10 Best Non-WWE Wrestlers Of 2016 (So Far)

With the exception of Shinsuke Nakamura, there's not a wrestler in the world whose stock has shot up as much in 2016 as Will Ospreay. The gravity-defying high-flyer started the year as one of the "big three" of British wrestling - a man who, along with Zack Sabre Jr. and Marty Scurll - was on the cusp of breaking out on the world stage. Six months later, Ospreay is a superstar with no caveats.

The 23-year-old's fame has come from his incredible ability. Following in the footsteps of Ricochet, Ospreay has exceeded and thereby changed what fans come to expect from cruiserweight wrestling. His offense doesn't seem humanly possible, yet it unfolds in (and outside of) the ring as fans watch, stunned.

In fact, "The Future of Flight" and "The Aerial Assassin" collided on a number of occasions this year, including in a bout in New Japan's Best of the Super Juniors tournament. Ospreay would go on to win the BOSJ, becoming the first Brit to do so.

That match was widely praised, but also met with criticism from insiders and fans who thought that it felt more cooperative than competitive. Leading the charge in that camp was Vader, the legendary former world champion who expressed his feelings on Twitter.

Soon, a war of words erupted between the two, with Ospreay mocking Vader and "The Mastodon" threatening the high-flyer. A match has been signed between the two, indicating that it's all been planned and the young Ospreay already knows the finer points of working an audience.