Voices of Wrestling 2024 Match of the Year: #4 (Will Ospreay vs. Konosuke Takeshita)

Will Ospreay and Konosuke Takeshita pushed each other to their absolute limits in the #4 match of Voices of Wrestling’s 2024 Match of the Year!

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

VOICES OF WRESTLING MATCH OF THE YEAR ARCHIVES

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

#4
Will Ospreay defeats Konosuke Takeshita
03/03
AEW

Overall Points: 695
Total Votes: 103
Percentage of Ballots: 50.74%
8 First-Place Votes

“Will Ospreay hit the ground running with AEW right off the bat, putting on the first of many outstanding performances against Konosuke Takeshita. It must be tough to constantly go into each match knowing that nothing short of a borderline MOTYC is going to satisfy people, which only makes it even more amazing just how many times Ospreay pulled it off in 2024. Takeshita was the perfect choice for a first opponent, both as someone who could obviously keep up with him athletically but also as a guy who was just waiting for the perfect opportunity to break out in this company (despite two wins over Kenny Omega in 2023 that the promotion did precious little to follow up on). By the end of the year, Takeshita finally felt made as a guy in AEW, and it all started here in one of their best matches of the entire year.” – John Carroll

“2024 belonged to two men; Will Ospreay and Bryan Danielson. The performances they put in during 2024 alone would outshine most wrestlers’ entire careers, so expect to see them a lot in this list. Of course, they needed excellent people to work with and there were few better than Takeshita. This was a tremendous offering from both men, fighting in their own styles but both grounded in that unmistakeable New Japan strong style. These two have sensational chemistry and I hope to see them go toe to toe again in the future. If 2024 belonged to Ospreay and Danielson then 2025 looks likely to be the year of Takeshita” – Martin Hearty

“At the time this happened it was the match of the year – and then Ospreay and Takeshita both had to outdo themselves throughout 2024. If it weren’t for being on the card of Sting’s retirement match this would be *the* match anybody talked about leaving that night.” – Ryan Largent

“This had a lot of hype to live up to and somehow did. A landmark moment for Ospreay early in his AEW career, but also the confirmation of Takeshita as a top-level talent.” – Jack G. King

“What’s better than this? Guys being dudes.” – Andrew Rich

“This kicked off an incredible year-long run for Ospreay. He earned his money and then some.” – Josh Nason

“Konosuke Takeshita is my breakout star of the year. He wasn’t really a guy on my radar in Japan in DDT. But this match showed me everything I need to know about him. As I’ve already stated, I was in attendance at AEW Revolution and this is the best in-ring match I’ve ever seen with my own two eyes. It tore the house down and solidified two new players in the AEW main event scene. You can’t ask for a better match than this.” – Jon Rogers

“I have seen many a fool describe modern wrestling as ‘video game wrestling’ and somehow mean this as a negative. In this case, Ospreay and Takeshita delivered a video game wrestling classic and I mean that as a sincere form of flattery. They did things together that most humans couldn’t even do on a video game. ” – Chris Whitehead

“This could be the best debut match a wrestler has ever had in a new promotion. Ospreay re-introduced himself to the AEW audience with a stunning performance, and Takeshita reminded everyone he’s also one of the absolute best pro wrestlers on the planet. ” – Adam Berger

“A phenomenal bell to bell wrestling match! Nice simple story all match with Ospreay being the faster and more agile wrestler while Takeshita is more of the powerhouse. Some nice early exchanges highlight the story with both men being lethal with their strikes. Things build and build as the two start going for bigger and bigger offense and at the same time pull off some amazing counters! Oscutter countered into a Blue Thunder Bomb! Turnbuckle Brainbuster! Ospreay gets folded up with a German Suplex only to rush forward and nail a Hidden Blade! These two are going all out! Ospreay is able to block Takeshita’s Jumbo Knee and hits a Styles Clash for 2! Tiger Driver 93 before a Hidden Blade ends things! Too much happened here to recap! This may be one of the greatest straight up bell to bell matches I have seen in years. Amazing and breath-taking counters and exchanges to a red hot crowd! This was Pro Wrestling done right!” – Alex Kalil

“A great Ospreay match is almost a weekly occurrence by now and his opponent here Konosuke Takeshita had a sneakily great year. One of the great things about Will Ospreay is that he can adapt his style to have a great match with almost anyone while still having his own input into the style of a match. This match added to the great action sequences with some heavy striking which Takeshita is great at and really underrated. In addition to the strikes there were some heavy duty moves and just great drama as the match reached a great climax. ” – Jason Turner

“How do you choose Will Ospreay’s best match of the year? You go with your gut, and that’s what this one was for me. The match was great, of course, but as Ospreay’s first match under AEW contract, this was also the match that made some realize he needed to be the centerpiece of the promotion. ” – Greg Parks

“Takeshita proved what many of us already knew, he could hang with Ospreay. These two gelled perfectly and had a fantastic match. ” – Kevin Skiffington

“When Konosuke Takashita made his debut in AEW I didn’t have a clue who he was until he got into the ring and I saw right away how good he is. Fast forward to AEW Revolution in March of 2024 and they put him in the ring with Will Ospreay and they rang the bell and the match did the rest in convincing me of just how good Takashita is. Takashita showed everyone just how good he was in a true test against Ospreay so if he had doubters before this match he most likely no longer does. Takashita was a great dance partner for Ospreay in this match when I saw this match and saw Takashita after it was over I remember thinking to myself that he wouldn’t be in AEW for long and that NJPW might swoop in and take him time will tell if that happens but I will enjoy Takashita on my TV as long as I can. This was an evenly matched bout as both brought their fare share of offense to the table. This match was also very hard hitting and there were multiple times when someone was wobbled legged and could barely stand. There was an awesome spot during the later part of the match where Ospreay went for the Osscutter and Takashita caught him in a blue thunder bomb great stuff! There were a lot of near falls throughout the match this match had all of the ingredients to make it an instant classic and to give it a spot on my list eventually Ospreay would score the deciding fall and win the match with the hidden blade. Go watch this match if you haven’t seen it yet, it’s great!” – Nathan Neumann

“AEW made three big signings for 2024, and Will Ospreay made the biggest start of those signings with a match that might have been match of the year in any other year. Both of these wrestlers are truly special talents, and they had absolutely fantastic chemistry. I can only hope for a rematch somewhere down the line.” – Chris Gannon

“This match set the stage for Ospreay’s AEW run getting off on the right foot, and made Takeshita even further then he already was as a main stay. ” – Mike Charlip

“Sneakily my favorite Ospreay match of 2024. Just two incredible performers going at it in a high-intensity environment. The finish, with Takeshita selling like he was knocked loopy and squaring up in the wrong direction, while Ospreay comes from the other side and cleans him out with the Hidden Blade, will be something I’ll remember forever. ” – Jesse Collings

“Takeshita didn’t just work this match with a chip on his shoulder. He wrestled with the entire Frito-Lay warehouse on his shoulder. Ospreay was brand new to the AEW roster, and his arrival made a lot of people seemingly push Takeshita to the back burner. This made Takeshita wrestle a match that was making an attempt to prove that he, not his opponent that night, was the best wrestler alive. These two beat the hell out of each other, pushing themselves further and further and further, and just when you thought they couldn’t do it any more, they went even further.” – Aaron Hyden aka Hustle

“The start to Will Ospreay’s AEW career pitted him against one of the most complete and most talented young wrestlers in the world today, in the form of Konosuke Takeshita. After this match, two things were certain. One, Will Ospreay was destined to do just as well in AEW as he had done everywhere previously. Two, Konosuke Takeshita is ready to ascend to the highest levels of pro wrestling recognition.” – George Atsaves

“This was Ospreay’s AEW coming out party, a signature match in his career that set the course for one of the best 1-year runs ever of a wrestler in a North American promotion. The crowd in Greensboro really elevated this; it felt like a match between two guys who could be rivals in the ‘best wrestler in the world’ conversation for the next 10 years. ” – Jays Retro

“Damn. The 2 best in ring performers in the world (debatable) beat the sh*t out of eachother. It was awesome.” – Jacob Nelson

“Wow. I had questions about how the AEW audience would take to Will Ospreay. Of course, they’d know him. But, would they view him as a breakout star? Or, like many free agent signings before him, would they seem content to watch him merge with the flow of traffic? I think that question was answered rather resoundingly. Ospreay felt like a big deal. A main event waiting to happen. He and Takeshita tore the house down in a brilliant, wildly athletic and at times scary display of acrobatic acumen.” – Brandon LeClair

“I was in the building for this show. The crowd (myself included) was TIRED by the time these guys got in the ring and not making much noise. Then these two got in there and whipped us all into a frenzy. A match that felt like the cutting edge of what this style of pro wrestling can be.” – Liam Renner

“The rope burn from the turnbuckle brainbuster will forever be etched into my brain. It is the perfect encapsulation of what turned out to be a brutal match, and an amazing introduction of Will Ospreay into AEW as a full time performer. The brutality of the entire match is really what stands out. These two throw elbows and strikes at each other in a way that very few in the world can do. And they combine it with the athleticism, speed, and high flying in such a way that only the most elite wrestlers can do together. This was a match that if anyone came in without having watched WIll Ospreay much in NJPW and had an open mind about it – would instantly know he was one of the best in the world. Any comments or arguments from bad faith critics and grifters that Ospreay is a flippy do spot monkey who doesn’t sell should have been burned from the memory of anyone watching with an open mind. It was the perfect start to a year for Ospreay where he became the most reliable PPV wrestler in America. Despite the ups and downs of AEW throughout the year, we can still rely on Will Ospreay every month. Anytime he steps in the ring on a big stage, there is potential for a match of the year candidate.” – S. Dakota Jones

“Ospreay’s 7th match in my top 8. This included two matches in a 4 day span along with the Kyle Fletcher match on the followup Dynamite. I didn’t think anything could top his 2023 but he may have done it this year. ” – Paul Fontaine

“Ospreay announces his arrival in AEW in spectacular fashion, going head-to-head with the best Japanese wrestler of his generation.” – Joe Towner

” That spinning elbow strike, the tiger drivers, that fucking turnbuckle spot that looked absolutely painful, the insane lariat, styles clash, one after the other. That overhook tombstone, wheelbarrow suplex, hidden circle sequence all for a kick out at one. Insane, brilliant, it pissed off everyone that deserved to be pissed off. All the insanity of the second half of this match makes you forget how brilliantly wrestled the first half was. The cliche of “it would have MOTY in another year” might apply to this but it wasn’t even MOTN thanks to that pesky Sting but it was an easy Top 5 on my list.” – Peter Edge

“Konosuke Takeshita is finally getting all of the praise that he deserves because he’s getting the opportunity to show what he can do. There isn’t a better opponent to maximize what you can do than Will Ospreay and they delivered. I don’t stand and pace very often, but they had me from the start.” – Tyler Forness

“Will Ospreay’s tenure as a full-time member of the AEW roster kicked off with a bang as he stole the show with Konosuke Takeshita at AEW’s Revolution PPV back in March. An outstanding back-and-forth bout that electrified the crowd in Greensboro. When you get two wrestlers of this caliber in the ring together, magic usually follows, and on that night, they produced an instant classic that will go down as one of the best matches of 2024.” – Sean Sedor

“In this day and age, the term “dream match” is thrown around far too often. What used to be the dominion of WrestleMania weekend super indy type shows now has been co-opted to just describe matches that have some hype about them.

Will Ospreay versus Konosuke Takeshita was a dream match, and it exceeded the hype that it generated when it was announced. It may have even been a last minute addition to the card if I remember correctly! It had everything you could want, explosivity, athleticism on an unmatchable scale, ridiculously well timed counters and the very best examples of fighting spirit on my list. Fighting spirit doesn’t mean no selling, or kicking out of big moves, it’s about breaking your opponent’s will to continue. Ospreay and Takeshita clashed, struggling to break the other down. The match featured so much emotion and frustration and raw physicality. It’s stuff like this that makes me continue to be a wrestling fan.

You know what the very best part of all of this is? They have a better match in them. There’s plenty that’s been left on the table for a rematch. This was a match I can’t recommend highly enough. “– DJ Convoy

“The story here was simple. Ospreay was coming into AEW full-time, and Don Callis put him against his fellow Callis Family charge Takeshita to have a good match and steal the show from under Sting. And goddamn it, they came close. Takeshita has been spotlighted more this year in AEW, and yet he’s so great that it still doesn’t feel like they’re doing enough with him. He’s got the goods to be the World Champion in this promotion, but he’s settled into a heel gatekeeper role for right now.

This was two world-class wrestlers in a Do Shit showcase, with Takeshita matching Ospreay beat-for-beat and step-for-step, going balls to the wall for twenty minutes. I love these matches, for the simple reason that seeing incredible athletes do incredibly athletic stuff to each other is fun. These two have some of the best strikes in wrestling, with the forearms and chops reverberating through the building. The scariest non-weapon spot of the year was in this match, with the off-target Brainbustaaaaaaaah~! that left a nasty rope burn on Ospreay’s back. The last few minutes of this match were sublime, with the Bastard Driver/German Suplex combo into Ospreay firing off a Hidden Blade getting everyone in the building on their feet.

This match was #1 on my list for a good while, but after a rewatch, I actually think these maniacs have a better match in them down the road. Here’s hoping.” – Suit Williams

“2 of the 3 best wrestlers of 2024 went out there and absolutely killed it. From the blisteringly athletic sequences to the big bumps (inverted turnbuckle brainbuster, looking at you), this was an absolutely sublime match and one of the greatest in ring debuts of all time, unsurprising from one Mr. William Ospreay. ” – Lawson Leong

“What a spectacle! Two of the most talented, athletic individuals ever in wrestling being turned loose in a pure battle of oneupmanship. Just a jaw-dropping display from both guys that more than lived up to my anticipation, and I can’t wait to see what Takeshita and Ospreay can do the next time they meet.” – TDE

“An extraordinary clash between two of the best young stars in professional wrestling today. Ospreay and Takeshita put on a breathtaking display of athleticism, packed with jaw-dropping counters, explosive strikes, and awe-inspiring feats of strength that left me in absolute awe.” – Jeremy Donovan

“It’s amazing a match like this barely makes my list, but it did. It was another tremendous match for Will Ospreay, who is easily one of the best wrestlers in the world. Takeshita isn’t that far behind.” – Bryan Rose

“These two machines put on a clinic. This year no other wrestler was on the same planet as Ospreay or Takeshita. Total perfection and a worthy MOTY” – Jake R

“This was just an awesome spotfest. Spotfests are good in moderation. Both Ospreay and Takeshita put in outstanding performances. This was Ospreay’s first official match as an AEW wrestler and one of Takeshita’s biggest matches as well. It did its job of displaying both wrestler’s talents to a wider audience. Also the crowd was red hot for everything they did here.” – Rene Martinez

“Will Ospreay’s full-time AEW debut couldn’t have been more perfect. They paired him with Takeshita, the ideal opponent for him to wrestle his signature style while cranking up the intensity without fear of his dance partner losing his step. This match had it all the hard-hitting, high-octane offense you expect from these two, and enough fighting spirit to keep you hyped from start to finish. Even with the predictable outcome, the match kept me on edge as two of the world’s best absolutely tore the house down.” – Warren Hayes

“Nothing Ospreay or Takeshita did in 2024 elicited more emotion from me than when they wrestled an ‘exhibition’ match on a show centered around Sting’s last match. How neither left the arena in traction only adds the mysterious magic pro wrestling can deliver. When the magic is delivered like this, very little can top it. ” – Chris Colvin

“A match that felt like it came from the future. The absolute 2 best workers in the world working a breakneck pace match that tells and incredible story. This is a match that absolutely lets you know that Takeshita and Will are bonafide aces at the top of their powers. The only reason t isn’t match of the year for me is that I expect they have a better and more nuanced match in them.” – AmericanNumbers

“Will Ospreay’s debut in ALL ELITE WRESTLING was spectacular. Coupled with Konosuke Takeshita, whom I think is still underrated in his potential and we as an audience got a show stealing performance that spotlighted exactly what these two would be offering to this day. A very special match that showed what was to come. One day, we could have IWGP Heavyweight Champion Takeshita vs AEW Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay and it will all have started here.” – Jeremy Finestone

“AEW lands the hottest free agent in Will Ospreay and immediately pairs him up against Konosuke Takeshita. One of the company’s most exciting stars and although an explosive talent he hadn’t reached the level we’d all been waiting for. Until now. Takeshita had a star making performance against Kenny Omega last year at this same ppv but AEW kind of let him cool off. This match doubles as another star making performance by Takeshita and Will Ospreay being as advertised. A high octane banger.” – Noveliss

Voices of Wrestling 2024 Match of the Year
(305-11)