The Build
In 2019, New Japan was hit with a shock that hurt their entire system. Kenny Omega and the Elite left New Japan Pro Wrestling to form AEW. With New Japan scrambling to find anyone with charisma just like Kenny, enter two fresh faces: Jay White and Will Ospreay. The switchblade was already promising from the jump. With his edge and selfish desire to win at any cost, he quickly rose through New Japan’s ranks and became an instant main eventer, beating both Okada at Wrestle Kingdom 13 and Tanahashi at The New Beginning in Osaka for the IWGP World Heavyweight belt in two months.
While the switchblade was already on top in NJPW, a certain aerial assassin was making his name not only in the junior heavyweight scene but in the heavyweight scene as well. Enter Will Osperay, who has had a well-known focus as of late. At Wrestle Kingdom 13, the “Aerial Assassin” brought in a new move that would change everything for his career. The Hidden Blade debuted at Wrestle Kingdom 13, where it knocked out Kota Ibushi, shocked everyone in the crowd, and sent a message to the locker room proving that Osperay isn’t playing around anymore. Even with the hidden blade, the man added another finisher to his arsenal: the Stormbreaker.
With both competitors at the top of their game, who is going to come out on top in this historic match?
The Match
As the bell sounds to start the match, White immediately goes outside to quickly taunt the crowd and Osperay. After a few quick lock-up sequences, White gets knocked down and goes outside for a breather. Inside the ring, though, Osperay teases a dive with his signature handspring backflip into his superhero pose.
Ospreay now in control of the ring, follows this up with a baseball slide to White, which in turn goes into a crossbody on the outside that hits. Being outside the ring, Osperay sends White into the barricade. As Osperay was readying up a move, Gedo, the blacksmith, distracts the assassin long enough to where White hit him from behind.
White starts to dominate Osperay on the outside. There is one moment where Osperay almost had White, sadly, though the Switchblade countered the move and gave him a back suplex as a reaction. Directly after this, Osperay tries to counter a suplex attempt by White, which sadly doesn’t do him any favors. White inadvertently suplexes Osperay into the post outside the ring. As White gets Osperay back into the ring, you can tell that he smells blood in the water.
As we get back into the ring, White starts attacking Osperay’s midsection. After doing more varied attacks on the rib cage, White takes Osperay outside and deals more damage to him via barricade and apron. When both men get back in the ring, Osperay gives Jay a few chops on the chest, but to no avail since his ribs still hurt. Jay takes advantage of this and does a suplex maneuver into the turnbuckle post, going for the pin. Osperay kicks out but is still damaged from the onslaught attack from White. At this moment, White is still putting pressure on those ribs, apparently, though Osperay starts fighting back until Jay catches him again with a shot to the ribs.
As Jay runs to the ropes, Osperay counters White, sending him over the top rope, and then proceeds to do the always beautiful Sasuke Special. Osperay starts to hit Jay with a few of his aerial attacks. After both men trade chops and kicks, Osperay sends Jay to the outside, signaling another diving attack. As Osperay dives through the second rope, Jay transitions Osperay’s body into the barricade. White gets back into the ring, and so does Osperay, but he barely makes the count.
As we get back to the ring, Osperay catches White off guard and hits him with a “pip cheerio”. After a few slaps in the face from Osperay, he tries to signal the end with a Stormbreaker, but White counters it. He tries to go for Blade Runner, but then Osperay counters. Both men immediately started hitting desperate strikes. Jay catches Will with an STO into a German suplex. Will answers with a Spanish fly, but he can’t capitalize on the pin due to his ribs being hurt.
Both men are now trading their final strikes, and the match is closing very soon. Osperay catches White with a superkick when he is draped on the rope and then goes for an electric chair swing overhead maneuver from the middle rope. Osperay goes for the pin, but only gets a 2. Will tries going for Stormbreaker, but Jay won’t budge. Osperay gave Jay a kick in the chin, and Jay proceeded to do the corkscrew kick, which signals for the Oscutter. As Osperay goes for it, Jay counters and starts elbowing the side of Osperay’s face.
White gets up and goes for the Blade Runner, just to be countered by Osperay giving him a poison-rana/hidden blade combo out of desperation. When Osperay begins to signal the end with a hidden blade, Gedo comes to distract Red Shoes. While this is going on, Osperay gets hit with a low blow and then gets hit with a sleeper suplex. Jay desperately hits Osperay with a cross-armed Bloody Sunday, but only gets a 2. White yet again goes for a Blade Runner, just for Osperay to counter with a Liger Bomb. Even though it only gets a 2, Will wasn’t finished.
He goes for a reverse 450, which sadly only gets him another 2. Ospreay attempts for a Stormbreaker which is countered by White. After another quick counter, Osperay hits another corkscrew kick in Jay White’s face. Osperay gets ready to do the Oscutter, only to be countered by a midair Blade Runner. White gets Osperay up and seals the deal with another Blade Runner. What a match between both men! Easily 4 3/4 stars.
Both opponents spent and tired at this point of the match, trading blows back and forth. Osperay gets one last wind in him and readies up to hit an Oscutter, only to be countered by a midair Blade Runner. Jay White sees a window of opportunity open with an unconscious Osrpeay, gets him up and seals the deal with a final Blade Runner to secure the pin fall victory. What a match between both men! – 4 3/4 stars.
After Match comments
This match, to me, is a perfect presentation of how both men’s careers completely changed forever in New Japan. Jay White here looked great, and so did Osperay as well. Hopefully, both men will face each other in AEW, whenever that happens. If you have read this far, I commend you with the utmost gratitude. This has been Mocoso Momentos, and I will be back with more match reviews of the past, more here on 6 to 10 Percent.
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