Voices of Wrestling 2022 Match of the Year: #3 (Okada vs. Ospreay – August)

Two all-time greats—Kazuchika Okada and Will Ospreay—create pro wrestling perfection in this iconic G1 Climax match.

Voices of Wrestling 2022 Match of the Year Archives

• Introduction & Honorable Mentions
• Matches #100-76
• Matches #75-51
• Matches #50-26
• Matches #25-11
• Early-Access Top 10 Reveal
• #10: FTR vs. The Briscoes – July
• #9: CM Punk vs. MJF
• #8: Jun Kasai vs. El Desperado
• #7: Syuri vs. Giulia
• #6: Kazuchika Okada vs. Will Ospreay – January
• #5: Anarchy in the Arena
• #4: Hangman Page vs. Bryan Danielson
• #3: Kazuchika Okada vs. Will Ospreay – August

#3
Kazuchika Okada vs. Will Ospreay
08/18
NJPW

Overall Points: 769
Total Votes: 91
% of Ballots: 43.54%
25 First Place Votes

“The story of Will Ospreay and the way it has unfolded over the past 365 days is something else. “The Commonwealth Kingpin” needs to defeat Kazuchika Okada more than anything and while his most recent five-plus star encounter gave him a new mountain to climb, Okada remains the one mountain he must topple. This match saw Ospreay go to every option he could think of. Men who could beat Okada and their finishers but not his own. The Stormbreaker is a move that very well could beat Okada but his trust isn’t there when it comes to “The Rainmaker.” Instead, he plays up his cockiness and doubts himself all at the same time. This felt like one of those times where Okada was unstoppable and Ospreay just didn’t have options. He didn’t try to cheat, he didn’t look to The United Empire to bail him out. Ospreay took defeat on the chin in one of the best matches of the year and one of Ospreay’s best ever.” -Scott Edwards

“Year three of the G1 Climax Final taking place in-front of clap crowds. Out of the three, it’s just better than the SANADA vs Ibushi match and obviously way better than last years’ (Ibushi vs Okada). The match followed the standard match structure that you can expect from the main event. The match starts with some back and forth wrestling before someone gets the first proper blow to change the momentum into their favour – Okada’s two DDTs on Ospreay to the outside floor did the trick this time around. Okada then went to work on the neck after initially letting Ospreay time to breathe on the outside. Ospreay mirrored Okada’s plan, working on Okada’s neck himself. The work itself wasn’t that strong but the storytelling was at least consistent and not so erratic like other matches Ospreay has had in the G1. Then the match got more character based with more heated exchanges as it went into the final third. And unlike the Naito match of the prior night, this was a closing stretch that felt earned and well executed. The counters came natural to the flow of the match and suited the capabilities of both wrestlers. Ospreay’s Omega taunts not only got the crowd to break the no shouting rule but got them to do it longer than a second, totally capturing them off guard. It reminded me of the Ospreay vs El Phantasmo match in Ryogoku a few years ago where the crowd erupted at ELP using BC members’ finishers after being somewhat in a lull. Okada had some great moments as well, such as the enziguri, keeping with the 50th Anniversary theme and then his version of the Emerald Flowsion for the finish before the final Rainmaker. Ospreay morphed back into his babyface form, given how much less obnoxious he is with every movement and thus making his performance stand out as more natural unlike plenty of his so-called “great” matches of the G1. Here, I found him to be spot-on in pretty much every regard. Okada brings the best out of Ospreay and Okada always steps up himself.” -MC

“Picking the best Okada vs. Ospreay match this year is like picking your favorite child: it just feels unfair. I’ll give the slight edge to the G1 Climax finals match. New Japan may not be as hot of a promotion as it once was, but you still don’t want to miss any Okada vs. Ospreay matches.” -Greg Parks

“The first G1 Climax since 2019 to be back in its usual summertime spot on the calendar saw one of the best Finals in recent memory. Okada and Ospreay knocked it out of the park (as per usual) and at several points, it really looked as though Ospreay was going to pull it off. However, he ultimately fell short to Okada once again. Even with it being a clap crowd show, this was easily the best New Japan match of 2022, and Ospreay’s best match in a year where he was pumping out Match Of The Year contenders all over the place.” -Sean Sedor

“Will Ospreay has another chance to beat Okada clean but he just can´t, the Rainmaker is just so good that even the old tricks and moves from previous foes can’t get the job done. Ospreay is the most interesting wrestler in NJPW because is struggle what shapes a great World Champion, and by the looks of it his struggle won´t end soon.” -Diego Garcia

“One of the best matches of the decade, Ospreay puts in a career best performance here and Okada is at his killer best. This match is the standard you expect from the final of the G1 climax. Them making the crowd lose their minds and break clapping rules for the entirety of the finishing stretch is a testament to how sensational this was.” -Ashutosh

“Will Ospreay’s 2022 will go down as the stuff of legends. I ended up with three Ospreay singles matches in my top 10, and there were a few more — plus multiple United Empire matches during the AEW trios title tournament — that were on my shortlist for consideration. But this? This was perfection. A story that’s now been going on for seven-plus years, and for all that Ospreay’s become in that time, Okada remains his measuring stick, his “big brother” that he just can’t seem to surpass, despite throwing everything at him — including the best weapons of Okada’s biggest rivals. This … THIS is storytelling in pro wrestling.” -Adam Shinder

“Incredible storytelling and in-ring action mixed together. Ospreay’s use of moves that have beaten Okada before was a lovely touch that really magnified Ospreay’s character in 2022″ -Adam Darwin

“In a year where Ospreay shined on every stage, his best match was against Okada in the finals of the G1. This was one of my favorite matches of their series since I felt Ospreay’s frustration at trying to beat this man fairly and on a big stage and just failing once again. And hell, I believed it was Ospreay’s time. They got me. I even jumped at Ospreay’s borrowing finishers, and I find it interesting now that the last one he tried to do and failed was the One Winged Angel. The layout was perfect, and it’s a 30+ minute match that goes flying by. You need to watch this match if you have not done so.” -Abraham Delgado

“This match was a true G1 final, and a fine example of what a top match in NJPW looks like. If you have not seen this, you must go out of your way to watch it. It also helps setup what follows with Ospreay and his feud with Kenny Omega.” -Josiah MacDonald

“One day Will Ospreay will defeat Kazuchika Okada with a Stormbreaker and will feel like one of the biggest moments in the history of the company. With each match he inches closer and closer and this contest was him learning and adapting from every single thing Okada gave him. The clap crowds in Japan have put a real damper on a lot of the true top of the line matches in Japan but there have been moments where none of that matters emotions take over. The crowd begins to react regulations be damned TAKE US TO JAIL. This was definitely one where the fans said “TAKE US TO JAIL”. My match of the year and one of the greatest G1 Finals to ever take place.” -Markeem Graham

“Two of the best wrestlers colliding. When it comes to that , your guaranteed to have a spectacular. Okada without a doubt know how to put on an epic match. Ospreay on the other hand , is a great athlete. When I look at him, I see reckles and fast guy like Dynamite Kid. But also see some AJ Styles and Kenny Omega in him too. The story of the match was , Ospreay trying to beat Okada with, Okada’s former rivals finishing move. But Okada was still unbeatable. Also its more than using those moves. Tanahashi , the guy who gave Ospreay his NJPW career. Styles , who is the biggest reason why Ospreay is a wrestler. And Kenny , the guy who overshadowed Ospreay. I watched the whole match on my feet. None of the other matches in 2022 made me do that. Because of that , I can safely say that its my match of the year.” -Kaan Ünverdi

“Ospreay and Okada both put on spectacular performances here. Ospreay has been progressing and moving up in the company and Okada has always been the bar for him to surpass. They told that story masterfully here with Ospreay throwing out everything he had learned from previous matches but it still not being enough to put away Okada. Okada is the perfect guy in this spot and he thrives in this role. He is truly reaching Tanahashi levels.” -Rene Martinez

“Will Ospreay and Kazuchika Okada not only met at the beginning of the year 2022 as part of Wrestle Kingdom 16 with Okada winning, they also found themselves on opposite blocks in this years g1 Climax and they both made it to the finals of the most grueling tournament in wrestling. The history between Okada and Ospreay goes all the way back to their days in Chaos when Ospreay was a junior but when Ospreay became heavyweight he became an immediate threat to Ospreay’s throne. Going into this match Ospreay’s record against Okada was 1-6 so he was definitely at a mathematical disadvantage from the opening bell. Okada would immediately start off by locking in a headlock and make Ospreay try to work his style of match and pace. This was also to my knowledge the longest g1 final match in the history of the tournament. It’s only right that it’s Okada vs. Ospreay because they told a brilliant story in this match. This match went back and forth with plenty of near falls to create all the ingredients needed for an exciting g1 final. At one point during the match Ospreay hit a beautiful sky twister press off of the top rope to the outside onto Okada and it was perfectly executed. The moves that both men hit in this match were absolutely flawless. This match was a game of cat and mouse Ospreay trying to avoid Okada’s offense and trying not to get caught in either the Red Ink or the Rainmaker. The cat and mouse game between the two could only last so long though as eventually Okada would hit the neck breaker which set up for the final sequence of the match which eventually would end with Okada dropping Ospreay on his head and hitting the Rainmaker for the 1-2-3. The end result Kazuchika Okada is the 2022 g1 Climax winner and what a great climax to the tournament it was!” -Nathan Neumann

“Will Ospreay doing NJPW-style main event level matches is such a breath of fresh air in a place that sorely needs it. Having Okada being back on top is starting to get just a little stale, but Ospreay’s full entry into the NJPW main event level scene is great, and this match solidified that.” -Bryan Rose

“Will Ospreay’s 2022 will go down as arguably the greatest in-ring year for a wrestler ever, and for my money his match with Okada in the G1 Finals stands above the rest. This was yet another incredible match in a rivalry full of them, and continued the story of Ospreay’s longtime quest to finally beat Okada clean in the ring. Ospreay using the signature moves of past Okada rivals like AJ Styles, Hiroshi Tanahashi, and Kenny Omega conveyed his sheer desperation to win, while also planting the seeds for the eventual Omega match at Wrestle Kingdom 17. This had stakes, drama, heart-pounding action, cool sequences that made me jump out of my seat, and everything else you want in a big time wrestling match. When Okada put Ospreay away with the Rainmaker, I knew I had seen an absolute classic between two of the best wrestlers of all time. This is my match of the year for 2022.” -Andrew Rich

“Ospreay is the singles version of FTR this year. Just banger after banger. He’s easily the best worker of the year, singles edition.” -Eric Krol

“Almost perfect from two masters that continue the tale of master and apprentice. Next year Ospreay will do it, but not this G1.” -Jacob Nelson

“Let’s just immediately cut to the chase. This is one of the best matches you’ll ever see in a G1 Climax final. This is one of the best matches you’ll see in the last three years of New Japan Pro-Wrestling. This is even one of the best matches you’ll see from either Kazuchika Okada or Will Ospreay, despite the ever-growing avalanche of great matches both men have been a part of in their careers. And this was, in my opinion, the best match of 2022. This felt like a terrific return to form for Okada; not just Okada simply being great, but Okada being the outrageously great behemoth that stands as the unbeatable standard for New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Consider that this was not just Okada fending off the incredible athleticism of Ospreay, but fending off an Ospreay that was channeling the techniques of some of Okada’s greatest rivals. This was peak 2022 Will Ospreay — a Will Ospreay in the midst of an historically significant run of consistently great matches — and not even this Ospreay with the Styles Clash, High Fly Flow and V-Trigger on his side could vanquish the greatness of Okada. And for Ospreay, this was another crucial milestone on his path to the top of NJPW. For as great as he has been, there’s still more work to be done if he wants to catch and surpass Okada. It’s a story that mirrors the rise of Kenny Omega in New Japan, and has provided an intriguing wrinkle to Ospreay’s other high-profile feud with Omega. And the thing is, for as incredible as Okada has been for the last decade, this is the kind of performance that makes you think it actually is possible for Ospreay to one day rise to that same level. Another meeting between Okada and Ospreay is all but assured in the future, and hopefully when it arrives, IWGP gold and a fully unrestricted crowd will be there to propel these two to even greater heights.” -TDE

“The night where Will shows himself as the best in-ring wrestler in the world in 2022. His selling of his neck throughout the match is A+ with his execution of hope spots flawless. Okada might have been the man who took home the trophy but Ospreay was the man who gained the most from this night. I’d be stunned if Will Ospreay isn’t the IWGP World Champ in 12 to 18 months and if he is, look at this match as the starting point for his road to gold.” -Peter Edge

“It was not only a phenomenal final but it was a final match with a great and long history between two tremendously good wrestlers. They both fired all of their respective repertoires at each other, multiple OsCutter’s, Lariats and Tombstone were used but neither Kazuchika Okada nor Will Ospreay wanted to go down against their former brother. Typical Ospreay was when he hits the V-Trigger and the Katayoku no Tenshi just hours after Omega made his AEW return. The finishin sequence was, like everytime when Okada is involved, absolutely fantastic though. A worthy G1 final despite still being in the clap crowd era.” -Christian Gascoigne

“Good god. This was amazing. Pairs great with the Kenny match. Incredible nerve selling by Ospreay. The Finisher progression. Will’s increasing frustration and throwing everything at Okada till finally he misses with the One winged Angel. The better of their 2 matches this year and just 2 masters at their craft.” -Arturo Galletti

“The second meeting of the two this year, Okada once again the victor. Will has the pedigree and the resume to arguably be the best wrestler in world right now. These two understood what it meant to be in the main event of Wrestle Kingdom. And while Ospreay lost, both men went on to main event in the Tokyo Dome just a few months later against different opponents and showing the world why they are alone on an island as two of the best pro wrestlers in the world. As their Wrestle Kingdom meeting was my second best match of the year, their follow-up exceeded all expectations as the stakes grew for the combatants.” -Jeremy Finestone

“Will Ospreay and Kazuchika Okada set a bar for match quality during their IWGP World Heavyweight Championship match at Wrestle Kingdom 16, but this match clearly surpasses it by far and away, in my view. Much of it was due to the fans at the Nippon Budokan, who were raucous by Japanese standards in the final days of the ‘clap-crowd’ era. Their audible reactions to the artistry between Okada and Ospreay is everything that was so desperately missing from their contest at Wrestle Kingdom earlier in the year. The G1 Climax Final also benefitted from a shorter match which wound up telling a more concise and impactful story. Especially with the much quieter Tokyo Dome crowd, the WK16 match felt plodding at points, but not so at the Nippon Budokan. Ospreay and Okada simply operated at a consistently higher intensity, and when anything (and everything) connected, the response from the crowd was so much more satisfying. It was a wake up call just how much NJPW had been held back during the extended Pandemic Era for Japanese pro wrestling.” -Reuel Castillo

“This match didn’t move me as much as I expected or was hyped up to be. I love both performers, I’ve loved their matches in the past and this was still an exceptional match. Maybe it was just me but I left this match feeling simply whelmed. It surpassed minimum expectation, but didn’t approach what I know they could achieve.” -Gareth Ford-Elliott

“Every year, G1 Climax Final is an easy contender for MOTY (even if we were not really lucky with pandemic era). Kazuchika Okada and Will Ospreay. What do you need more than this? One is already considered a Legend even if he is not even at the middle of his career. The other one is considered by many the best in-ring talent in the world. They faced each other at the Dome this year. Easy. But still incredible. I don’t know if this is the context of a G1 final or the storytelling of the match or both, but this match had something more than the Dome main event.” -Enzo FADELLI

“This match was a blast. Whenever these two are in the ring against each other the match at worst will be good and this was amazing.” -Filip Pejic

“This was the next chapter in Ospreay’s continuing battle to get the better of Okada and after a gruelling G1 Climax he was on the losing end once again. There’s some great selling throughout this match from Ospreay and fantastic striking between the two of them as well, eliciting as much clapping as the crowd could muster. Okada dropkicks Ospreay mid Oscutter in the middle of an incredible sequence as Chris Charlton and Kevin Kelly do a stellar job putting over this match. A high fly flow, a styles clash, a v trigger in the ropes, it isn’t enough for Ospreay as he gets countered and eats a rainmaker. There’s another amazing closing sequence before Okada hits another rainmaker this time for the win to clinch another G1 final win.” -Steven

“I’m sure a lot of people had the two Okada/Ospreay matches from 2022 reasonably close, but for me they weren’t even in the same universe. The Tokyo Dome match was a nice little match, but the G1 final was an instant classic. Ospreay did an amazing job drawing you into his quest to overcome this wall he’s never been able to climb (well, not cleanly anyway), while Okada as he has throughout his entire career plays that wall better than maybe anyone in the history of wrestling. A spectacular match that told a perfect story, it’s easily the best match I saw in the year 2022.” -John Carroll

“Every time these two meet, it’s must see.” -Slyguy46

“Will Ospreay’s quest to defeat Kazuchika Okada on a big stage has been incredible to watch. All of their matches have been some of the best wrestling I’ve ever seen, but this match was next level. Ospreay had a ton of momentum coming into the match after defeating Tetsuya Naito in the semi-finals of the G1. Ospreay threw everything at Okada, including a cross-legged tombstone piledriver, Styled Clash, and even a V-Trigger. None of those big maneuvers could put Okada away. Okada’s fighting spirit was on display yet again. Okada shattered Ospreay’s dreams of victory with a spinning Cobra Flowsion and a Rainmaker. This was an easy five-star match. Bell to bell, this is some of the best wrestling you’ll see worldwide.” -Jeremy Donovan

“The match itself was flawless but I wanted to focus on the story: Ospreay convinced me, especially after beating Naito in the semis, that he was going to win the G1, and there were a few times in this match that I thought he had it. A testament to both guys. Ospreay can’t rest until he beats Okada. He’s 1-6 against him, and that 1 is only there because O-Khan interfered. Ospreay has his singular focus now, and it will make or break him in NJPW. He has to beat Okada by himself. Will he? We’ll see” -George Atsaves/Chris Colgan

“This was another excellent chapter in this rivalry, one that’s shaping up to rival Okada’s feuds with Tanahashi and Naito. The stakes were clear from the jump, but this is where this story evolved from an Okada revenge story to Ospreay’s hero’s journey. Will Ospreay had accomplished damn near everything there was to accomplish in New Japan. From winning tournaments like Best of the Super Juniors and New Japan Cup, to winning every singles title in the promotion. He made it clear that he only had two goals left to achieve: Win the G1 Climax. Beat Okada clean. He had the chance to do both in one fell swoop, and he came incredibly close. But Okada is still too strong. He’s still that guy. And in New Japan’s 50th year, he wasn’t going to lose to anyone. This was Chapter 1 in the rise of Will Ospreay to the top of New Japan, and I can’t wait to see how the rest of this story unfolds.” -Suit Williams

“I watched this a few months after it happened and had the hype. I was wondering if it could live up to it. Then Ospreay hit the Oscutter on the apron and I knew that it could. Two of the best going at it in possibly the most exciting night of the year, the G1 Climax finals.” -Dave Musgrave

“Storytelling. In pro wrestling discussion it has become somewhat of a trigger word for me, I’ll admit. It’s a word often used to describe why people like WWE (something that I do not like) and why they do not like AEW or New Japan. “Storytelling” in wrestling for many has come to mean “WWE-style storytelling.” It means that motivations and feuds must be explained by a character standing in the middle of the ring with a microphone explaining their actions (but usually not actually saying anything) in strange WWE verbiage.

I bring this up in context of this match because it is a match that tells a story without any of that annoying bullshit. It’s a wrestling match that – get this – does it’s storytelling within the context of the wrestling match itself.

Like many others the past few years of COVID restrictions and some booking has made my fandom for NJPW diminish. But this G1 Final between Will Ospreay and Kazuchika Okada reminded me why NJPW has been producing the greatest wrestling in the world for nearly a decade. Even though I had not followed the G1 that closely, or watched shows live at 5:00 AM like I had in the past – these two wrestlers were able to draw me into their match with full attention and excitement. The desperation of Will Ospreay to finally beat Kazuchika Okada on a big stage was obvious in every offensive move he hit and expression on his face.

The match truly hit the next level and became match of the year with one simple movement from Ospreay. He approached the corner turnbuckle and leapt over the ropes in a very familiar way. A way that made me leap up to my feet, knowing that a High Fly Flow was coming. Ospreay could have climbed the ropes the normal way to hit the move and it still would have accomplished his goal of using the moves from past wrestlers who have beat Okada, but he added that extra little detail of jumping to the top rope in that special Tanahashi way. And to me, that’s what pro wrestling is all about. Building anticipation and expectations and then either delivering or subverting them. Those brief moments where a million things go through your head in excitements and then you get the payoff.

The fact that Ospreay ultimately failed fits in perfectly with him using the moves of Tanahashi, Omega, and others to try and take down his white whale. In the end Ospreay will need to use his own moves and succeed or fail on his own merits. And after this brilliant match, I can’t wait to see the next Tokyo Dome main event, G1 Final, Sumo Hall main event or other big showdown between what has become a generational rivalry.” -S Dakota Jones 

“How can you not adore this story: Will Ospreay putting on stellar matches on all levels throughout the year, an unmatchable output, a man many consider to be the best wrestler in the world right now… and he can’t win the big one. He can’t crack the ceiling of Okada. An outstanding match with an outcome where he is reminded that as good as he is, he’s still not the best. Awesome stuff.” -Warren Hayes

“The elongated series between Okada and Ospreay has begun to feel like the Tanahashi=Okada story, with Will continuing to show he is the best in the world, but just can’t beat the man… yet.” -Kevin Ely

“The student has become the teacher.” -Chris

“What a battle of endurance! Okada goes right after the neck of Ospreay which is already hurt from the grueling tournament. Ospreay responds by using his agility and high flying on Okada before an Oscutter on the floor gives Ospreay an opening. The two work over each other’s necks with Okada utilizing the Money Clip and Ospreay using his quick strikes. The match becomes an incredible battle of back and forth action as both men throw the best shots they can on each other. Ospreay starts to pull out the offense of men that have beaten Okada in the past. A High Fly Flow and Styles Clash only get 2. V-Trigger by Ospreay! He goes for the One-Winged Angel but Okada slips out and hits the Rainmaker for a huge near-fall. Both men are exhausted as they try for a knockout blow. Ospreay lands a pair of eHidden Blades to the back of the head and Okada’s face but can’t get the Stormbreaker in. Ospreay looks for another Hidden Blade but Okada plants him with the Cobra Flowson. Rainmaker finally ends it and gives Okada the win. Ospreay fought with heart and passion but the Rainmaker is still the top guy.” -Alex Kalil

“This was a tremendous and incredible match-up. Of course, I think this, it’s my #1 of the year. By far perhaps the best match they have had with each other, and I’ve been pretty high on their other matches so that’s saying a lot. This is what I want out of a G-1 final, tremendous action, great storytelling, moment after moment sucking me in further and further. I loved everything about this match, and it was the best match both men had each year it’s one hell of a way to end this year’s G-1 Finals.” -Jeri L Evagood

“Two of my top 4 matches on back to back days” -Paul Fontaine

“This is their best match of the year. I preferred this match to their some match because the pacing is a bit more urgent and they had more to build from since the dome match. Also they overcame the clap crowd better in this. The finishing sequence is dynamite. Would win MOTY most years.” -Daniel Kuchler

“These two a really trying to stake their claim as the defining feud of New Japan in the 2020s. It feels oh so similar to Okada and Tanhashi for me. Each match just seems to get better with the story of Ospreay being crowned as a legitimate Gajin Ace. This felt like the turn of this story. Gave me Wrestle Kingdom 9 vibes with Okada where he just fell short. This (plus what just happened at Wrestle Kingdom 17) feels like we are entering into the Third Act of this story. Final act being Ospreay finally getting his win over Okada in the Dome hopefully at Wrestle Kingdom 18. All the callbacks of this match were incredible. These two continue to top themselves with every match. Ospreay resorting to using other New Japan legends moves really showed how desperate he is to get the 1 up on Okada. This is some good shit.” -Christopher Duarte

Voices of Wrestling 2022 Match of the Year
(Full List)