10 Best NJPW Matches Of 2020 (So Far)
6. Hiromu Takahashi Vs. Will Ospreay - Wrestle Kingdom Night 1
Hiromu Takahashi and Will Ospreay's rematch of their classic contest at Dominion 2018 didn't quite hit the levels of that match, but it didn't really need to. This wasn't a bout based entirely upon workrate or on the transcendent chemistry of its performers, it was about a hero for NJPW fans Hiromu Takahashi coming back from a broken neck after a year and a half of inactivity to reclaim the title he never lost.
This isn't about the match really, which was very good but more of an Ospreay match than a Hiromu one, but about the feeling of watching this once in a lifetime talent back in the Tokyo Dome, wrestling like he did 18 months before. It was a day that a lot of fans feared they'd never see, a cathartic moment for anyone who saw him break his neck live at the San Francisco show. He fought as hard as he could and eventually won the Junior Heavyweight title back.
On the weekend of Naito's historical win, it's a true testament to Hiromu's connection to the crowd and the journey of his return that his dramatic crescendo didn't get overshadowed in the slightest. Those two days of Wrestle Kingdom were euphoric for LIJ fans all across the world.