It’s a first-time trip to Lincoln for us, as we look at the main event of 1PW’s second show – featuring Robbie X and Will Ospreay.
1PW’s return last year came with a degree of cynicism from those, including myself, who’d been burnt by the promotion’s prior incarnations. That being said, 1PW has packed out venues for their first three shows – and we’re going to take a look at the main event of their second show, from the Engine Shed in Lincoln.
Robbie X vs. Will Ospreay
These two have only met twice previously in singles matches – once for Southside back in 2015, and more recently at Rev Pro in August 2021, with them splitting a win apiece. Wrestling in his home town, Robbie X will of course be hoping to get that second W here…
When we got going, Robbie X manages to back Ospreay into the ropes before the favour was returned… with the patronising break. The tempo raises, but Ospreay fakes out a dive before Robbie X’s tijeras put him ahead. He followed that up with a suplex, then opted to keep Ospreay grounded… but Ospreay goes to the ropes before too many of those elbows to the neck could land.
Shoulder charges keep Ospreay in the corner as we hit a break in the YouTube feed… odd choice, but whatever. We return with Ospreay taking Robbie X outside for a plancha, before a spinning backbreaker back inside saw him continue to control the pace, with a chinlock slowing things down in the middle of the ring.
Robbie tries to fight back, but Ospreay pops him up into the ropes, then followed up with a running boot before Ospreay countered a hiptoss by stuffing Robbie X, turning it into an abdominal stretch instead. A hiptoss gets Robbie free, as he pulled ahead with clotheslines and elbows, eventually landing the hiptoss and a cartwheel dropkick to turn the tide.
The Molly Go Round crashes into Ospreay next, then a corkscrew kick into the corner and a running shooting star press out of it for a near-fall. A handspring enziguiri from Ospreay turns it back around, adding a springboard forearm for a rather nonchalant two-count. Robbie blocks a sit-out powerbobm attempt, so Ospreay lights him up with chops before he got low bridged onto the apron… and knocked off with a Koppo kick.
Ospreay’s met on the outside with an Asai moonsault, before a Finlay roll back inside and a springboard moonsault found its mark for a two-count. Robbie X has to abort a Spiral Tap, as Ospreay came in with a wall-flip kick and a one-man Spanish Fly as I was left half-expecting another break to plug upcoming cards.
On the apron, the pair trade strikes, leading to Ospreay hitting the turnbuckles for a cutter onto the edge of the ring. That leads to a count-out tease, but Robbie X beats the count, sliding into the path of a dropkick for a near-fall, before he blocked an OsCutter and returned fire with a reverse ‘rana… then a springboard backflip DDT out of the corner that almost shut the door on things. Ospreay ducks an X-Claimation – and returns with the OsCutter as his version of the move landed.
Ospreay calls for a Storm Breaker, but Robbie X slips out and hits an enziguiri… but a follow-up X-Claimation is popped up and turned into a German suplex before a sit-out powerbomb picked up a two-count. A Hidden Blade to the face keeps Ospreay on top, but doesn’t get the win. Robbie X is on jelly legs, pulled up as he’s forced to absorb more elbows before he finally waffled Ospreay with one in return.
A hook kick cuts off a telegraphed X-Claimation, before a ‘rana from Robbie X almost won it. The X-Claimation finally lands, but it’s not enough as Ospreay barely gets his shoulder up in time. Robbie looked to take too long climbing the ropes, as Ospreay cut him off in the corner, exchanging blows before Ospreay was knocked down for a resulting Spiral Tap… except Ospreay got his knees up.
A second Hidden Blade from Ospreay’s countered with a backslide, before a Storm Breaker was turned into a modified Tiger Driver. It’s still not enough though, as Ospreay adds a Hidden Blade, then the Storm Breaker for the win. This wasn’t entirely all one-way traffic, with Robbie X putting up a lot of resistance and causing a few scares towards the end, but on this night it simply wasn’t to be.
Result: Will Ospreay pinned Robbie X in 27:02 (****¼)