’m watching a “movez” match and I get annoyed by how it’s structured, this one doesn’t do that.
I think it has to do with the pacing, which is fast. These guys’ stamina is incredible. There were full speed ahead all match long, and how they were running past the 35 minute mark is beyond me. The sequences they pulled off, especially late in the match, were impressive. The chemistry Ospreay and Shingo have is unmatched as far as I’m concerned. Every time they wrestle, they knock it out of the park, and this is their best outing together.
Things unfortunately would get worse for the company following this event. The State of Emergency in Japan caused the company to cancel the upcoming Wrestle Grand Slam tour. That announcement led to many of the foreigners leaving the country for the time being. This included Ospreay, who suffered a neck injury during this match and used the chance to fly back to the United Kingdom to go on the mend and spend time with his family. Reports suggested that New Japan wanted Ospreay to heal in the country, but he refused and left anyway.
Adding a wrinkle to the issues was an incident that New Japan is 100% responsible for: After announcing the cancellation of the tour, they then haphazardly announced that the tour was resuming instead. This came, while many of the foreign talents were on their flights home. Meaning, they would have to return to Japan...and quarantine for 14 days upon arrival. This lack of communication led to several of the foreign wrestlers not returning to New Japan for a long time. Ospreay wouldn’t return until Wrestle Kingdom 16 in January of 2022, while Jay White and Juice Robinson wouldn’t return until the Wrestling Dontaku event in May of 2022. White’s absence could be due to him wanting to get his green card in the United States, though.
All of this chaos led to a dead build towards those stadium shows, as well as Dominion in June. Labeled “Gaijin Unrest” online, many speculated that it was unrest from the entire roster, who were increasingly angry about the restrictions and the lack of communication from New Japan’s front office. If anyone benefited from this, it was certainly Shingo Takagi, who had long been the MVP of the company since their return to touring in June of 2020. He was rewarded with winning the vacant IWGP World Title at Dominion, and holding it for six months. Well deserved for the Dragon.
Ospreay has spoken about his feelings on this match during his appearance on Renee Paquette’s podcast “The Sessions.” He says he is proud of the match immensely, but that doing all of it with one of his favorite opponents while in complete silence has put a huge chip on his shoulder. Regardless of the circumstances surrounding it – before, during and after – this is one of the most exciting New Japan matches you’ll ever see.