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MAR.29.2021

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United Empire on top as Ospreay vows world conquest

Ospreay promises to ‘kill God’ en route to IWGP World heavyweight Championship

Night two on the Road to Sakura Genesis saw the short tour head to Korakuen Hall for the first of a double header of events. With less than a week separating them from their Ryogoku headline bout, Kota Ibushi and Will Ospreay led teams of three to battle in the Korakuen main event. 

Ibushi and Ospreay would start the match out, going to the mat after Ibushi handed over the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships for the final time before the world title’s reveal tomorrow. Ospreay would negotiate Ibushi to the ropes, and did not proffer a clean break, a cheap kick and a slap across the face of the champion stinging as O-Khan and Nagata got in the ring. 

Once upon a time O-Khan’s teacher, Nagata was aggressive in pursuing the Dominator, with heavy kicks taking their toll before assistance from Jeff Cobb on the apron led to a pump kick that gave United Empire control of the match. Isolating Blue Justice, all three members took turns punishing Nagata, Ospreay taking greatest pleasure in shooting looks at Ibushi while doing so. 

That fired the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion to being a blur of activity when finally legal, hurling himself at his opponents, though Jeff Cobb would in turn hurl Ibushi across the ring before tagging Ospreay back inside. Sunday challenger would be quick to pile on the pressure on the champion, landing a reverse Bloody Sunday at the ten minute point, and using Kawada kicks to cause further pain, but this only lit a fire in the Golden God. 

Ibushi would invite Ospreay to trade with him, and though it was a trade the champion appeared to lose, Ibushi would land on his feet from an attempt at London has Fallen, hitting an overhead kick instead that brought Tomoaki Honma in. Hard hits from the Kokeshi would follow, and Honma would combine with Nagata for an exploder into the Kokeshi headbutt for two. The full version from the top was too ambitious however, and O-Khan would prevent the move as the match broke down. 

As bodies flew across the ring, Ospreay and Honma were left legal. Honma stunned Ospreay with a short range headbutt, but a Kokeshi Rocket was met with a hook kick out of midair. London Has Fallen gave Ospreay two, and Cobb prevented Ibushi interference as the Chelsea Grin scored, followed with Stormbreaker for three. 

Post match, Ospreay indicated that two belts or one, Ibushi’s has little time remaining as IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. Stating that ‘I’m not the boy you remember,’ Ospreay claimed that the fans had ‘made me into a monster’. Ospreay vowed to ‘kill God’ in five days at Ryogoku; will Ibushi have an answer tomorrow? 

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