Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay Pay Tribute to Iconic Video Game Franchises at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom

Two of professional wrestling's greatest talent finally met inside the squared circle. NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17 saw Kenny Omega challenge Will Ospreay for his IWGP United States Championship in a match that had been building for years. Following his exit from the far east in January 2019, Omega called upon Ospreay to fill his shoes in the company as he ventured to America for AEW. Even as Ospreay rose the ranks, Omega was quick to criticize the Aerial Assassin's abilities, claiming his five-star matches were ultimately forgettable and that he had failed to perform in front of capacity crowds.

Before the two came to blows inside the squared circle, both men made their grand entrances inside the Tokyo Dome, both pulling inspiration from iconic video game franchises. Omega walked out to "One Winged Angel," an instrumental tune from Final Fantasy VII that shares a name with his finishing move. Beyond that, Omega's ring gear was reminiscent of the game's main antagonist, Sephiroth, often championed as one of video game's most famous villains.

Following Omega's Final Fantasy VII entrance came Ospreay's Assassin's Creed-esque arrival. Where Ospreay's entrance graphics would typically read "BILLY G.O.A.T." instead typed out "RETURN OF THE ASSASSIN," a reference to Ospreay's "Aerial Assassin" nickname that was inspired by the Assassin's Creed franchise. Emerging from the stage came Ospreay in a hooded jacket that bore resemblance to Ezio Auditore, one of Assassin's Creed's most notable protagonists.

The two would then do battle in a 34-minute hard-hitting affair, which culminated with Omega getting the victory and consequently capturing the IWGP United States Championship. Omega and Ospreay fought back-and-forth in the match's first few minutes, but a DDT onto an exposed turnbuckle would push momentum in Omega's favor. Ospreay eventually muscled up a comeback but a flurry of V-Trigger knee strikes and a One-Winged Angel was too much for the leader of the United Empire to overcome.

Video game-inspired ring gear has been prevalent in professional wrestling for years now. Omega himself has rocked threads from Street Fighter and Destiny 2, while fellow AEW stars Adam Cole and Jade Cargill have donned trunks inspired by Halo and Mortal Kombat, respectively.

Omega next wrestles on the January 11th AEW Dynamite when he teams with the Young Bucks to face AEW World Trios Champions Death Triangle in a ladder match.