Will Ospreay has been ranked the tenth best wrestler of 2020 in the first-ever ITR 50 as announced in the latest issue of Inside The Ropes Magazine.
Despite being inactive for over five months, Ospreay has had yet another sensational year both in his native Britain and his new-found home of Japan. Kicking off 2020 with back-to-back 5-star matches, Ospreay would lose the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship at Wrestle Kingdom 14 before capturing the Rev Pro British Heavyweight Championship from Zack Sabre Jr in what was arguably one of the year’s best matches to take place on UK soil.
‘The Assassin’ would be kept out of action from March to August due to the COVID-19 UK lockdown before returning to NJPW to compete in the 30th annual G1 Climax tournament. Ospreay had quality performances opposite the likes of Jay White, Kota Ibushi and Jeff Cobb before betraying Chaos stablemate Kazuchika Okada with the help of his girlfriend Bea Priestley and the returning Great O-Khan.
The three would then form a brand new faction – The Empire – and would later be joined by Cobb, who tagged with O-Khan during World Tag League.
Ospreay closes out 2020 as one of NJPW’s fastest rising heavyweight stars, booking a date with ‘The Rainmaker’ at Wrestle Kingdom 15 and retaining his British Heavyweight Championship going into the new year after successful defences over Kyle Fletcher and Ricky Knight Jr.
Summarising Ospreay’s star-making year, Inside The Ropes Magazine editor Dante Richardson said Ospreay has been set up to become a major player in New Japan:
“No other wrestler in the world is capable of producing the sort of jaw dropping, awe-inspiring display that Ospreay manages on a nightly basis. Now a well-rounded and complete act, Ospreay has the tools to become the man in NJPW.”
Issue 4 of Inside The Ropes Magazine, which features the ITR 50 in full, is available for both digital and physical purchase online worldwide as well as in the United States, Canada, Australia and Ireland through select retailers.