Voices of Wrestling 2024 Match of the Year: #1 (Will Ospreay vs. Bryan Danielson)

Congratulations to #1 in the Voices of Wrestling 2024 Match of the Year poll—Will Ospreay vs. Bryan Danielson from AEW Dynasty!

VOICES OF WRESTLING 2024 MATCH OF THE YEAR ARCHIVES

• Introduction, Voters & Honorable Mentions
• Matches #100-76
• Matches #75-51
• Matches #50-26
• Matches #25-11
• Match of the Year Statistical Analysis & Top 10 Early Reveal (FlagshipPatreon.com)
• Match #10: Hangman Page vs. Swerve Strickland
• Match #9: CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre
• Match #8: Swerve Strickland vs. Will Ospreay
• Match #7: Kazuchika Okada vs. Will Ospreay
• Match #6: Kazuchika Okada vs. Bryan Danielson
• Match #5: Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Bryan Danielson
• Match #4: Will Ospreay vs. Konosuke Takeshita
• Match #3: Bryan Danielson vs. Swerve Strickland
• Match #2: Darby Allin & Sting vs. The Young Bucks
• Match #1: Will Ospreay vs. Bryan Danielson

VOICES OF WRESTLING MATCH OF THE YEAR ARCHIVES

• 2023
• 2022
• 2021
• 2020
• 2019
• 2018
• 2017
• 2016
• 2015
• 2014
• 2013
• 2012

#1
Will Ospreay defeats Bryan Danielson
04/21
AEW

Overall Points: 1411
Total Votes: 134
Percentage of Ballots: 66.01%
62 First-Place Votes

“A perfect wrestling match. Not only match of the year but one of the best matches of all time. Two of the best ever in absolute top form with a hot crowd, a compelling story and a huge fight night feel. Wrestling as it was meant to be.” – Martin Hearty

“Just pro wrestling brilliance. The greatest to ever lace up a pair of boots against the man who may usurp him after the next 10-15 years. Danielson has a way to make you FEEL during his matches that few wrestlers do or ever have. Will brings the nastiness here as well. Just experts putting on a display that will be talked about for years to come. ” – Steve Case

“Many will call this the greatest wrestling match of all time. The fact that I have Danielson/ZSJ over this speaks volumes about how highly I hold that NJPW match, because Ospreay/Danielson may very well be the greatest match ever to be held on North America. ” – Ryan Largent

“A clash of styles, but it was so fun to watch each man adapt to the other’s offense. Just a masterclass in building suspense slowly, and never letting the audience sit down and relax.” – Kiley Fuller

“Both Bryan and Will do well to put together a great match; similar to Bryan/ZSJ in layout but Will is helped here instead of exposed” – William Young

“Arguably the two wrestlers of 2024, so it’s very fitting that they combined to create its best match. The ability of both men to put on an epic encounter is never in question, but I was surprised just how good this was. For two such different wrestlers to mesh so well made for a truly spectacular bout. ” – Jack G. King

“This is why I can’t give up on pro wrestling.” – Andrew Rich

“Some matches will leave you in awe with the caliber of talent wondrously showcasing their brilliance in craft. This was one of them—an experience to have witnessed live.” – Corey Michaels

“Because of the worked injury post match, and recency bias of other Ospreay matches, this one gets overlooked. Tremendous story, execution, and hype.” – Jeremy Diemer

“Fans forget wrestlers are athletes first and wrestlers second. Athletes are competitive, no matter the sport – or the “choreography”. The story of Danielson grappling with his own competitive nature vs. his mortality, and Ospreay coming to terms with what he had to do to win, was the most intriguing story of the year for AEW and it came together at the end of the year’s best match. Easily the best match of the year and one that should be studied by fans and writers. ” – B.J. Bethel

“Amid all the hand-wringing we do about AEW online, it’s important to remember this match would have likely never happened if AEW never existed. That was worth the price of admission alone.” – Josh Nason

“This was everything Bryan Danielson is best at blended perfectly with everything Will Ospreay is best at – rolled into 32 minutes and 40 seconds of one of the best matches I have ever seen. Danielson created advantages for himself by working over various body parts and adapting to different targets when the opportunity arose, and it felt like a potential match-ending moment whenever Ospreay became ensnared in his grasp. But Will proved more than a match, as his power wrestling and explosive offense, combined with a healthy dose of fighting spirit, kept Danielson from capitalizing. The timing and precision of everything was outstanding, epitomized by a picture-perfect knee strike to counter the Oz-Cutter. But what everyone will remember most about this match is the finish, climaxing with the younger, faster gun decisively out-dueling the old guard.” – Lionmark Luke

“Incredible ” – Conrad Kushman

“I don’t think there’s any doubt that this is the Match of the Year. I would argue that this could be one of the best Matches of all time. I can’t count more than 2-3 matches that I would put above this one. Everything about the work, the chemistry, the story-telling was something we haven’t seen before in wrestling. You also can’t mention this match without that Os-Cutter into the busaiku knee spot. Chef’s Kiss. Perfect Professional Wrestling.” – Jon Rogers

“Two of the best five active wrestlers in the world put on an all time classic to the surprise of no one. Even watching this spoiled on the result couldn’t take anything away from what they did together. ” – Chris Whitehead

“This was a real dream match between the best wrestler of the 2000s and the best wrestler of the 2020s. Sometimes when dream match-ups become reality they don’t live up to expectations. Danielson and Ospreay exceeded them. This wasn’t just the best match of the year, but it might be the best match I’ve ever seen. A stunning battle and incredible passing of the torch moment that reminds us why we love wrestling. ” – Adam Berger

“This is easily one of the greatest professional wrestling matches of all time! Right from the bell these two start off mat wrestling and working holds at just another level. Danielson is the better pure wrestler and nicely grounds Ospreay early on until Ospreay is able to start picking up momentum. Love the story of Danielson picking about Ospreay’s body piece by piece and forcing Ospreay to work from underneath and dig deep to fight back. Ospreay does fire up and we start getting some breathtaking counters and exchanges. So many great moments: Ospreay countering a hurricanrana off the top and landing on his feet, Tiger Suplex off the top by Danielson, La Mística into a LeBell Lock! Danielson goes for a Busaiku Knee but Ospreay lifts him up for a powerbomb. NO! Danielson with a Dragon Rana! Busaiku Knee! Kickout! Danielson stomps Ospreay’s head in! LeBell Lock is in but Ospreay fights out of it. Danielson transitions into a Triangle Choke. Ospreay with a Styles Clash! Both men are on their knees slugging it out. Slap to Ospreay. Hidden Blade to Danielson’s face! Oscutter… Danielson counters with a Busaiku Knee in mid-air! MY GOD! Both men stand in opposite corners and lock eyes! They charge! Ospreay is quicker and nails the Hidden Blade! Storm Driver 93!!! Danielson is hurt! Hidden Blade to the back of the head and Ospreay ends it! DEAR LORD! What a match! There are no words to describe this match. It was a perfect bell to bell wrestling match from two of the greatest wrestlers today. 5 FUCKING STARS!” – Alex Kalil

“A true dream match between two of the greatest wrestlers of this quarter century. Bryan Danielson the technical genius entering the final stages of his full time career against another genius in Will Ospreay who in many ways is only just entering his prime. Ospreay matches are characterized by sequences of work that tend to be out of this world and when he has a dance partner of the ilk of Danielson it resulted in one of the finest displays of professional wrestling you will ever see. ” – Jason Turner

“I honestly don’t have a lot to say about this one. A dream match that lived up to the hype and then some. ” – Swarles

“The best in the world and Ospreay. Simply incredible. ” – Kevin Skiffington

“There’s not too many dream matches that you can still do that will mean anything because lets face it in today’s wrestling landscape people say that something is a “dream match” when it’s really not one at all. However I remember being excited for this match to happen from the moment it was announced but I tried to not get my hopes up because often when I do I tend to get my hopes up. The crowd was absolutely electric for this match and to say that we got to see this match as part of Bryan Danielson’s last year as a full time performer is pretty cool. Danielson is one of the best to ever do it and I’m so happy that I was able to follow his entire career except for maybe his stuff in pro wrestling NOAH. Danielson and Ospreay traded offensive maneuvers early on and there was a lot of early ground work they paced the match beautifully. The match was very back and forth later on in the match Danielson gave Will a top rope tiger suplex which was absolutely insane. After that both men kicked it into high gear Danielson eventually positions Will on the ground in a submission hold where he tries to dislocate his arm from his entire body. Towards the end of the match Danielson finally hits Will with a Busaiku Knee he then begins kicking Will relentlessly in the head when Will is on the ground. Danielson then positions Will so that he can elbow him in the head over and over again. Eventually Will picks Danielson off of the ground and delivers a Style’s clash for a near fall. Will goes for the Oscutter and gets a knee to the back of the head from Bryan. The crowd is in the palm of their hands at this point in the match. The end of the match saw both in the corner they ran at each other and each go for a move but Will hits the Hidden Blade. Will then hits Bryan with a double underhook piledriver and tops it off with another hidden blade to score the pinfall victory. This match ended at the right time and did not overstay its welcome it was hands down the best match that I saw all year!” – Nathan Neumann

“Expectations were high going into this match, truly high. One of the wrestlers is in the conversation for best wrestler working today and the other is in the conversation for the best ever. Somehow, they managed to exceed them, having the match that only these two wrestlers were capable of having. If the crowd were sat down at any point during that match, I can’t remember it.” – Chris Gannon

“It takes a lot to have me screaming like 2008 Kurt Angle at 4am, but god bless Ospreay and Danielson for making it possible” – Sam Palmer

“One of the best wrestling matches Ive ever seen. Its perfect.” – Mike Charlip

“This is pure excitement and action distilled into a match, and the shining example of what Will Ospreay is so great at in the ring. Sure there wasn’t much story going into the match, but that almost helped focus the match into what was one of the most hyperbolic wrestling experiences ever. It was like watching an anime fight scene, but in real life and with two of the best wrestlers of all time, so of course it was insanely good.” – Adam Darwin

“Great match from these two. The hype surrounding it was absurd (this is the GOAT US match apparently) and it proved to be unjustified but it was still a great match, and about as good as you’d expect from these two. Their criticisms may consist of a lack of real conviction in the mid-section attacks or arm work (Ospreay’s selling wasn’t great and Danielson was quick to move onto the next thing almost as it was looking to be promising) but they built up the drama of the match well enough.

It built to a nice finale with a few counters, including one insane counter to the Oscutter. There were a few niggling problems like a brief hulk-up, which followed what should’ve been crushing moves, but niggling they were. They concluded with a nice finish to end the match. Great match. Easily the best of a slow year.” – MC

“Two of pro wrestling’s all-time best in-ring performers, facing off for the first time ever after years of fans “fantasy booking” the bout. This was like watching two super computers play a game of chess against each other, with each of them trying to think several moves ahead of their opponent.” – Aaron Hyden aka Hustle

“When this match was announced my expectations were stratospheric, and these two somehow exceeded those expectations. Two of the best of all time putting on a perfect match – the in-ring psychology was perfect. The story was that each man tried to wrestle the other’s style of match and Ospreay was just a hair better at wrestling Danielson’s match than Danielson was at wrestling Ospreay’s match. Danielson countering the Oscutter with a knee to the side of the head is my spot of the year. I left this match thinking Danielson is the best wrestler of all time and Ospreay could supplant him by the time it is all said and done. – George Atsaves” – George Atsaves

“When Danielson and Ospreay faced off, Busaiku Knee vs. Hidden Blade, I stood up in my living room hooting and hollering because this was the hypest moment in professional wrestling that I’ve ever seen. This match lived up to every expectation I had, and because there hasn’t been a rematch, this remains a unique jem in wrestling history.” – Kim Wong

“Expectations were sky high and they achieved it. It even had a pop at the bell. Unlike some dream matches, this one actually felt that it reached the imagined level.” – Abraham Delgado

“Will Ospreay vs. Bryan Danielson. That’s it. That’s all you need to know. A sensational match that captured the greatness of both men.” – Scott Edwards

“A true dream match. In my opinion, a match-up between the two best wrestlers in 2024. It was the perfect follow-up to Ospreay’s match against Takeshita the month before, and by the end of Dynasty, Ospreay and Swerve felt like the two biggest stars in the promotion.” – Jays Retro

“Despite my wrestling fandom being down this year, certain guiding lights could steer me through the darkness. Chief among those is having the two best wrestlers in the world face off in an all-time classic. I don’t think any other wrestlers performed as consistently or was more demanding of my engagement. This match symbolized both of these with the skill, drama, potency, and prestige. Succinctly put: Just the BEST!” – Jacob Nelson

“Plenty will be written about this match, and deservedly so. It was one of the most awe-inspiring, jaw-dropping, emotionally charged bouts I’ve witnessed in a while. Ospreay and Danielson are the best in the world at what they do, and they seemed motivated to blow the roof off of the arena and every home watching on Pay-Per-View. A truly compelling, violent, brilliantly paced encounter from start to finish. I’m still not a fan of the “life threatening injury scare” angle they pull with Danielson way too often, though. ” – Brandon LeClair

“I’m not sure there was a match that put more pressure on its participants to deliver an all-time classic in 2024 than this one, but somehow these two freaks (complimentary) delivered. A match that would get over anywhere in any promotion.” – Liam Renner

“There are sequences in this match that may be the highest level that pro wrestling ever achieves. The perfect blend of athleticism, impact, suspension of disbelief, excitement, drama, and character work. When Bryan Danielson hits a flying knee to the back of Will Ospreay’s head I knew I was witnessing one of the greatest matches of all time. Their speed and precision was breathtaking both in it’s perfection – but also in its ability to still make it all work within the context of a violent pro wrestling competition. This doesn’t have the feel of a choreographed match that was practiced in a warehouse for weeks on end. This was two wrestlers using their talents and speed and skill to hurt each other, to evade each other, and to add that extra bit of force to their offense to try and get the job done. The dueling chants at the end before they charge into each other was the perfect use of pro wrestling as an art form – without going too far into the pandering or melodrama territory. They were medieval knights getting ready to joust or two wild west gunslingers staring each other down before seeing who had the fastest draw. Sadly the only thing that keeps this from being higher on my list or a 5 star match is that the ending, with Bryan Danielson overselling the tiger driver did lean a little too much into the melodrama. Even if I can forget the uneven follow up to this with Bryan, or the summer of “tiger driver doubt” from Will Ospreay, in the moment it took me out of the match too much. It should have been sold after the 3 count and in a much less over the top way in my opinion. But even with that, every single thing leading up to this is exactly what you would expect from two of the greatest wrestlers of all time getting into the ring for a big time match. There are matches that I liked better this year overall, and will like better in the future – but within this match there are multiple long stretches that may never be improved upon in all of wrestling history. ” – S. Dakota Jones

“This was the best match I’ve seen on American soil. Since Bryan left WWE, I was rooting for this to happen. Bryan Danielson, having this on his last full time tour was basically a farewell. Watched the whole thing excitement. Stuff like this is why I choose AEW over WWE.” – Kaan Ünverdi

“Dream match that may have exceeded the lofty expectations that everyone had going in. ” – Paul Fontaine

“A lot of things went wrong with AEW this year, but Ospreay had one of the best big match years ever; Ospreay AEW matches were 2-5 on my ballot. I just wish it meant more in retrospect.” –Jarrett Seidler

“Going to keep this short and simple. Wrestling executed at the absolute highest level. Have there been better matches in history? Sure. Has there been better execution in a wrestling ring? Doubtful.” – Markeem Graham

“It’s Will Ospreay vs Bryan Danielson. I don’t need any further thoughts.” – Joe Towner

“When I saw this match get announced and it was within driving distance, I knew I had to be there in person. Six hours each way? It’s Ospreay/Danielson, you make that drive in a heartbeat. I’m glad I did, as it was one of the best matches I’ve ever seen in person, and being there in the building for it was akin to a religious experience. Two of the greatest to ever do it, and I’ll forever be grateful I was there to witness it.” – Jack Beckmann

“Will Ospreay’s single greatest strength is that his “dream matches” – whether it be his first encounter with Shingo Takagi, Kenny Omega, or Tetsuya Naito, just to name a few, always deliver to the degree that you would want them to. This Danielson match was no different. It was perfect. It was everything you’d want to see from Danielson and Ospreay. It was far and away the best thing that I saw in 2024. ” – Case Lowe

“With 2024 being commented on as the year where the “if everything is a dream match, nothing is a dream match”, we actually got a dream match. The man who is seen as the best wrestler of the 20’s against the best technical wrestler of the last 20 years and it lived up to the hype and then some. It’s great until the Ospreay hidden blade to the outside. It’s magnificent until the wrestling world collectively gasps when Danielson counters an Oscutter with a Busaiku Knee and it is unbelievable from then on. Danielson and Ospreay stand in opposite corners like two duellers at sunrise. Two gunslingers knowing that the next successful shot is going to win. The end of the match would see the traditional big match Danielson moment where he sells a serious neck injury after a Tiger Driver 91 and that does take the match down from perfection a slight notch but it’s a match that does live up to its billing and then some and is a dream match that deserves to be tracked down by fans for the next 5 decades” – Peter Edge

“Two of the greatest to ever do it going at it in one of the greatest matches you’ll ever see” – Tyler Forness

“I took part in the group review of AEW Dynasty for Voices Of Wrestling back in April (alongside Suit Williams), and my thoughts on this match at the time, in that moment, still ring true all these months later. Bryan Danielson and Will Ospreay, two of the greatest professional wrestlers to ever live on this planet, walked into St. Louis, Missouri and put on one of the greatest professional wrestling matches that any of us will ever see. I will never forget the crowd exploding as the bell rang to start the match. I will never forget the INSANE Tiger Suplex that Danielson gave to Ospreay off the top rope that reminded me of the incredible quote that Steve Corino delivered on commentary after Kenny Omega hit Okada with the Top Rope Dragon Suplex at Wrestle Kingdom 11 in 2017. I will never forget the amazing sequence that ended with Danielson countering an OsCutter IN MID AIR with the flying knee. I will never forget hearing a loud “We’re Not Worthy” chant from the crowd. I will never forget these two charging at each other in a duel to see who would hit their big move first. Ospreay wound up winning that exchange, which led to the Tiger Driver 91 (I still prefer the Storm Driver 93 as the name for that move) and a brutal Hidden Blade that secured him the win. It’s perhaps the greatest pro-wrestling match to ever take place on American soil, and it’s matches like this that make me proud to be a pro-wrestling fan.” – Sean Sedor

“One of the last true dream matches there was, these two absolutely delivered an unforgettable match in front of an electric crowd. Danielson counter of the Oscutter with the Busaiku Knee will be something I’ll remember decades from now.” – Paul Wedding

“This was an epic match between the two best wrestlers in the world last year. It was such a great match, there is not much to say.” – Filip Pejic

“The GOAT and the Billy GOAT? Yes, please!” – Ryan Ciocco

“I love when Bryan Danielson pretends to die.” – Mongo Underscore Ebooks

“Having just gotten home from going to Revolution – more on that show later – I wasn’t planning on going to another AEW show until later in the year. When I saw that staredown happen, I grabbed my phone and booked the trip.

These are two of my three favorite wrestlers of all time. When the third guy came back to wrestling after a seven-year layoff, I flew to Chicago to see that match. When these two teased a match in the midst of Danielson’s “retirement tour,” I had to be there. So I flew to St. Louis for Dynasty, which was a fun time. The transportation was easy, as I took a train shuttle from the airport to the hotel. I may or may not have seen a coke deal go down in front of me, which was as much of a welcome to St. Louis as you could ask for. I took a city bus to the arena and back, which was on the Saint Louis University campus. And there was a Subway two minutes from the hotel, so I didn’t even have to Uber Eats anything over. A great little trip.

Oh yeah, and then I saw the show. Dynasty was a great show, the second best PPV of the year for AEW. Is it a coincidence that the PPVs that I attended live were great, and the ones I haven’t were so-so? Maybe, maybe not. The peak of the show was obviously this match, as it was the marquee match of the night and one of the best live matches I’ve ever seen. The energy in the building was unreal, as the bell pop was one of the loudest pops of the night. Everyone knew we were going to see something great, and these two delivered in spades. It’s funny, Ospreay has had two matches in the past eighteen months where the reasonable floor is a Match of the Year contender, and both of them delivered to those unreasonable expectations.

Danielson kneeing Ospreay out of the air on an OsCutter attempt forced noises out of me that I couldn’t replicate if I tried. And the final faceoff with both guys loading up their finishers like it was a showdown at high noon should have been corny but was incredible in the building. I went to this show for this match, and this match made the trip worth every penny.” – Suit Williams

“The two greatest wrestlers in the world having one of the greatest wrestling matches of all time? How expected. ” – Lawson Leong

“I will never forget the finishing move of this match, with Danielson and Ospreay in opposite corners, charging at each other. And I will never forget that they missed the shot. Never change, AEW.” – Jeremy Sexton

“Instantly one of the greatest matches in AEW history, which may sound absurd with the exceptional in-ring output this company has created in its first five years, but also completely unsurprising considering it’s two of the very best wrestlers ever. I could write paragraphs for the “why” of how this match was great, but truthfully, it should just be immediately obvious to anyone with an appreciation for pro-wrestling.” – TDE

“The term “dream match” gets thrown around a lot in wrestling, but this was the rare occasion where it felt completely earned. A masterclass in technical brilliance and high-octane offense, this match showcased two of the greatest wrestlers of their generation pushing each other to their absolute limits. This is what professional wrestling is all about—two elite competitors fighting to determine who truly is the best, with no need for friendship bracelets or petty squabbles. Just hard-hitting, high-stakes action. The Tiger Driver/Hidden Blade combination will forever be remembered as one of the most devastating finishing sequences in wrestling history. An instant classic from start to finish.” – Jeremy Donovan

“I took a nice little Amtrak ride down to St. Louis from Chicago for this PPV. The St. Louis arch is sometimes called “The Gateway to the West”. It’s an interesting term when you think of what AEW has been essentially since it’s existence. It’s been a Gateway FOR the West to allow for much easier access to a broader range of professional wrestling. And in 2024, the signing of Will Ospreay to AEW might be the single biggest move through that gateway. And on this night we saw him clash with the man who essentially became synonymous with the indie boom of the 2000s, and arguably the reason why technical wrestling experienced the revival that it did during his career in Bryan Danielson. This is undoubtably the single greatest match I’ve ever seen in person in my life. It’s probably the greatest wrestling match to ever take place on American soil. It’s a match that has single-handedly turned the Tiger Driver into a devastating finisher within the canon of AEW and will likely have lasting storyline impacts for years to come. Just a masterpiece and well done to both Danielson and Ospreay.” – Douglas Fowler (Skeach101)

“What can I say about this match that hasn’t been shouted from the rooftops by wrestling fans the world over? It’s the greatest wrestler of all time putting on yet another showcase of his talent, versus arguably the best at it today. A dream match that overdelivered on every front. Take a bow, gentlemen.” – Slyguy46

“I am still in awe of what these two did. It wasn’t just the action in the ring that was incredible. Only the top wrestlers in the world have the kind of timing that these two had back in April. The big moves mattered and the crowd was hot for everything they did, treating it like a big match from the very start. They were given all the tools needed to have an outstanding match and lived up to expectations.” – Bryan Rose

“The greatest professional wrestling match of all time” – Lee Malone

“This was as close to perfect as you can get in my eyes, and will surely be seen as a modern-day classic in future years. Two of the best in the world at the very top of their game, playing the crowd like a fiddle with sublime technical wrestling, hard-hitting strikes and some insane spots peppered throughout (see: Danielson casually busting out a DRAGONRANA). Plus, that finish with both men in opposite corners, ready to make the final charge in a gladiatorial final strike, was one of the more memorable finishes in recent memory, right up there with ‘I’m sorry, I love you.” The fact that the Tiger Driver was sold like death and referred back to on AEW TV for months also helped solidify that this match actually meant something in the grander scheme. Just a tremendous encounter and further proof that these guys are two of the best to lace up those boots.” – Theo Sambus

“Generally I’ve gone past the idea of fawning over dream matches. That comes from a combination of there being so few left to dream of, and being burned many times by them underwhelming.

There are no two better men to take the bar of a “dream match” and clear it. I think as Ospreay has risen to be undeniable bell to bell even among a number of critics, the Bryan match is an exemplar of how writing him off still as a flip merchant is perhaps the laziest criticism of an elite contemporary wrestler. Yes the flips are still there and you will not be disappointed by expecting some freakish athleticism. But when it comes time to get physical, to get hard hitting, and to build the connective tissue between spectacular high spots, Ospreay now has it all in spades. Putting that physical talent in with the Greatest To Ever Do It was as guaranteed a MOTYC you were likely to be able to flag before the bell even rang. It’s a shame we only got one, but we can always dream it will happen again.” – Dave Ryan

“This match was white-hot since before the bell rang. The story leading into this match was simple yet engaging. Ospreay as one of the newer members of the AEW roster at the time wants to prove himself and who better to do it against than Bryan Danielson. Danielson is on his retirement run but still wants to prove it to himself that he can still hang with the hottest wrestler in the world. The energy of this match was unparalleled. The strive of both wrestlers to constantly outdo each other was incredible. The intensity, the drama, the urgency all perfectly blended into one of the greatest matches of the year. The performances were immaculate. I’m running out of adjective here. 5 star match.” – Rene Martinez

“Probably the best crowd reaction I saw a match get all year. Those people in St. Louis were just JAZZED at what they were getting to witness. Only reason it’s not my #1 or #2 is the kinda silly injury angle at the very end, but hey, it’s a minor problem.” – Elliot Imes

“Bryan Danielson vs. Will Ospreay in St. Louis is one of the greatest wrestling matches I’ve ever seen, never mind 2024. Two of the greatest ever delivered a truly memorable and emotional display of wrestling skill. Danielson’s insane Tiger Suplex, the mid-air counter of the oscutter, and Ospreay sealing it with the Tiger Driver 91 and Hidden Blade under chants of “We’re not worthy” will be engrained in my mind forever. This match had everything: counters on counters, brutal finishers, and pure, distilled magic. It’s almost a cliché now to say that when wrestling “hits” there is nothing like it on Earth. But like most clichés, there’s truth to it. So slap on the cliché for this match. If you haven’t seen it yet, you’re doing yourself a disservice.” – Warren Hayes

“When a dream match is announced there’s both expectations and a fear that comes with those expectations. The expectations are all about the bar that we set in our minds when 2 all time talents compete. The fear is that the match cannot possibly live up to those expectations. And occasionally? The match happens and it exceeds all those expectations and we are blessed. Ospreay and Danielson is a blessing and honestly the most fitting match to represent the last full year of one of the all time greats. It’s a match with a molten crowd that tells an incredible story. It’s a match about the details: the dodges, the counters, the damage building. Everything, from the crowd, to the ref, to the ongoing storylines is used to build and build. But it ultimately is structured around a finisher exchange that finally goes Will’s way. ” – AmericanNumbers

“I assume lyrical poetry, sonnets, ballads, rock songs, comic books, literary explorations, documentaries, podcasts and movies will be devoted to this match in the future and rightfully so.” – Jeremy Finestone

“Two generational masters of the craft at entirely different points in their careers. Bryan Danielson and Will Ospreay surpass my ridiculous expectations. I was fully expecting them to put on an all time classic and oh man. That might have been one of my top 5 favorite matches in the history of pro wrestling. Incredible. There was no doubt that these two would put on an unforgettable performance. The crowd was electric from the moment the bell rang. An exhilarating clash of styles; Danielson’s stiff, grounded and technical prowess meets Ospreay’s unmatched athleticism and strength. The counters were flawless; Danielson’s pulling out the bridging Tiger suplex in his 40’s, then the absolutely insane avalanche Tiger suplex. This match was legendary. A masterpiece and the definition of “both these guys.” Match of the year and maybe match of the decade. A crowd chant of “We’re not worthy” perfectly encapsulates the feeling that this match gave me. The “hidden blade” vs The “busaiku knee” finishing sequence was exhilarating. All timer.” – Noveliss

Voices of Wrestling 2024 Match of the Year
(Full List)