June 10, 2019 Observer Newsletter: The evolution of Will Ospreay

Flash back about 11 months ago. Kazuchika Okada, arguably the best wrestler in the world, maybe of all-time, said that when Will Ospreay is 30 (2023 for those keeping score), he would be the best wrestler in the business. Actually nobody doubted that possibility. The only question, and it’s still a question, is will his body even survive to 2023.

Johnson may have beaten Cornette’s prediction by a year. Ospreay beat Okada’s five-year prediction by four.

This year’s Best of the Super Junior tournament, besides generally considered the greatest ever, was built from the start on the idea of Ospreay and Shingo Takagi meeting in the finals.

Takagi was pushed as unbeatable, not having lost a fall in New Japan since signing in October. He went 9-0, beating Taiji Ishimori in the deciding match on 5/31 in Ehime.

Ospreay started strong. While Takagi won and was kept strong, Ospreay had incredible matches. It didn’t matter who. 

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