Will Ospreay says BOSJ match vs. Ricochet ‘changed everything’
New Japan Pro Wrestling, Will Ospreay and others are reflecting on one of the greatest matches in Best of the Super Juniors history.
On May 27, 2016, Ospreay defeated Ricochet in a match that went 16 minutes and 47 seconds and headlined a show at Korakuen Hall.
There were those who were negative on the bout, most notably former IWGP Heavyweight Champion Big Van Vader, who criticized it for not telling a story and instead focusing on acrobatics.
Ospreay reflected on the match in a social media post on Wednesday, saying that he’s grateful to have been part of the “flippy s–t generation.’”
Ospreay wrote:
“10 years ago today was the match that changed everything. It’s crazy how quick time has flown by. Seeing where me and ricochet are now in our careers makes me smile. Grateful to have been part of the ‘flippy s–t’ generation.”
NJPW wrote:
“#onthisday in 2016, one of the most talked about matches in Best of the Super Jr. history had Will Ospreay facing Ricochet!”
Dave Meltzer wrote:
“This was the match that made my son a fan of pro wrestling. He never watched it, met Ricochet that year and saw how people reacted to him and wanted to see one of his matches. That’s the match I chose.”
Meltzer also wrote of the match in the June 6, 2016 edition of The Wrestling Observer Newsletter:
“New Japan’s Best of the Super Juniors tournament got a major viral reaction when a GIF of the 5/27 Ricochet vs. Will Ospreay match spread across social media.
The match was a state-of-the-art match for its time. It can be compared, like the recent Dragon Lee vs. Kamaitachi matches in Mexico, to a modern version of the Tiger Mask vs. Dynamite Kid matches in the early ’80s that put junior heavyweight wrestling on the map. The match contained moves, spots and acrobatics, along with hard hitting strikes and innovative wrestling moves.”
Meltzer rated it four and three-quarter stars.
Ian Carey is a writer from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, whose work has been featured in NOW Magazine, The Huffington Post, and more. A lifelong wrestling aficionado born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, he has covered the industry for a decade and a half. He joined the f4wonline.com team in 2019.