Will Ospreay’s Final NJPW Match Ends In Violent Defeat

By: Lewis Carlan

On February 11th, New Japan Pro-Wrestling presented it’s The New Beginning in Osaka event at the Osaka Edion Arena. The event marked the final NJPW appearance of superstar Will Ospreay before he commits full time to AEW. Ospreay certainly made his last appearance a memorable one as he competed in a very violent match that saw his United Empire unit battle the Bullet Club War Dogs in a “Dog Pound Cage Match”. Ospeay was joined by Jeff Cobb, HENARE, TJP & Francesco Akira as the Bullet Club War Dogs were represented by David Finlay, Clark Connors, Alex Coughlin, Drilla Maloney & Gabe Kidd.

The battle began with Ospreay & Finlay, each the leader of their respective units. The match quickly turned into a brutal war that saw multiple competitors bleeding profusely. Ospreay suffered a bad cut at the hands of Connors who attacked him with his forearm that was wrapped in barbed wire. The battle lasted over an hour and in the end it was Finlay who pinned Ospreay after hitting his Overkill finisher with barbed wire wrapped around his knee to win the match for his team. In a scary moment, HENARE suffered a serious gash on his head and had to be attended to by medics as the match was in progress.

💥THE NEW BEGINNING in OSAKA💥

いよいよ完全決着‼️
時間無制限1本勝負ドッグパウンドケージマッチ‼️

🆚 UNITED EMPIRE👑 × BULLET CLUB WAR DOGS💀#njpwworld で配信中📡

視聴＆登録⏩https://t.co/CeQLGjTmZ5#njnbg #NJPW pic.twitter.com/uJgN9ds5pq

— NJPW WORLD (@njpwworld) February 11, 2024

Following the match, the entre crowd at Osaka Edion Arena began chanting “Thank you Ospreay” which lead the superstar to become emotional. Standing in the ring with United Empire, Ospreay addressed the fans and thanked them for the past eight years and promised that he will be back one day. Ospreay told the crowd that he loves them and pleaded that they do not ever forget him. The cries of “Ospreay, Ospreay” were heard throughout the venue as he made his way back to dressing room with a tearful Ospreay acknowledging the crowd.