When Will Ospreay won the New Japan Cup 2021, he cemented his right to challenge Kota Ibushi for the new IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. With the stage set for Sakura Genesis 2021, fans expected a lot from two of the best and most diverse athletes in New Japan. Please see below as Will Ospreay wins the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.
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The lead-up to the match was hot ever since the final of the NJ Cup last month. Ospreay made it clear that nothing was more important to him than winning the belt, and both men used the preview shows to prove a point.
It was a battle for history!
All of this passion and desire displayed throughout the tour was even more obvious on the day of the show! Walking to the ring, fans could see the determination etched on both men’s faces as they attempted to etch their names in the history books. However, nobody could have predicted that the match would be as good as it was.
The match started fiercely, with both men focusing not only on wearing down their opponent but proving who the better athlete was. There were strikes, punches, and kicks. However, Ospreay also emphasized his new attitude sending Ibushi to the outside and into the barricades. As expected, Ibushi just seemed to soak up all that pain and convert it into pure adrenaline.
Will Ospreay wins IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.
Throughout the match, it felt like a real hybrid of Jr and Heavyweight wrestling. The men sped across the ring utilizing not only their speed but this unrivaled power and strength both have gained since moving divisions. In particular, Ospreay seemed to hit some nasty-looking offense onto Ibushi’s neck from the very beginning. There was a dangerous shooting star press onto the Golden Star who was draped on the top rope.
As time passed, both men seemed as fit as ever.
Towards the end of the match, neither man seemed to be losing energy despite their obvious injuries. At one point, Ibushi hit Ospreay with a poisonrana just for the Assassin to land on his feet. Even so late into the match, both men were pulling out Spanish fly’s, suplexes, and each man’s patented offense, including a Kamigoye and Oscutter, which failed to get the win.
After a spectacular match that lasted just over 30 minutes, Ospreay managed to hit Ibushi with a Hidden Blade and Stormbreaker to get the win. Not only did he cement his name in history by being the first to win the new title officially, but he is the first British wrestler to hold top IWGP Heavyweight gold.
Best In The World. pic.twitter.com/lktU9SZb1l
— ᵂⁱˡˡ ᴼˢᵖʳᵉᵃʸ • ウィル・オスプレイ (@WillOspreay) April 4, 2021
After winning, Ospreay called out Kazuchika Okada as his first challenger. However, Shingo Takagi made it clear that he wanted the first shot at the newest NJ title. With some big opponents, Ospreay has a huge task ahead of him as both the champion and face of New Japan. Congratulations to Will Ospreay as he wins the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.
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