NJPW Fighting Spirit Unleashed Review and Results

from njpw1972.com

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship Tournament: Will Ospreay vs Marty Scurll

Ospreay (who is putting on some muscle) comes out of the gate on fire. Spanish fly. Tope. Shooting star press. Suicide dive. The Aerial Assassin is absolutely dominating. After a couple of very intense minutes, Scurll’s able to slow things down and get the advantage. He methodically works over Ospreay from the ring to the outside, until the Hiromu-esque sunset flip powerbomb swings the momentum once again. Oscutter attempt, but Scurll counters. Stormbreaker now, but Scurll reverses that too. They’re flying through this match. It’s wild.

They’re trading strikes in the middle of the ring and it builds into both guys frantically trying to connect with their signature moves. Scurll locks in the chicken wing out of nowhere, but Ospreay turns it into a leverage pin attempt. The Villain kicks out and keeps up the pressure. Anything Ospreay musters, Scurll retaliates with more and more intensity. Top rope tiger suplex. Lariat. Side package piledriver. Graduation. And there’s just no way Ospreay’s kicking out.

This was fire from beginning to end. Scurll slowed it down a bit from time to time to focus on storytelling, but for the most part this was nonstop, high speed action. The first sequence with Ospreay running off move after move was absolutely nuts. The crowd came unglued, and it was just a blast. Then, all the counters in the middle of the match highlighted just how well these two know each other, which was a great touch. Finally, the Villain was an absolute madman in that closing sequence. It was great to see so much intensity from him.

I would’ve liked a bit more drama down the stretch. Maybe one more run from Ospreay and a believable near fall or two, but still, this was a great match overall, and Scurll comes out of it looking like a million bucks.

Rating: ****1/4