NJPW G1 Climax Night 15: Penultimate A-Block Matches for Okada, Ibushi

Will Ospreay (4) vs KENTA (8)

G1 CLIMAX 29 浜松大会！第7試合Aブロック公式戦、@KENTAG2S VS @WillOspreay！KENTAの猛攻をくらいグロッキー寸前のオスプレイ！ジュニア王者の意地を見せつけ、勝利することはできるのか!?登録＆視聴▷https://t.co/kIlDpxrVU1#njpw #njpwworld #G1Climax #G129 pic.twitter.com/ajMRVoz9qO

— njpwworld (@njpwworld) August 7, 2019

Will Ospreay, the Aerial Assassin, and KENTA, the wrestler formerly known as Hideo Itami, were next. Where Kenta is a serious striker, Ospreay always looks like a vibrant superhero. For many, myself included, this was a dream match. Red Shoes Unno refereed.

The bell rang, and the men ran towards each other with a volley of short strikes. Both of their chops connected, and both of their kicks did too. They traded elbows once they were upright again.

Kenta delivered a DDT from the top rope and a clothesline to tenderize Ospreay's neck. Kenta rolled Ospreay out of the ring to repeatedly throw him into the barricades. He powerslammed Ospreay's back into the arena floor.

Ospreay was rolled back into the ring for more damage, Kenta's kicks peppered throughout. He put Ospreay into a neck hold that Ospreay fought out of, pulling Kenta's hands apart. Ospreay rallied with stiff strikes to the face and chest of Kenta.

Ospreay reversed Kenta's throw into an OsCutter, but Kenta threw him onto his neck, leading to a pinfall attempt. Ospreay didn't stay down, and he completed his Pip-Pip Cheerio move. Kenta ate a dropkick but he wrangled Ospreay over the ropes once he was outside the ring.

Kenta bodyslammed Ospreay into the edge of the ring, and Unno quickly started the 20-count. Ospreay struggled on the floor but made it back into the ring at 19. Kenta refused to let up, executing a brutal dropkick and a foot stomp that left Ospreay spitting and gasping.

Ospreay kicked out of Kenta's pinfall attempt and fought his way free of Kenta's Go To Sleep finisher. He took a flying knee and went down like a stone. They struggled to their knees and elbowed each other until they were fired up enough to stand and continue their fight.

Ospreay nearly fell to Kenta's holds, but he caught Kenta and powerbombed him for a 2-count. Ospreay went high, his best place, but Kenta got his knees up to foil Ospreay's shooting star.

The next hold from Kenta looked terrifying, and I wasn't sure if Ospreay or the audience was shouting. A psycho knee from Kenta kept Ospreay out of the air after the hold was broken. Ospreay rolled Kenta up and connected his OsCutter move. A hook kick and hidden blade took Kenta to his knees.

Ospreay completed his Stormbreaker finisher in short order and snatched the 2 points, and any chance of making the Finals, from Kenta.

Results: Will Ospreay (6) def. KENTA (8) via pinfall