I used to buy new Hondas every 5 years or so. Due to some events and the pandemic, I stuck with my last Honda CRV 2011 for much longer than usual. Right now I'm looking for a new car, I visited a few dealerships and I'm thinking of switching to Volvo. I looked at the XC B5 AWD Plus and I really like it, although after not having monthly payments for so long, the budget is a concern. I can do it, just not convinced I want to invest this much into a car. I'm not much into driving, but I do want something modern and more luxurious. So I came across a 2020 Volvo XC40 T4 AWD Momentum with 32K km, certified by Volvo and covered up to 160K km to December 2025.
There is a recall on my CR-V due to one or both rear frame stiffeners that may become excessively corroded and if the dealership finds that it can't be repaired, they will buy it on June 13th and I'll be stuck with no car. I would appreciate if someone coud share their insight into the 2020 Volvo model vs the 24 model or their opinion on what to buy and why. The other runner ups were Toyota Rav4 or Venza, CR-V, Q3 and X1. Out of all of them, I much prefer Volvo. Thanks!

Intro:
I test drove a Taycan Turbo a couple of years ago and absolutely fell in love with the car. It had this amazing blend of performance and technology that really appealed to me, but unfortunately was very much out of my price range.
I was fortunate enough to get some lucky rolls of the dice financially and was able to add a C8 Corvette to my garage while still maintaining a Model 3 Performance as a daily driver. I had long thought that this was the ultimate price performance power combo. The Model 3 Performance punches way above its weight class for the price. While the C8 provides the supercar driving experience for a fraction of the money. Though the power combo is a match that I am very lucky to have in my garage, all isn’t perfect. I spend the vast majority of my time in my Tesla and there are a lot of instances where it doesn’t quite feel special or unique enough nowadays. Likewise, I hate buying gas for my C8, and despite its overall driving prowess it does actually feel a little slow compared to my Model 3 due to its lack of instantaneous torque that I’ve grown accustomed to. I also feel like I have a lot of money being spent on a C8 that I only get to experience on the weekends so have been curious if there’s a way to experience a bit more of that “specialness” day to day.
I then looked at some used Porsche Taycans randomly one day and noticed that used 4S models and used Turbo models were well below the combined price of both of my Tesla and Corvette. So for the past few weeks I became obsessed with the question of whether a single Taycan could give me the best of both my Model 3 and Corvette in a package that was ultimately cheaper than the combined cost of both cars.
I decided to rent a modestly specced Taycan 4S on turo and arrange for an unscientific shoot out amongst all three cars.
About the cars:
https://imgur.com/a/UozILRv
I unfortunately do not know much about the Taycan 4S I rented on Turo however it looked to have the premium pack equipped, the larger performance plus battery, and not much else. It came on the car’s stock standard 19” aero rims.
The Model 3 Performance is a 2022 model year with the refreshed interior.
The C8 is a 2021 2LT with the Z51 package, Magnaride, and front end lift.
Handling (all three)
The handling and ride comfort on all three of these cars is quite good but the Taycan and Corvette are a clear notch above the Tesla. When competing head to head the Corvette beats out the Taycan as a whole due to its weight advantage, but it’s surprising how close the Taycan is to the Corvette.
The Tesla has the least sophisticated suspension of the bunch, but it has quick and darty steering which makes it feel especially agile with its low center of gravity and punchy acceleration. Unfortunately on the twisties the Tesla begins to really lose confidence and starts to wash out somewhere between the 70-80mph range, whereas the other two cars feel planted and ask you to push them further. Likewise, the Tesla’s brakes really aren’t up to the task of bailing you out of any situation once you get into that 70-80mph range on the twisties. Interestingly the Model 3 does weigh about 800lbs less than the Taycan and you can very much feel that weight advantage when throwing it into turns and other tight maneuvers.
The Taycan has the most sophisticated suspension of the bunch with an adaptive air suspension that can adjust both ride height and stiffness. Taycans with more performance options included can also have rear wheel steer, advanced torque vectoring, and anti-roll control, but my Taycan was not equipped with these luxuries. The big elephant in the room is the Taycan’s weight, which can be anywhere between 4800lbs-5100lbs depending on your model, options, etc. Around town you very much feel the Taycan’s extra weight, but it simultaneously also does a good job hiding it.
For instance, my neighborhood has a small roundabout that I had each car take at about 30 mph. Both the Tesla and Model 3 had no problem coming out of the roundabout in a relatively tight and controlled fashion, whereas the Taycan definitely felt like it was having a hard time committing to the line the other cars could take. On the flip side, with more curvaceous terrain (say a canyon or moderate twisties) the car feels very planted, confidence inspiring, capable, and it asks you to push it further. The brakes also feel like they are very capable of bailing you out of any situation. You notice the Tesla’s 4000lb weight with its brakes more than you notice the Taycan’s 4800lbs under braking. Steering in the Taycan is very direct and responsive, but due to the car’s weight and size it can actually feel a little boat-like compared to the other cars when driving them back to back.
As an overall package the Corvette yielded the best result in terms of handling. The steering is quick, easy to place, and communicative compared to the other cars. While I typically feel like the Corvette is a large car, it began to feel very small compared to the Taycan. The biggest difference was its 1100lb weight advantage which allowed it to transition and set itself up much more quickly compared to the other cars in all facets of a corner. The brakes on the Corvette are also superb and legitimately feel like you’re dropping an anchor when you put full pressure on them. Now I will say the Taycan wasn’t far off the Corvette’s mark as a whole, especially on the street, but you could typically feel the Taycan needing to sort itself due to its weight whereas everything felt like it came much more naturally to the Corvette.
Ride Comfort (all three)
I put this in a separate category because I find ride comfort makes a big impact on performance and how hard you can push a car, but also has a lot of implications for how the vehicle accomplishes day to day tasks.
The Taycan is the overall winner of ride comfort here, while the Corvette is not too far behind, and the Tesla is last.
The Tesla has the least sophisticated suspension of the bunch so it’s not exactly a fair fight. While I personally do not find the Tesla to be harsh to experience day to day, on longer trips it can be a fatiguing car to be in, and you do realize what you are missing in the Model 3 after riding in the Taycan and the Corvette. Still I find the Tesla to have a really nice blend of sportiness, comfort, and control.
The C8’s ride quality is superb with magna-ride giving the car a noticeable adjustment in personality and handling characteristics between, tour, sport, and track modes. The C8’s suspension makes it incredibly comfortable to be in for long periods of time, and highway cruising very much feels like a dream on this car. That being said, I do find that certain imperfections can unsettle the car and oddly the car has a tendency to shift diagonally or to the side as opposed to absorbing a bump vertically. This hasn’t ever really caught me off in serious driving, but it can be slightly disconcerting feeling the car shift in what feels to be an unintuitive way. In spirited driving a noticed very little difference between the Taycan’s suspension and the Corvette’s. This isn’t to say that there weren’t differences, just both cars provided a seemingly comparable amount of confidence and ride comfort.
The Taycan does edge out the Corvette in ride comfort because it does present a much smoother ride in normal, day to day conditions. Again, it’s not like the Corvette has a bad ride by any means, but the Taycan’s air suspension does provide a high degree of isolation, and you very much feel like you’re on a cloud whereas the Corvette does transmit a small degree of imperfections and can give the impression of being stiff in some instances compared to the Taycan.
What I found with the Taycan is increasing suspension aggressiveness (ride height, and damper settings) never seemed to actually compromise ride quality, it just improved the level of control and how “tight” the car felt overall. Whereas in the Corvette tour mode can feel a little too soft and floaty, sport essentially allows you to take everything with a single controlled “bump”, and track tightens things up but also transmits a bunch of imperfections that don’t exactly give you more feedback about what the car is doing, nor help improve your confidence.
Again, this isn’t to say that the Corvette’s ride quality is bad by any means…it’s pretty fantastic. In my opinion the Tacyan has the best performance oriented ride quality I’ve ever felt, and the Corvette just happens to be second best.
Acceleration (all three)
I would say the acceleration amongst all three of these cars is a dead heat on the streets. They each deliver an incredible amount of power and speed but they do so differently and I think anyone will find joy in how these cars accelerate.
If we were to do a drag race the Tesla would be the quickest of the bunch. It has a very “bursty” amount of speed and torque that it’s happy to deliver in immense doses from anywhere between 0-80mph. The Model 3 also obtained the highest “G” acceleration out of the three cars. With a .9 G from a dead stop and .7 G being delivered with a full stab of the throttle at speed. Though the Tesla definitely feels the quickest on the road, it does lose steam at around 80mph and the car generally doesn’t feel like it wants to go much faster than 100mph. The beauty of the Tesla’s power delivery is how easy it is. Just press the pedal and you’ll get the full beans no matter what you’re doing.
The Taycan has an interesting approach to its acceleration. It has a 2-speed gear box which allows the car to deliver a bit more torque at higher speeds. This gearbox does give the Taycan a very healthy amount of pull at 80mph, and the car doesn’t feel like it’s running out of steam past 100mph. That high-end speed does come at the expense of some low-end responsiveness. When at a dead stop and mashing the pedal, the car will sometimes hesitate for a split moment as it tries to decide which gear to use. Likewise the Taycan’s acceleration feels much more linear. The Tesla wants to melt your face off right from the get-go, but the Taycan keeps pushing you back in your seat the longer you use the pedal.
I’m really not a fan of using launch control on the street, since I just find the setup procedure to not always be appropriate when other traffic is around. However the Taycan’s launch mode is an absolute treat. It rockets you back initially and then the 2nd gear kicks in several seconds later and you get another surge of speed. Where a Tesla’s launch feels like it’s probably good for about 4 seconds worth of enjoyment, a Taycan’s feels like it’s good for about 8-10 seconds worth of fun.
The Taycan pulled .8 G in launch mode but could only manage to pull .4 G when mashing the pedal at basically any speed, I think this .4 G acceleration is due to the car’s weight and how linearly Porsche decides to deliver the power.
The Corvette decidedly feels the least torquey of the bunch, but has the best power to weight ratio and has no problem letting its speed climb to very high numbers with seemingly little effort. I rarely use launch control in my C8, so while I don’t have a launch G-force to compare to, the Corvette was regularly pulling .55 and .65 G’s doing 3rd and 4th gear pulls. It did pull .7 G’s on a second gear pull, but due to how the torque builds the .7 G’s did not feel nearly as strong or as aggressive as Tesla’s .7 G’s.
So to describe the acceleration characteristics broadly.
The Tesla is the 0-80mph champion and the quickest off the line. The Porsche is slower and less responsive off the line, but gives you a much better pull 80mph+ and has a more satisfying torque/acceleration curve all around. Despite being a torque monster of an ICE vehicle, the Corvette feels the least torquey all throughout but feels like it’s the quickest and easiest to hit high numbers in. It particularly loves 3rd and 4th gear pulls.
Canyon Carving (all three)
I took all three cars through a nearby canyon that I essentially drive every weekend and did the same loop in each car. Trying to push it as much as I felt comfortable/safe to do so.
The first car up was the Taycan. After driving the Taycan around town and feeling its weight in certain corners and a slightly hesitant acceleration in some instances, I was ready to write it off compared to the Corvette. Boy was I wrong.
The Taycan attacks canyon corners with a supreme amount of confidence and is happy to load you up on a variety of G-forces. Its suspension, even in its stiffest “sports plus” setting never felt rough or punishing, it simply provided more control over the vehicle. Despite the car’s weight, the brakes felt completely capable of keeping me out of trouble. I honestly thought the Taycan would start to let off or give up the more I pushed it, and instead it was very happy asking for more.
What I particularly enjoyed was the fact that the silent EV motors let me push the car quite a bit without drawing too much attention to myself. Likewise if I got stuck behind slower moving traffic, it felt more “okay” than it did in the Corvette because I wasn’t burning gas, and the car is a little more suited to normal driving.
With EV’s there’s also very much an “invisible safety blanket” that the electric motors and traction control feel like they provide. They are so fast to respond to everything, that you really do feel like you can never get yourself into trouble. The Corvette has a healthy amount of aides as well, but they feel like “Orc” technology compared to an EV’s “Elven” technology.
I will be honest in saying that I was probably able to push the Taycan harder than I was able to push the Corvette and it made me feel like a bit of a superhero in the car. I honestly couldn’t believe that a car that had 4 doors was able to essentially give me a very comparable canyon carving experience to my Corvette. My neck and back were actually tired due to the G’s I was able to pull in the Taycan and I’ve yet to feel that in the Corvette.
I then hopped into my Corvette and it was like having the best college football team play against an NFL team. Yes there’s a ton of talent on that college football team but the NFL team is just operating at a whole different pace. The Corvette was able to take everything I threw at it with ease. If I had the Taycan operating at 7/10ths the Corvette was able to achieve those speeds at what felt like closer to 5/10ths for it.
The C8 felt much quicker to respond to every input and felt like it was always ready to continue accelerating due to its lighter weight, whereas the Taycan would almost take a moment to settle itself before rocking you back with its power.
As mentioned above, I did have a hard time pushing the Corvette as hard as the Taycan for two reasons. First the exhaust very much announces how hard you are pushing the car and there’s only so much you can do while still appearing somewhat outwardly responsible. Secondly, the Corvette doesn’t quite feel like it has the “invisible shield” of the Taycan which will not only bail you out of any problem, but will also prevent you from getting into any problem to begin with. This isn’t to say that the Corvette isn’t confidence inspiring, or doesn’t do a lot to help you as a driver, but you get the sense that Corvette can find itself in a situation where it really can’t help you, and the Taycan makes it feel like that’s never a possibility.
Though the Corvette felt like it was much more of a natural in the canyons (and rightfully so), that next level of performance in the Corvette feels like it’s something you have to explore at the track, whereas the Taycan feels like it can give you everything its got in the canyons. In a way the Taycan feels like it is much more optimized to be fun, fast, and enjoyable in a canyon, where the Corvette has a lot of track capability that translates well to the canyons, but some of that track capability is an edginess that you don’t really want to explore on the streets and doesn’t exactly translate to driving fun as directly as the Taycan’s driving experience does.
The Tesla was the least impressive of the bunch in the canyons. It had the most rapid acceleration, but would consistently wash-out around 70mph or so. Whereas the other two cars would give you what you asked for and then ask you to push them more, the Tesla would kind of go “I gave you an awesome acceleration, what do you mean you need me to do something else?”
The regenerative braking on the Tesla also makes it hard to push.. Whereas the Taycan and Corvette could just carry quite a bit of momentum after an acceleration, the Tesla wants to slow down immediately after you left off the accelerator. Now in track mode you can decrease the amount of regeneration that you encounter (which I did), but you then begin to experience the fact that the brakes feel underpowered without the regen present. So it was very hard to connect the corners as seamlessly as you could in the Corvette and Taycan. The Tesla was very much “let’s slow down going in and accelerate like crazy going out…only to slow back down immediately after corner exit” whereas the Corvette and Taycan were just flying between corners and transitions without any hesitation.
This isn’t to say that the Tesla isn’t fun or can’t be fun in the canyons. In fact I’d say it could pretty handedly curb stomp say a stock C6 Corvette in a canyon. But it very much makes its limitations known and is the least eager to be there.
I would say the Corvette is the winner here by virtue of its talent, but the Taycan is actually the more impressive car to experience in the canyons. You’ll feel like you’re going faster, puling more G’s, and are ultimately safer in the Taycan than you will in the Corvette.
Fun Factor (Corvette vs. Porsche)
This is a tricky one where both cars trade quite a few blows but the Corvette ultimately wins.
The Corvette displays a lot of personality. It is flashy to look at, the engine can draw a lot of attention, and the car presents itself as being totally focused on going fast. You very much do get quite a bit of the supercar experience in the Corvette.
However, the Corvette’s flashiness does have some legitimate downsides. People automatically assume I’m a jerk when I’m in it, traffic is noticeably less accommodating, and I’ve had people go out of their way to try to screw with me. Likewise when you encounter slower traffic in a Corvette it feels like a complete let down. This isn’t to say that the car isn’t comfortable at slower speeds or anything like that, it’s just that the Corvette needs some open space around it for it to really start to show itself and that can be hard to find in a world full of Priuses and folks who like to text while driving.
Interestingly, the Corvette’s comfortable suspension and ability to really back down its aggressiveness in tour mode, makes it a really enjoyable cruiser. Some of my favorite moments in the car have been putting around small little neighborhood roads at 25 mph exploring places I’ve never been to before with some good tunes playing in the background.
In a world full of EV’s the lack of instant torque does make the Corvette feel like it’s missing a bit of an edge in its performance. The C8 is still incredibly fast by all marks and measures, but it isn’t quite satiating me with its acceleration like Corvettes used to in a world prior to EV’s.
The Taycan very much brings you into its own elegant world. When you get inside the car there is almost a deliberate pause, and then the screens burst to life, the seat pushes you towards the steering wheel and you get the sense that the car is ready and willing to take you on its own specially curated trip now that you’ve entered it.
There is a strong level of enjoyment for how nice the car looks and feels on the inside and the perceived level of quality it is able to provide. Every passenger I had in the Taycan kept remarking to themselves “Oh man…this is nice”. I also personally feel like this is the best looking Porsche on the market. It feels properly futuristic, striking and timeless. It very much holds its own compared to the Corvette and you’re always going to enjoy walking up to it and turning around to get one more look before walking away.
The Taycan feels like it can switch itself into a bonafide sports car at any point. I’ve had many occasions where I’ve unexpectedly found myself on a nice stretch of road in my Tesla and wishing I could be in my Corvette. With the Taycan it’s a simple switch to sports mode and you’re there. You can also drive the Taycan much more aggressively without bringing as much attention to yourself. It feels like your own private sports car when you’re inside of it, almost like you’re going undercover so that you can drive however you want in peace.
The Corvette in contrast is very good for those times when you want to give everyone around you the proverbial middle finger. I’ve had times when I’ve been upset at work or situations in life, and just seeing how mean and aggressive the Corvette looks and to experience how pissed off it can sound has made me feel better. It’s a cathartic car to be in and it can really inspire you to keep fighting when you’re feeling a little down.
Lastly, the Corvette has one major advantage over the Taycan and that’s the fact that the roof can come off. There’s just some days where things are better with the top off,the Corvette gives you the option to experience that whenever you need to and I’ve found it to be incredibly gratifying.
Range (Model 3 vs Taycan)
I’d also say that range is a pretty contested topic between these two cars. The Tesla has a very impressive EPA rating of around 300 miles, but most owners (myself included) feel like they do not get anywhere near that range. The Taycan has an objectively abysmal EPA rating of around 220 miles, but most owners feel like the rating is more accurate in the real world or that they can beat the rating by hefty margins.
I did a healthy amount of driving in the Taycan when I had it and subjectively felt that the range dropped about as fast as it dropped in my Tesla when driving like a normal human being. But when I drove the Taycan just a bit more conservatively its range seemed to hold a bit longer than the Tesla’s so I personally feel like that behavior lends credence to what a lot of Taycan owners claim.
I did a few comparisons to measure each car’s range consumption. I unfortunately did not have the time to measure the cars on the exact same route for all of the tests etc. But I drove each car in conditions that I would typically encounter in real life and I feel like this gave me a good enough sense of what I could encounter if I were to buy a Taycan.
One thing to note, the Taycan very much likes to adjust its range estimate based on what mode you’re in and how you’re driving. You can set off for the day with 120 miles of indicated range, put the car in sports mode to take a freeway onramp, and you can come back to normal mode having only 95 miles of range simply because of that sports mode flip and how the Taycan re-estimates its range under sports mode driving conditions.
The Tesla on the other hand seems to stick to its indicated range no matter what but it ops to have it drop much quicker to adjust to your driving style. You’ll never see the Tesla go from 120 miles to 95 miles in an instant like you would in the Taycan, but the Tesla will very quickly subtract down from 120 to 95 miles over the course of say 6 miles if it thinks you’re pushing it hard.
Range Test:
I did an “economical” driving test on both the Taycan and Tesla.
For the Taycan I drove 36 miles on mostly range mode with the speed limiter set to 85 mph. Traffic varied between 70-85mph and the car was generally just keeping up with the flow of traffic, not trying to hyper mile, not trying to push itself.
The car departed with 45% state of charge with a 112 mile range indicated and arrived with a 29% state of charge with a 77 mile range indicated. Interestingly the Taycan’s range estimate was pretty spot on being only 1 mile off.
Considering I got 36 miles for about 16% state of charge I’d have around 225 miles of range with this style of driving.
In the Tesla I did a 25 mile highway drive with similar conditions and speeds. Not trying to hyper mile, not trying to push, just keeping up with the general flow of traffic.
The Tesla left with a 58% state of charge and 169 miles of indicated range and arrived with a 48% state of charge and 140 miles of indicated range. The Tesla’s range estimate was a bit less accurate in this particular scenario, but not offensively so. If I were to extrapolate the 10% state of charge per 25 miles of range I would end up with about 250 miles of range with this style of driving.
Lastly I took both cars on an identical 30 mile canyon run loop. The goal here was to push each car about as hard as I felt comfortable doing. So it included several full throttle accelerations, and just lots of aggressive driving.
The Taycan departed with a 49% state of charge and 132 miles of indicated range and returned with a 28% state of charge and 82 miles left of indicated range. Given the approximate 21% stage of charge loss per 30 miles the Taycan could expect to get around 150 miles of range with this style of driving.
The Tesla departed with a 76% state of charge and 221 miles of indicated range and returned with a 61% state of charge and 177 miles of indicated range. Given the Tesla’s 15% state of charge loss per 30 miles one could expect to get around 190 miles of range with this style of driving.
My general takeaway is the Taycan can hold its own on the highway when driving normally, but the Taycan seems to dump energy much faster than the Tesla when driving aggressively. Likewise, though the Tesla seems to subtract its indicated mileage much faster per state of charge percentage, the Tesla is subtracting from a larger number of miles altogether at around 300 miles of range so you don’t feel like you’re really in any range trouble until you get to the 50 mile mark or so. Whereas in the Taycan you can hit that 50 mile remaining number much more readily and feel the range anxiety set in.
I actually think a big issue with the Taycan is how readily it dumps power when you do push it in a canyon environment. I sometimes have to drive 40 miles to a canyon or twisty road so I can see the Taycan dumping a substantial amount of charge in the canyon itself and not having enough juice to get back.
As a whole I’d probably have to think about range a bit more in the Taycan than I would in the Tesla so the Tesla is the winner here, but I do think I could get the Taycan to work for a lot of situations that I normally encounter.
Cargo Space/Practicality (Model 3 vs Taycan)
A big appeal of the Taycan is the notion of having a pretty sporty driving experience without having to quite sacrifice all of the space that one would in a traditional sports car. While the Taycan does an admirable job on this front the Model 3 does edge it out by a noticeable margin.
I have (5) bags that I keep in my car at all times for work. In the Tesla these are split between the frunk, trunk, and under trunk storage. While things can get tight in the Tesla between these bags I can arrange them in a way where I still have room for something else or a few grocery bags if necessary.
While the Taycan did accommodate all (5) bags it felt maxed out once I got them all in there and I had to arrange the trunk in a particular way to get everything to fit so the trunk could close whereas that is not necessary on the Tesla.
Critically the Taycan’s frunk actually looks to have more storage potential than the Model 3’s thanks to its extra depth, however several of my bags were just ever so slightly too wide to make use of that extra depth. This is likely an inches vs centimeters thing and some slightly different sized bags would likely solve the problem, but I do think it’s something other folks with bags that use Imperial dimensions would run into.
Surprisingly both the frunk and trunk in the Tesla are much nicer to operate compared to the Taycan’s.
The Taycan’s frunk requires you to slide a safety latch to open it while neither the Tesla or Corvette’s frunk requires this. Likewise Tesla’s powered lift gate appears to move faster, does not make an annoying “beeping” noise as it is closing, and the hard plastic interior liner on the backside of Tesla’s trunk is much nicer than the Taycan’s carpeted liner.
Inside the cabin the Tesla has much more space for the rear seats as well as more leg and head room. Likewise the Tesla’s center console offers loads of storage potential plus convenient wireless charging for two. Whereas the Taycan has a janky wireless charger included (that is hard to access and didn’t seem to work for me) and much more limited storage options throughout the cabin.
This isn’t to say that the Taycan’s storage offerings wouldn’t work for most people. But a Tesla owner would have to make decisions about what to not include if moving into a Taycan. There’s something to be said about the Model 3 having smaller dimensions all around and more space to put stuff.
Parking Lot/Tight Spaces (all three)
I personally work in downtown LA frequently and have to navigate my car through tight parking areas and other urban gems. Likewise, I find that parking lots can generally be stressful, especially in nicer cars like a Corvette or Taycan, so an ease of navigating through them does make a marked difference in one’s overall enjoyment.
Here I would say the Taycan and Model 3 are a dead heat whereas the Corvette is a few steps behind both cars.
I have a particular turn around point in my neighborhood cul-de-sac that I consistently have to navigate through. Both the Taycan and Model 3 were able to clear the turn around point at comparable distances whereas the Corvette had to do a 3-point turn.
Supposedly the Corvette has a tighter turn radius than the outgoing C7 but it honestly does not feel that way to me. In tight quarters or parking lot situations, the Corvette feels like it’s a bit helpless to maneuver and I’ve had myself get into trouble with it on a few occasions. Nothing particularly damning or impossible to get out of, but instances where cars are looking at me and are wondering why I’m not making a turn when their car feels like it has enough space in the parking lot.
The Tesla does feel a bit easier to place due to its smaller size and I also find that its parking sensors and rear view camera do a lot to assist you. The Model 3 is frankly the easiest car I’ve had to park and I have no complaints about its turning radius, size, etc. in these situations.
Considering the Taycan’s extra dimensions its turning radius feels like it’s better than the Tesla’s inch for inch, but the extra dimensions do make it a bit less seamless to place and the cameras/driver assistance features do not work consistently enough to rely on. But you can park the car without being too far off the mark of the Model 3, and you are nowhere near the silly situations that can be encountered in the Corvette.
While my particular rental did not have rear axle steering equipped, I do feel like a rear axle steering equipped Taycan would be comparable to place compared to a Model 3 on all accounts and the Taycan without rear axle steering was plenty easy to generally park and maneuver around parking lots despite its size.
Traffic/Daily Driving Comfort (Model 3 vs Taycan)
So this is a major point of emphasis for me between Model 3 and Taycan because I do find myself driving in all sorts of traffic conditions and just need the car to be easy to deal with no matter what I encounter.
The Tesla is a smaller vehicle, has a default ride height that basically never scrapes, has a very helpful nav and parking sensors, and things like one pedal drive and auto hold make for a very “zen-like” driving experience. I’ve basically never encountered a driving situation that made me feel uncomfortable in my Tesla. Likewise the smaller size and instantaneous torque makes it very easy to just slot oneself in wherever needed.
The Taycan is a larger vehicle and it does not offer a one pedal driving mode, both of which made me worry about the Taycan’s overall comfort. However I actually did not miss one pedal driving nearly as much as I thought I would on the Taycan. The lack of one pedal drive allows the car to just glide along somewhat effortlessly, and though you do need to be more aware as a driver, it somehow feels less frenetic than the Tesla. I can’t say it’s preferable to one pedal driving, but it works well enough that I don’t mind not having one pedal driving accessible in the Taycan.
I had a harder time slotting the Taycan into tight spaces compared to the Tesla. This is partially because of the Taycan’s size and partially because its throttle response is not as instantaneous. Likewise, I did have to be mindful of ride height in certain situations, which did add a layer of stress that I am not as used to anymore in my daily commute.
Something about the Taycan does feel like it protects you from the outside world a bit more than the Tesla. The ride is a lot more insulated, helping you arrive in a fresher state and the car drives in a way where it feels like it never really has to assert itself. In the Tesla I feel like I often have to get scrappy to get myself into a position that I’d like, but the Taycan never really calls for it.
Visibility between the Taycan and Tesla is pretty comparable, but the Taycan’s mirrors do feel like they are in a better position to see behind you, and the blind spot warning system gives you an immediate level of awareness that the Tesla does not offer.
After going back and forth between both cars the Taycan’s steering across all modes feels a bit more weighty and effortful. This becomes a disadvantage on the streets because you do feel this steering weight along with the car’s actual weight when making tighter maneuvers, but on the highway the Taycan feels much more sure footed and its steering works better there compared to the Tesla’s.
As an odd point of consideration, I do think the Tesla is a nicer cabin to be in when the car’s not moving. It feels a little more spacious and I’ve had no problems working on my laptop in the front seat or taking a nap in the rear seat. I think taking a nap in the rear seat of a Taycan would be hard to accomplish because of how the rear seat is shaped. While the front seat offers plenty of space to work if needed, the car generally feels like it wants you to drive it, whereas the Tesla is okay with you hanging out in it. However the Taycan actually feels like the nicer to cabin to be in when you are moving. That protection and insolation from the outside world just really gives you a sense of comfort and escape which is nice.
A big thing that helps the Taycan is the fact that it does have a “hold” feature if you press the brake pedal down strongly when at a stop. Now the Tesla can do this for you every single time your car comes to a stop, but I found that being able to have the option to “hold” in the Taycan was a minor tipping point in daily driving/comfort that helps it compared to the Tesla.
All in all I’d say the Tesla wins this particular category. But the Taycan is not as far off in this category as I remember it being.
Highway Driving (all three)
The Taycan is the best highway driver of the three. It is smooth, well insulated, and happy to give you a strong shove of torque no matter what speed you are going on the highway. One of my worries with the Taycanwas the lack of one pedal driving making it feel less comfortable to drive on the highway, but I actually found its auto recuperation mode to be a big win.
Auto Recuperation essentially allows the car to coast when it is not near other vehicles, helping to optimize range, but when it is near vehicles it adds regen and frictional braking to help keep a safe distance. With this on I found that I actually had to touch the pedals less than I had to when in the Tesla, and found that the system did a good job keeping me at safe distances and generally out of trouble.
The Tesla is the next best of the bunch. It does have noticeably louder wind and road noises at highway speeds, but it has a punchy torque delivery from 60-80mph which makes it very easy to slot itself into small gaps in the highway. However the Tesla’s power does seem to fall off past 80mph compared to the Taycan. One pedal driving on the Tesla is very much a treat, as it makes it very easy to respond to changing road conditions (just take your foot off the pedal and you’ve scrubbed 10mph off your speed in a few seconds). Likewise in stop and go traffic situations it makes everything very easy and comfortable to manage. However you do find yourself having to constantly apply the throttle pedal to maintain highway speeds. So while the Tesla does a great job on the highway, the Taycan feels like it is much more optimized for it as a whole.
The Corvette is very comfortable on the highway thanks to its adaptive dampers and you can tell that it’s a car that is happy to eat miles for you. I’d say it’s definitely one of the easiest and most relaxing sports cars to take on a longer road trip. Unfortunately, you begin to really miss EV torque when on the highway with the Corvette. You can drop a few gears, rev like crazy, get yourself up 100mph and it feels like nothing happened compared to how much instantaneous torque the Taycan and Model 3 offer at highway speeds. Likewise I’m often happy to push the Model 3 to higher speeds on the highway because of how quiet the car is, but past 80mph the Corvette’s style and exhaust essentially announces “Come look at me I’m breaking the law!” or in some people’s eyes “I’m a douchebag”. So you do have to be much more mindful of your throttle usage.
The Corvette does also have an odd size and seating position that just makes it hard to really feel confident shooting a gap on the highway. So the lack of instantaneous torque and its odd shape/size makes it the least enjoyable highway cruiser, though it still does an incredible job for an ICE sports car and is by no means bad by other measures.
Conclusion:
So can the Taycan best a C8 Model 3 Combo?
The Taycan’s driving experience really is good enough where it is an incredibly tempting proposition. I personally think you get very close to the experience of how a Corvette cuts up canyons, with a lot of the convenience and practicality you’d expect from an EV. In my eyes it's currently as close as you can get to a sports car while having 4 doors. For me a big source of its appeal is being able to experience the speed and specialness of the Corvette a lot more frequently in day to day driving scenarios and to experience that speed in a way that draws a lot less attention and feels generally safer on the streets.
However this math only makes sense looking at the used market. Used Taycan Turbo and 4S models can be had for $110Kish, and really the Taycan Turbo is the one to make a move on at that price range. However at around $140K new for say a well optioned 4S the C8 and Model 3 combo makes more sense.
All in all the Taycan really is the first proper "do it all" car that I have encountered and I think we have a lot to look forward to with a plethora of of EV options coming to market soon.

Specifically interested in the Volvo XC60 Recharge. According to the window sticker: 36 miles all electric, 63 MPGe, 28 MPG, 3.6gal/100miles. Maybe I’m misunderstanding how the car sources power?? But can you explain what the milage would be if I drove a single trip that is say 60 miles vs 300 miles mostly highway - assuming the car started fully charged but not plugged in at any time during the trip.

So I’m in the market for a luxury mid-size SUV. I’ve test driven several at this point and have it (roughly) narrowed it to these two. Mainly looking for a nice daily driver with a little extra space for trips/etc. Both cars drove great, and were generally very comfortable. Volvo had slightly nicer seats, but I didn’t love the infotainment system which I preferred on the Genesis.
Both seemed great, any gut thoughts on either car would help a ton

Hello everybody,
I posted some weeks ago about buying a used midsize SUV with a budget of 40 to 45’000 Swiss francs.
Because of different reasons (service, offer to buy my old car and proximity) I’m leaning towards an XC60 T5.
However, I’m still torn between two cars :

• 2018 XC60 T5 Momentum, with leather seats, Pilot Assist, 18 inch wheels and quite low mileage / 39k km, so about 25k miles
  
• 2019 XC60 T5 Inscription, with black leather electric and memory seats, air suspension, 20 inch wheels but with higher mileage 100k km, about 60k miles.
  

Both same price, both with 1 year warranty.
What should I buy ?
EDIT : I want to keep the car for 2 to 3 years maximum and drive about 20 to 25k km per year.
My idea is that the one with more equipment will be easier to sell, but it will be pretty high mileage by then, so it could be counterbalanced by that

I’m looking to spend about $40k (up to $45k) on a wagon type car that can be used comfortably in dirt roads and inclement weather - but not serious off roading. Was set on a Subaru Outback but my wife suggested a Volvo XC60. It looks like I can get a used 15-20k 2020 Volvo for the same price as a new Outback Onyx XT. Is it crazy to consider a certified 2020 Volvo instead? Wife would far prefer it while I would somewhat prefer the outback.

Two used Volvo XC60’s - comparing options and need some advice!
I’m pregnant, searching for my perfect mom car and I think the XC60 is it. I’ve test driven a few but I’m not in a rush, my current car is perfectly fine but it is too small. I’m also waiting for my preferred color combination to come available in a used 2020 or 2021. My ideal budget is 35k but I’ll flex if it’s the right car.
The first option is a 2021 T6 AWD momentum, certified pre-owned by Volvo, 42k miles priced at 38k. The dealer will give me $15,500 for my trade. The catch on this one is that it looks like it was a rental based on carfax & no accidents reported. if I say yes to this car - they will purchase and ship this car in from another dealer for me so they want me to put down a 1k deposit to commit pending test drive and visual inspection.
The second option is a 2020 T5 AWD momentum, certified pre-owned by Volvo, 28k miles priced at 39k. It was a personal lease that was returned, no accidents on carfax. I haven’t been to this dealership in person yet, they estimated 16-18k for my trade based on KBB but no commitment and said they might have a few hundred dollars worth of wiggle room on the car price but not much. This vehicle doesn’t need to be shipped so I’ll probably go see it in person on Saturday.
My questions:
Which would you lean towards if you were me? Why?
Would you be concerned about purchasing a former rental?? I’m worried about this - people drive rentals more recklessly for sure.
I may pay cash for the difference between the new car and my trade, should I hold off on disclosing this? Do dealers offer lower prices with the profit from interest in mind?

My lease is up in September (Hyundai, Tucson), not a fan of the SUV I currently have so just want to get rid of it. Looking at a luxury SUV either Mercedes GLC, BMW X3 or Volvo xc60 and I know I don't want to keep leasing every 3 years feels like a waste a money. I don't know if it's best to buy a slightly used 2020 or 2021 vehicle or lease and then buy it out? But how many miles should I cap at purchasing a used vehicle like those? I want to go into the dealer knowing my sh1! so I don't get ripped off... I'd appreciate any advice!!!

So what booking tropes do you use in your games? I’m playing TEW 2020 and also play the mobile Wrestling GM and most of the tropes stay consistent but I’m focused on TEW for this.
First off I book for enjoyment first with “success” being a close second. BTW: this is an example of a difference between the two games as in the GM game I give less of a damn about “success” since its pretty easy and doesn’t matter as much. I still care but less than with TEW.
Second I realize that in real life I would book differently. When booking the SWF I start Rocky Golden off as a delusional thinks he’s the greatest hero ever heel. That’s because I hate booking the “Hogan model” (big Superman face runs over heels until meeting an equally big size wise heel). But if I actually ran a real life SWF and Golden is hot like the Cverse canon says I’m riding that train. Because I have a responsibility to turn a profit. Now if Golden starts to cool off then maybe I try a heel turn.
Also out of game I do a lot of head canon. Most of my best ideas don’t make it on a booking sheet. They are just assumed to happen. If two wrestlers have a tense relationship but team up they allude to it subtly in every angle, its only on the sheet when its a major happening.
So here are some of my tropes
I book a lot of jobber matches. I want my big guns to have impressive records (though I’m trying to focus less on that and more on momentum). Again this is something I wouldn’t do as much in real life but I’d try it. The basic idea is booking a 5 minute match where one wrestler is real over and the other isn’t is that for a few minutes the fans will care to watch the over wrestler. Also I highlight the talents of the “jobber” and the fans get to see that too.
I try to defy conventions once in a while. For example sometimes the tag wrestler beats the singles star. I want to do something where a champion says “you have to beat my minion in order to get another shot at me”. Then the minion wins and no title shot. Just once in awhile to keep it honest. I’d totally do this in real life.
I try to give subtle nuances to my characters, even if its in my head. For example in my SWF save Spencer Spade is a total selfish heel and I have zero plans to turn him face. But he still has taken a liking to his minion Paul Huntington and he was in a tag team with Jimmy Hernandez. They were minions for Rocky Golden (they were rivals for Golden’s favor at first but eventually started to bond). Hernandez and Spade split but Spade is still hesitant to attack (aside from matches) or cheat verses Hernandez. This is just good booking I imagine.
I enjoy offbeat characters. Atom Smasher is a perfect example. A 50s movie monster character. Love it. But what happens when he gets over? I’m always up for the offbeat for my midcard workers.
On that note I do have and enjoy characters with supernatural tropes but the supernatural isn’t really a thing in my vision of the Supremeverse. They might do something spooky but there is a natural cause at least implied. So my vampire character has no super powers but might bite someone as a finisher and would certainly have the creepy dark yet a bit romantic vibe to them.
I have a few long term plans but sometimes I audible or let the story write itself. In another save for a prior TEW I had John McClean (Squeeky McClain) and Primus (Allen) as screw up minions for Rich Money. But I decided on the caveat of having them be loyal to each other. Just a little nuance. I liked it so much I turned them into unlikely faces (de facto before officially) and they won the tag titles.
I’m a collector. I sign everyone I can. I keep swearing not to but I do. At least now I bought TCW so I can stash some of them there so they will continue to be successful.
I had an issue with jobbing my big guys out too much, using them as overness banks for my smaller, more skilled people (I even based Mikey Lau’s gimmick on being a “giant killer”). This save I’m much better about protecting my big boys so when they do get beat it means something and I’m establishing that size has value in my Supremeverse.
I like 3-6 month reigns for secondary titles and a few months longer for my world titles. In this last save I’m happy that I had Des Davids keep the NA belt for all of calendar year 2020. I had someone to take it off him mid year but he hit his overness cap so I audibled and Davids kept it until the end of February 2021.
I do too many face turns and redemption arcs. Which is why I have to sign and or develop more big guys so people like Davids, Golden, Scythe, maybe Remo have other credible big guys to face. Small face vs big heel works better than big face vs small heel unless small heel is champ or way over.
Well there it is. Any thoughts?

Since I got kids I became paranoid when driving. I feel really uncomfortable driving on longer trips because I often encounter people that drive drunk or irresponsible (overtaking in a curve, etc). I live in the country with less than 3 million people but almost every day someone gets killed in a car accident, often entire families.
So I was thinking to buy heavier, safer car. My budget is up to 35 000 €. I am thinking between Volvo XC40 T2 A Core (33 000 €) and Seat Tarraco Style 1.5 TSI DSG (33 000 €).
Both have excellent Euro NCAP ratings (XC40 Tarraco) but Volvo has a better history in safety and is a a bit heavier - kerb weight 1680 kg vs 1524 kg. On the other hand Tarraco is much larger and offers more space than XC40.
I was even thinking to consider a used Volvo XC60 (year 2013), but in my country these are around 17 000 € with 200 000 km on the clock.
What do you think? XC40 or Tarraco or something else that is commonly available in Europe? I am quite a car noob so any advice is welcome.

In Part One, Kazuchika Okada waged war on the wrestling world as part of his quest to purify NJPW, killing BULLET CLUB and giving CHAOS a much-needed facelift in the process. Hirooki Goto and company have since taken refuge under Katsuyori Shibata’s new “Takeover” stable, which has recruited Ren Narita’s services. Sabre-Gun’s been on the up too, expanding to include the likes of Blake Christian and Clark Connors with the recent Best of the Super Juniors, continuing to be at odds with Just6Guys. There’s one group that’s yet to be addressed though, and that’s… United Empire.
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After finally vanquishing Kenny Omega at Forbidden Door, Will Ospreay sets his sights on the next logical step – the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. With another of his white whales clutching onto it tightly, he wants closure to this legendary saga too, and so, he calls out the Rainmaker. Big Brother Kazu isn’t fazed one bit by the challenge, telling Ospreay he’s been waiting for him, though not to expect a result any different to their many past matches. After all, from Okada’s point-of-view, Will isn’t NJPW’s next destined leader. There’s a different prodigal son waiting.
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Under CHAOS’s new vision, not only has Okada been building a ruthless band of companions willing to follow his regime change, but also focusing on its future, no longer being a top-heavy unit destined to collapse the moment Kazuchika stops supporting its roof. With Hiroshi Tanahashi already bringing in his younger counterpart, Shota Umino, Okada recruits the man prophesised to take over his mantle of Ace one day, Yuya Uemura. His Forbidden Door victory over Wheeler YUTA marking the end of his American excursion, Uemura accompanies his leader’s victory against Blackpool Combat Club in major fashion by accompanying him on the Kizuna Road loop.
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Kizuna Road - Night Four (July 3, 2023)
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CHAOS (Kazuchika Okada & Yuya Uemura) vs United Empire (Will Ospreay & Jeff Cobb)
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Impressing thus far, Yuya’s biggest test comes when he teams with Okada 2-on-2 for the very first time to confront UE’s Ospreay and Cobb, and he quickly silences their criticisms. A one-sided manhandling from Cobb soon turns into Uemura employing strategies passed down to him from Okada on how to beat the Hawaiian Hulk, giving him quite the culture shock, before Okada helps bang the big man’s drum. The flow shifts when Ospreay steps in though, severely outclassing Yuya to both his and Okada’s surprise. This is a different Will to the one Okada faced a year ago in the G1 Climax Finals.
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And yet, the Rainmaker has an ego problem. Tagging in, he tries to shut Will down, only to find for once, Ospreay seems to have his number. When the Commonwealth Kingpin has him beat though, going for the Hidden Blade, Yuya throws himself in harm’s way to buy Okada a moment, allowing Kazuchika to Dropkick Will out the equation, before drilling Cobb with a Rainmaker to win! As Ospreay grits his teeth, he understands it’ll take more than that to outsmart Okada.
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CHAOS def. United Empire (13:45)
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Wrestle Dynasty (July 8, 2023)
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Also on the show:
Sabre-Gun (El Phantasmo, Mikey Nicholls & Shane Haste) (c) vs Ren Narita & Bishamon - NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship
Aussie Open (c) vs CHAOS (Tomohiro Ishii & Shota Umino) - IWGP Tag Team Championship
Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs Jeff Cobb - IWGP United States Championship
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Kazuchika Okada (c) vs Will Ospreay IX - IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
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Across 8 matches, Ospreay has never once beaten Okada cleanly, his only triumph coming from the night of his betrayal in the G1 3 years ago. But now, with a win over the man Okada failed to beat at Dominion, he’s in the best shape he’s ever been to end the reign of tyranny. The question is though, will he? Returning to Madison Square Garden for this historic show, the last time they were here Ospreay was losing to Cobb in a Winner Takes All opener, whilst Okada was winning back the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in the main event. This time, they’re equals.
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Ospreay enters on a throne carried to the ring by UE, hamming up his Commonwealth Kingpin moniker and signalling the days of the Aerial Assassin to be long dead. Okada, on the other hand, is the same old Rainmaker, descending from the heavens on a platform, God mode in full effect. With pre-match introductions out the way, the bell rings, and the match gets underway! And in classic Okada/Ospreay fashion, Kazuchika expects to Big Brother Will with the Tanahashi/Okada-style headlock start… BUT OSPREAY RUSHES HIM WITH THE HIDDEN BLADE!!!
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Caught off guard, Okada only barely evades him, but Ospreay moves like a lightning bolt, instantly transitioning to springboarding off the ropes for an OSCUTTER! Okada catches it and grabs the wrist, ripcording him into a RAINMAKER! Will ducks though, blasting him with a MARUFUJI HOOK KICK! Okada rocked, nails a SILENT WHISPER to the back of the head, before hooking the arms for the STORM BREAKER!!! But yet again, the Rainmaker barely gets out of dodge, shoving Will away and sliding outside for a breather!
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Okada looks like he doesn’t know what’s just hit him, while Ospreay grins and mocks the Rainmaker pose. Snarling, Kazuchika slides back in and gets to trading blows with his challenger. Stiff elbows bounce off their heads in the centre of the ring, an Enzuigiri from Okada whiffing and a Handspring Enzuigiri from Will equally missing the mark! Kazu teases a Dropkick, causing Ospreay to leap, only to meet a stiff Uppercut once gravity gets hold of him.
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Tossed into the ropes for a proper Dropkick attempt, Will instead slides to the apron and thunders in with a PIP PIP CHEERIO! A Running Shooting Star Press misses, Ospreay rolling through and racing back at Okada, though he’s launched onto the top turnbuckle. Again, a frustrated Okada wants the Dropkick, but Ospreay catches the leg and spins him around, nailing an INVERTED TORNADO DDT! Crunch. Here come the neck issues.
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Okada dazed, nursing the injury in agony, Ospreay stomps the hell out of the neck, before connecting with a ROBINSON SPECIAL! He teases a follow-up OsCutter, Okada anticipating it, only to be faked into a SPIKE DDT! ONE! TWO! THR-KICK OUT! Okada DDT’d the life out of Will last time, so Ospreay’s making sure to return the favour here. He goes for broke one too many times though, a Hangman’s DDT attempt ending in Okada spearing Ospreay across the ring and through the ropes, both smacking off the apron to the floor!
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Turning feral ringside, Okada kicks Ospreay senseless like he’s Kaito, before forcefully connecting a DDT of his own! He whips Will at the guardrail for his patented Crossbody spot but Ospreay leaps over, a Silent Whisper staggering Okada, before an OSCUTTER SOARS IN… NOT THIS TIME – OKADA COUNTERS INTO A TOMBSTONE ON THE CONCRETE!!! Getting him back for the G1 Finals, Kazu smugly takes in the boos as Will twitches lifelessly at his feet.
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Tossing him in, a MISSILE DROPKICK guns into his neck, before another BEAUTIFUL DROPKICK smacks into his chest, Okada finally in control! A Flapjack plants Will face-first and an AIR RAID CRASH NECKBREAKER again targets the famously-troubled neck of Ospreay! ONE! TWO! THR-NO DICE! Cinching in the MONEY CLIP, he continues working it over, Will sputtering and gasping for breaths as he reaches out at the ropes. Right as he finds himself inches from them though, a GERMAN SUPLEX dumps him on his neck!
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Okada hits the pose, before dialling up the RAINMAKER… Ospreay snapmares him over, learning from last time to not back him up. and throws the HIDDEN BLADE!!! ONE! TWO! THR-NOOOOOOOO!!! Racing up top, Will prepares a Shooting Star Press, though Okada sluggishly rolls to the apron as he grabs at his head. Deciding to change trajectories… OSPREAY NAILS A SUPER OSCUTTER TO THE FLOOR!!! Body aching yet determined, Will rolls back in, only to soar back out with a SASUKE SPECIAL!!!
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Dragging Okada behind him, he drapes him over the top rope, heading back up to finally hit the BURNING STAR PRESS!!! ONE! TWO! THR-OKADA GETS A FOOT ON THE ROPE!!! Keeping his composure, Ospreay murders Okada’s face with Kawada Kicks, before a CHELSEA GRIN knocks him loopy… OSCUTTER INCOMING – OKADA COLLAPSES UNDER!!! Will smacks off the mat, not anticipating it, and lets out a pained grunt as both lay flat on their backs, New York roaring in approval!
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Ospreay finds his feet first and tries to pick Okada from his knees, though it results in him being tripped into the ropes throat-first! DROPKICK MEETS OSPREAY AS HE TURNS AROUND! Okada’s noticeably slower than usual, though he doesn’t let it hinder him, picking Will up to nail a SHORT-ARM RAINMAKER! Ospreay stays upright, returning a forearm smash, but another SHORT-ARM RAINMAKER takes him down! Okada teases the finishing blow, though Will resists, prompting Kazu to spike him with a LANDSLIDE instead! ONE! TWO! THR-OSPREAY SURVIVES!
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Hauling him right back up, Okada shoots again… WILL COUNTERS WITH AN OSCUTT- DROPKICKED OUT THE SKIES! Okada sets up the SPINNING RAINMAKER, but Ospreay nails the DISCUS ELBOW first! HOOK KICK drops him, before the HIDDEN BLADE closes in… OKADA DUCKS AND FIRES A JOHN WOO DROPKICK, SENDING OSPREAY INTO THE OPPOSITE CORNER! AND A HESITATION DROPKICK – SHADES OF SHIBATA! Will in the drop zone, Okada gets an idea, heading up top… HIGH FLY FLOW!!! ONE! TWO! THR-NOOOOOOOOOO!!!
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Okada scowls, picking Will up for the TOMBSTONE… OSPREAY REVERSES INTO A HITODENASHI DRIVER!!! ONE! TWO! THR-OKADA KICKS OUT!!! And now Ospreay hits the Rainmaker pose again! Securing wrist-control, he nails a RAINHAM MAKER!!! ONE! TWO! THR-STILL NO LUCK!!! Ospreay’s running out of options, though refuses to let his confidence waver, sticking to his gameplan. Mauling Okada’s arms, neck, and back with stomps, he picks him for only his second attempt at the ultimate final blow! OSPREAY WANTS STORM BREAKER!!!
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Getting Okada up… KAZU DROPS OUT AND NAILS THE RAINMAKER!!! BUT HE CAN’T COVER, HAVING TO NURSE THE ARM! Both men returning to their feet at the same time, they knock each other dead with strikes, Okada scoring the ENZUIGIRI this time, Ospreay returning the POP-UP FOREARM SMASH! Tearing off the elbow pad, OSPREAY FIRES UP THE HIDDEN BLADE… OKADA COUNTERS INTO THE SPINNING EMERALD FLOWSION!!! NOT AGAIN – THIS COMBO ENDED WILL LAST TIME! Okada spells the end… RAINMAKERRRRRRRRRRRR!!! ONE! THIS IS IT! TWO! MSG IS ON THEIR FEET! THRE… OSPREAY KICKS OUT!!! HE’S STILL IN IT!!!
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Okada looks like he’s seen a ghost, a barely twitching Ospreay laying at his feet with one shoulder raised! Refusing to accept it, the Rainmaker lifts him back up, BEFORE NAILING ANOTHER ON A DEFENCELESS WILL! Ospreay on his knees, head bowed, Kazu lifts him up by the hair to lock gazes with Will’s glazed-over eyes, before throwing a THIRD AND FINAL- OSPREAY HITS THE RAINMAKER!!! Okada drops like he’s been shot!
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And now Will realises this could be it. Struggling back up whilst maintaining wrist-control, he lets out a roar, before nailing a RIPCORD HIDDEN BLADE!!! Okada at his knees now, Will lifts his head up by the hair this time as Kazu dares him to finish him off, too weak to fight back… AND OSPREAY OBLIGES, FISHING HIM INTO A STORM BREAKERRRRRRRRRR!!! ONE! TWO! THREE!!! OSPREAY’S FINALLY DONE IT!!! WE HAVE A NEW CHAMPION!!!
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Will Ospreay def. Kazuchika Okada (c) to win the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship (38:09)
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MSG loses its mind as both men lay exhausted, UE rushing out to celebrate with their leader, helping him to his feet and handing him his prize. Golden tickertape hails from the rafters like Okada Dollars, Ospreay seated on a makeshift arm throne by Cobb and O-Khan, raising his title high, whilst Aussie Open and Catch 22 stand on either side, brandishing their respective titles too! And as Okada recovers, rolling out the ring and returning up the ramp, he locks eyes with Ospreay, giving him a look which reads “I’ll be back.” Will doesn’t let it phase him though. This is his night. He’s earned this moment.
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G1 Climax 33
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Not having to wait long for his first test, he enters his fourth G1 for the first time as reigning champion, redeeming the chance that a neck injury robbed him of in 2021. Heading A Block, he battles CHAOS’s Hiroshi Tanahashi on Night One, who tries to avenge Okada’s loss, though meets the same fate. Will dominates his block, dropping his first match after an undefeated 6 nights, losing to Katsuyori Shibata after their teased program last year at Forbidden Door! Still first though, having victimised SANADA, Shota Umino, EVIL, PAC, and KENTA along the way, he murders El Phantasmo on his 8th night, before meeting Tetsuya Naito in the Block Finals after a 5* duology last year! Finally, El Ingobernable avenges his past losses to punch his ticket to the Finals! As for B Block, a Shingo Takagi victory over Sabre puts him through, setting up a rematch from 2019’s G1 between Naito and Takagi for the Finals, adding fuel to the fire of LIJ’s already turbulent year with SANADA’s betrayal!
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(Other key underlying stories are Naito’s loss to SANADA, KENTA beating Shibata in their first match as part of the TakeoveCHAOS feud, PAC finally returning to the ring as AEW’s representative to throw a spanner into LIJ’s works, Kaito taking Okada to a draw, Goto getting his win back over Okada, Sabre equalising his series with Taichi, and Yuya beating Yota in the first chapter of their Ace vs Dark Ace rivalry that’ll propel NJPW once Okada and Naito pass on the respective mantles.)
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G1 Climax 33 Finals (August 13, 2023)
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Also on this show:
Tetsuya Naito vs Shingo Takagi II - G1 Climax Finals
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United Empire (Will Ospreay & Catch 22) vs Los Ingobernables de Japon (Yota Tsuji, Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI)
With Naito returning last year’s favour of having the Finals robbed from him by Ospreay, Will instead faces his potential Wrestle Kingdom main event opponent’s factionmates, bringing longest-reigning IWGP Junior Tag Team Champions Catch 22 along for the ride. Whilst using the opportunity to run back his critically acclaimed rivalry with Hiromu Takahashi, he also makes an example out of NEVER Openweight Champion Yota Tsuji, cracking down on the New Generation star to remind Naito and Shingo what he plans to do to them, before pinning BUSHI for the win!
United Empire def. Los Ingobernables de Japon (14:10)
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As UE celebrate their win… BANG! DOUBLE SUPERKICK TO OSPREAY! STEEL CHAIR TO TJP AND FRANCESCO AKIRA! THE ELITE IS HERE!!! No rest for the wicked, Omega plants his boot on Will’s head as he holds the IWGP World Title up, making his intentions crystal clear. His match with Okada ended without a clear victor, and so, he not only wants another crack at the belt, but to crush Ospreay to avenge Forbidden Door. And what better place to do that than Wembley Stadium!
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RevPro 11 Year Anniversary Show (August 26, 2023)
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Will Ospreay vs Ren Narita
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Whilst Ospreay/Omega III is announced for the following night, Will takes care of business in Copper Box Arena the night prior against one Ren Narita, continuing to test out the youth of NJPW, having already faced Yuya, Yota, and Shota in the past month. With Shibata holding a win over Ospreay’s head, promising to be back for the victor of ALL IN’s main event, Will batters his student in the meantime to remind him who the best wrestler in the world is right now, a Hidden Blade slaying Ren!
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Will Ospreay def. Ren Narita (16:07)
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ALL IN: London (August 27, 2023)
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Also on the show:
Zack Sabre Jr. (c)(c) vs Bryan Danielson – NJPW World Television/ROH Pure Championships
FTR (c) vs Aussie Open - AEW World Tag Team Championship
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Will Ospreay (c) vs Kenny Omega III - IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
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They’ve fought in Japan’s Tokyo Dome, Canada’s Scotiabank Arena, and now, they finally settle the score in England’s Wembley Stadium. 90,000 strong in attendance, there’s a clear crowd favourite here, football chants raining down for Ospreay. Omega decides to lean into it, tapping fully into his Cleaner look and tendencies with Devil’s Sky, absorbing the hatred. Will, on the other hand, receives a standing ovation in an emotional homecoming, prepared to prove his superiority over Omega once and for all and silence those accusing him of lucky past couple months.
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The big first test for Will as champion starts with Kenny trying to get under Ospreay’s skin, stalling him out each time the Commonwealth Kingpin guns for him. Forcing him to work for his golden snitch, Kenny slides out and does jumping jacks until Will takes the bait, Omega quickly repossessing the ring, shutting Ospreay out. Will yells at the referee to back Kenny up, who obliges… ONLY TO EXPLODE FOR A V-TRIGGER THE MOMENT WILL RE-ENTERS!
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Ospreay leapfrogs him and comes off the ropes with a hurricanrana, Omega cartwheeling through and throwing one back, Will handstanding out, though not fast enough, eating a DROPKICK TO THE FACE! Ospreay stunned, Kenny launches him into the corner and dogs on him with vicious kicks and stomps until the referee intervenes, Omega throwing one last chest-slicing chop! Incensed, Ospreay rushes out with forearms for Kenny, lighting him up, the Kawada Kicks finding their mark, before a CHELSEA GRIN’S BLOCKED BY A V-TRIGGER!
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Ospreay shaking off his arm, Kenny capitalises with another V-TRIGGER, but Will ducks, nailing a Hook Kick, an OSCUTTER due to follow… OMEGA SUPERKICKS OSPREAY OVER THE ROPES! Will floored, a RISE OF THE TERMINATOR wipes him out! Gloating as England boos him, an even better idea crosses Kenny’s mind, sliding back in to nail a SASUKE SPECIAL! Nuclear heat. Battering Ospreay about the ring, he teases smashing his head through a table like WK17, though frantic back elbows force him off!
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Kenny seeing stars, Ospreay attempts an OSCUTTER OFF THE GUARDRAIL- V-TRIGGER TO THE BASE OF THE SKULL SNIPES HIM!!! A sickening thud reverberating through the arena as Ospreay’s head snaps forward, a sadistic Kenny lays the section of railing on Will’s body… BEFORE CONNECTING A DIVING DOUBLE FOOT STOMP OFF THE APRON!!! Champion crushed, Omega cackles and dusts off his hands, before kissing Will’s title, eager to bring it home.
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As Kenny taunts the crowd, Ospreay’s managed to feebly crawl out the rubble after the referee checking on him, though as Omega senses this, he’s immediately on his tail. Watching Will try to pull himself up using the steel post, KENNY CHARGES FOR ANOTHER V-TRIGGER… CRACK! OSPREAY MOVES OUT THE WAY, OMEGA’S KNEE HITTING THE STEEL INSTEAD!!! The Cleaner yowls in sheer agony as what was starting to look like another dominant showing takes a drastic left turn!
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Realising this, Will quickly capitalises, grabbing Omega’s wrists from the opposite side of the post, pulling him up to his feet… Kenny hysterically tries to fight Ospreay off, begging him to spare him, realising what’s coming, WILL YANKING OMEGA HEAD-FIRST INTO THE POST!!! Bouncing it off it over and over again, now it’s Kenny that’s busted open! Omega collapsing back to his knees, Ospreay next grabs the leg and SMASHES KENNY’S KNEE INTO THE POST!!! THEN THE GUARDRAIL!!! AND BACK!!! There’s no mercy from Ospreay tonight.
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Rolling Kenny in, he nails Omega’s YOU CAN’T ESCAPE! ONE! TWO! THR-KICK OUT! Forcing Omega to use the bad leg to free himself, Will goes right back to targeting it, kicking the inside of the knee and slamming it against the mat! SHOOTING STAR PRESS TO THE LEG! Omega can’t even be whipped across the ring, collapsing half-way, a ROBINSON SPECIAL crushing him instead! AND A SLINGSHOT CUTTER! ONE! TWO! THR-NO LUCK!
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Hooking the arms, Ospreay wants STORM BREAKER, but Omega counters into a hurricanrana pin for 2! A Running Knee Strike from Will comes up empty, Kenny flattening him with a SNAP DRAGON SUPLEX! AND A SECOND! KOTARO KRUSHER FOLLOWS! Smacking the leg to keep up, an AOI SHOUDOU plants Ospreay! ONE! TWO! THR-WILL STAYS IN IT! A Doctor Bomb attempt is subdued, Ospreay hammering the knee to escape, before a ROUNDHOUSE cleans Kenny’s clock, a POISONED FRANKENSTEINER standing him up, and an ESSEX DESTROY- POP-UP V-TRIGGER!!!
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Kenny desperately tries getting a limp Will on his shoulders for the ONE WINGED ANGEL, using the ropes for help, but Ospreay leans forwards, tumbling onto the apron to escape! SILENT WHISPER blasts Kenny… OMEGA THROWS A V-TRIGGER BACK, KNOCKING WILL OUT! Leg searing yet title more important, Kenny gingerly lifts Ospreay up the ropes with him, before going for OH GOD A MIDDLE ROPE CROYT’S WRATH!!! OSPREAY FLIPS TO HIS FEET!!!
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The sneer on Omega’s face slowly fades as realisation strikes him, shades of Ibushi/Ospreay, Will not even giving him a chance to respond, HOOK KICK CONNECTING! OSCUTTERRRRRRRRR!!! ONE! TWO! THR-NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Frustrated, Ospreay hammers on the cut on Kenny’s forehead, painting his own chest with Omega’s blood, BEFORE REMOVING THE TURNBUCKLE PAD! He wants to return the favour from WK! Taking Kenny to the top rope, Ospreay teases a DDT onto the exposed steel… Omega slips between his legs to the mat and CROTCHES WILL ON THE METAL!!!
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Kenny cackles as Ospreay howls, before packaging his head and nailing a CHEEKY NANDOS KICK! Blasting Will repeatedly, a V-TRIGGER FOLLOWS, SMASHING WILL’S HEAD INTO THE STEEL!!! AND HE SPINS HIM AROUND – AVALANCHE PHOENIX-PLEX!!! ONE! TWO! THR-NOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Kenny beats on Will’s fresh cut, leaving both men bloody messes, before readying a V-TRIGGER… Ospreay grabs Omega’s foot! Pissed, Kenny shakes him off, nailing a STANDING V-TRIGGER straight to the cut, BEFORE SPIKING HIM WITH AN IBUSHI-STYLE BASTARD DRIVER!!! ONE! TWO! THR-OSPREAY SURVIVES AGAIN!!!
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Ospreay’s body limply leaning on the ropes, Kenny cocks and fires a V-TRIGGER, Will simply bouncing back head-first onto the Canadian! Setting him back, Omega takes another run-up, NAILING HIM WITH A SECOND IN SUCCESSION!!! The champion still out on his knees, twisted thoughts run through Kenny’s mind, prepping his elbow… HE WANTS TO CONCUSS WILL LIKE OSPREAY DID IBUSHI AT WK13!!! OMEGA THROWS THE HIDDEN BLADE… V-TRIGGER FROM OSPREAY!!! Sparking to life, he grabs the wrists and ripcords for a RAINHAM MAKER!!! ONE! TWO! THR-KENNY’S STILL IN IT!!!
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Omega on dream street, Ospreay locks and loads THE HIDDEN BLADE, CONNECTING FLUSH ON KENNY’S JAW!!! But as Will goes to cover, Omega collapses out the ring! Ospreay’s lets out a frustrated wail, but he makes the chase all the same, kicking the lifeless Kenny about ringside. A weak chop from Omega meets a sickening forearm, and a wild punch completely misses, Kenny’s legs giving out. TIGER SUPLEX DUMPS HIM ON THE FLOOR!!! Kenny now fully collapsed, Ospreay gets an idea… PULLING OUT A LADDER FROM UNDER THE RING!!!
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Clearing the commentary table, he hoists The Cleaner onto it, before propping the ladder next-door and climbing! Sending a silent prayer to the skies, OSPREAY LAUNCHES OFF WITH A PHOENIX SPLASH, CONNECTING ALL OF IT!!! The crowd goes ballistic with the two men dead in the rubble, both unmoving for several seconds until Will finally faintly grins to himself for returning a taste of WK17’s table. Dragging himself inside, he flops into his corner, lying in wait for the challenger, who has the look of a soulless corpse once he finds his feet and locks eyes with Ospreay, barely rolling inside at 9 but immediately collapsing again.
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Ready to end it, Will crawls over and lifts Kenny to his knees by the wrists, SCORING A KAMIGOYE-STYLE HIDDEN BLADE!!! Omega rocked, Ospreay backs up to his corner for seconds, BUT KENNY PULLS THE REFEREE INTO THE WAY! Will catches himself in time, pausing in his tracks, though is left exposed to a LOW BLOW!!! Wembley goes mental with boos as Kenny weakly chuckles, feebly clawing up to his feet up a confused referee to nail a V-TRIGGER!!! Lifting him by the wrists, a RAIN TRIGGER FOLLOWS!!! AND HE GETS THE ELECTRIC CHAIR AGAINST ALL ODDS… BUT HE COLLAPSES!!!
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Omega shakes his head in denial, tearing up, his golden ticket in the palm of his hands! Heaving himself back up, he tries again, but Will anchors his body to the ground! Incredulous, he grabs Ospreay by the hair, who grins mockingly, AND SLAMS AN UGLY REAR KAMIGOYE INTO THE BACK OF HIS HEAD!!! COVER!!! ONE! T-KICK OUT!!! OSPREAY KICKS OUT AT ONE!!! Though still completely out of it, the act of sheer defiance certainly sees Kenny’s confidence shatter in real time, who like an unhinged animal beats on Ospreay’s forehead gash until Omega too collapses next to him!
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In a last-ditch effort, he staggers to his feet and puts Will’s head between his legs, wanting a CLASSIC PILEDRIVER!!! OSPREAY HANDSTANDS OUT!!! Omega’s horrified- HIDDEN BLADE!!! ONE TO THE BACK OF THE HEAD!!! Kenny kneeled, Ospreay stands next to him, prepping the OsCutter, but Omega grabs him by the tights! No force in him though, he tells Will to look him in the eyes… AND HE FLIPS HIM OFF!!! SILENT WHISPER TO KENNY!!! AND AN OSCUTTER!!! Rolling through, he deadlifts him up, CONNECTING THE STORM BREAKERRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!! ONE! TWO! THREE!!!
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Will Ospreay (c) def. Kenny Omega to retain the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship (43:29)
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At long last, it’s over. In front of his own people, the Commonwealth Kingpin has proven he’s Japan’s top gaijin and the most valuable wrestler today. Handed his gold, he watches as a prideful Omega refuses help, mustering up the strength to drag himself up using the ropes, before meeting Will’s gaze. At the end of the first match, he gloated. At the end of the second, he was crushed. But now? He gives Will a subtle nod of respect, officially passing the torch as he takes his bow, leaving Ospreay to take over the world.
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Whilst he may have knocked down his two biggest obstacles in Okada and Omega, a dark horse third awaits him back in Japan by the name of Katsuyori Shibata! The only other individual to beat Will in the G1 other than the winner himself, he calls him out for a shot, still waiting on a reign of his own. A determined Ospreay doesn’t back down, though when he goes for a rare show of respect in a press conference heading in, extending a hand as the bigger man, Shibata outright refuses to shake! Seeing through Will’s superficialness, he declares that he owes Ospreay no respect, refusing to accept him as the company’s face that they’ve so desperately tried to mould him into. He was held back for choosing to carve his own path away from the Musketeers, and now he’s going to stick it to the company by exposing their golden boy like Sakura Genesis 2017! Will grits his teeth but says nothing, knowing he’ll just need to prove himself again.
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Wrestle Grand Slam in Belluna Dome (September 10, 2023)
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Also on the show:
Yota Tsuji (c) vs Yuya Uemura - NEVER Openweight Championship
Catch 22 (c) vs CHAOS (SHO & Taiji Ishimori) - IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship
Aussie Open (c) vs FTR - IWGP Tag Team Championship
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Will Ospreay (c) vs Katsuyori Shibata III - IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
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In only the third IWGP World Title match of his career, 6 years since the infamous incident, The Wrestler receives a chance to redeem all the troubles he was put through and avenge his pupil Narita in the process. As for Ospreay, having lost to Shibata in both their matches in 2017 and 2023 respectively, he must carve out his spot definitively by knocking down another of his white whales. Taking place interestingly in KENTA’s hometown, Katsuyori’s even more driven to stick it to the man he despises most and lost to in the G1 by winning here, a pair of rather simple, stoic entrances setting the tone for the main event.
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Initially, just like the G1, Shibata starts by beating the hell out of the much younger star to humble him, though Ospreay’s much quicker to put up his fists this time, learning. Youthful arrogance sees him get a couple teeth knocked down his throat though, his patented elbows instantly receiving a much stiffer receipt from Shibata, dropping him dead! Unable to outstrike the most dangerous man in New Japan, Will instead leans on his weight advantage, brutally slamming him down with London Has Fallen and scoring a vicious Liger Bomb to boot. Growing comfortable, he attempts the OsCutter, BUT IS CAUGHT WITH A SLEEPER!
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Choked to a plum colour, the finishing PK narrowly misses, Ospreay dropping him with an ESSEX DESTROYER instead! Cruelling focusing on the skull, Will regains advantage, getting nasty with Kawada Kicks and a CHELSEA GRIN that rocks Shibata! An aerial attempt is again blocked, Shibata evading a Shooting Star Press and simply slapping the hell out of Will! A B*TCHMAKER almost ends him, Katsuyori mocking him as a lesser Okada, but Will takes it personally, rocking him with a brutal Running Knee Strike and nailing a SPIKE PILEDRIVER! Shibata on his knees, inviting Will to give him his best, a (protected) HIDDEN BLADE cracks him upside the head, Ospreay knocking the striker out cold for 3 to retain!
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Will Ospreay (c) def. Katsuyori Shibata to retain the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship (31:46)
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Doubt him, and you’ll be made to regret it. Though earlier in the night, Catch 22’s legendary reign came to an end, United Empire is stronger than ever with Ospreay taking down a murderer’s row of competition. Selling out MSG, Wembley, and a Dome, he only continues to elevate to higher heights. Whilst Shibata is left to be mugged by KENTA to close the show, Will can walk away proud of himself, on the run of a lifetime.
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With the Burning Spirit tour up next leading into a second homecoming in one reign for Ospreay at Royal Quest III, there’s one man in particular that’s been barking up his tree as of late, and that’s the NJPW World Television and ROH Pure Champion Zack Sabre Jr.! Someone who’s been a thorn in Will’s side every step of the way and vice versa, he’s not content holding just two titles, wanting to reclaim his status as Zacky Three Belts, and what better way to do that than with the World Championship! Citing his far superior record and win in their last meeting in 2022’s New Japan Cup, Ospreay grants him a chance to show how deserving he truly is.
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Burning Spirit - Night Six (September 23, 2023)
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Birds of Prey (Will Ospreay & Robbie Eagles) vs Sabre-Gun (Zack Sabre Jr. & Gabriel Kidd)
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Will picking his close friend Robbie Eagles to join him (who defected to United Empire during CHAOS’s rebranding after dissension with Lio Rush over Sakura Genesis’s IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship shot), Sabre chooses an interesting ally of his own in Sabre-Gun’s rising star Gabriel Kidd! Zack’s empire slowly growing across 2023 with the additions of El Phantasmo, El Desperado, TMDK, Blake Christian, Clark Connors, and Kosei Fujita, Kidd’s been another that’s greatly impressed since his return from excursion, joining Zack in a tag on the G1 Finals Night to officially become part of the stable, playing off their history of fighting until respect was reached. Originally set to challenge Ospreay for his RevPro Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship last year until a mental health break cancelled those plans, unfinished business stands between the two, Kidd still looking to get Will back for chipping his elbow in a Ladder match back in WCPW 6 years ago.
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The animosity between the two very much shows here, as even with Ospreay ascending to untouchable heights in the past year, he’s still the same Will to Kidd, who incessantly targets him throughout the match, wanting his pound of flesh. Will, of course, outclasses him, using his incredible chemistry with Eagles to keep Gabriel at bay, though their shifted focus does open the doors for ZSJ to employ his cunning, bending Ospreay’s arm over the guardrail with an Article 50 before massacring Robbie, an Orienteering With Napalm Death decisively tapping him out! Holding up all three belts as a hurt Will composes himself, Zack sends a definitive statement of things to come.
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Sabre-Gun def. Birds of Prey (14:25)
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Royal Quest III - Night Two (October 8, 2023)
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Also on the tour:
Aussie Open (c) vs Los Ingobernables de Japon (Tetsuya Naito & Shingo Takagi) - IWGP Tag Team Championship
Jon Moxley (c) vs Katsuyori Shibata - IWGP United States Championship
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Will Ospreay (c) vs Zack Sabre Jr. XVI - IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
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And so, for the 16th time ever, Ospreay and Sabre are set to go head-to-head! The record 9-6 in Zack’s favour, the Windy Man is nothing short of wholly confident in his own abilities, whilst Will once more enters with a chip on his shoulder, needing to show himself he’s outgrown Sabre for good. For once, London is split directly down the middle between these two, both men having grown up an hour either side from the venue, each in a completely different position since their last meeting, Ospreay on top as the World Champion and Okada-beater, and Sabre now heading a stable of his own like Will, with NJPW singles gold of his own like Will.
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Duelling chants of United Empire and Sabre-Gun, both men are perhaps at their most ruthless they’ve been all year here, which is saying something for Ospreay considering his clashes with Omega, the hatred he shows Sabre unlike anything he’s felt for anyone else, wanting to wipe the sneer off his face. He had Okada figured, he had Omega figured, he even eventually had Shibata figured, but ZSJ is one puzzle which feels like running into a brick wall for Captain Dyslexia, the Technical Wizard tying the champion up into knots that are unheard of!
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Taunting, bullying, torturing, Sabre picks Ospreay apart with such drive and intensity that it becomes crystal clear just how starved he’s been of NJPW’s top title. Conversely, Will’s just forced to do his best, picking his spots to remind the world he’s still very much in there, not letting the challenger shake him down to his core. A Selected Technical Works Vol 2. does get Ospreay in a bind, though he shows progression from all his matches with Sabre, managing to hang with him technically just enough to survive, forcing Zack to keep switching up his submissions. A European Clutch gets the closest call though, ZSJ very nearly flash-pinning Will for the strap!
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That unlocks a whole other beast inside Ospreay, exploding with an uninterrupted 5-minute stretch of offence that has Sabre utterly overwhelmed, Will standing his ground! A HIDDEN BLADE nearly captures another victim, though the impact’s cushioned by Ospreay’s damaged arm dating back to their tag, keeping Zack alive! Still, Will keeps pushing, solely working a striking game despite the searing pain in his limbs, all in the name of strategy, managing to convince an overconfident Sabre to strike with him, though as has been a recurring theme in 2023, Zack gets mauled! And with his guard let ever so slightly down, the hyperfocus on an Article 50 gives way to a STORM BREAKER after being broken on the mat! ONE! TWO! THREE!!!
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Will Ospreay (c) def. Zack Sabre Jr. to retain the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship (33:50)
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Yet again, it’s Ospreay that rules the kingdom with world-class wrestling acumen! As Will collects his title, Sabre cursing under his breath and vowing to be back someday as he leaves with his own two… OUT COMES SHINGO!!! Losing with Naito against Aussie Open for the Tag Titles earlier in the night, the two growing more distant with each other ever since SANADA’s LIJ betrayal put the faction on shaky grounds, Naito’s G1 Finals victory over Shingo only causing further dissension, which they failed to smooth over against the Aussies, the Dragon’s reaching his last wits. And as he eyes Ospreay’s title, it’s clear what he’s here for.
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Not receiving a rematch ever since losing the title at Wrestle Kingdom 16, he’s been kept on an empty stomach long enough, his patience wearing thin. Extending a challenge to Will, he wants to be the one walking into WK defending the strap against Naito! Ospreay, uber-confident in his ability to slay his rival once more, accepts!
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Battle Autumn - Night Eight (October 23, 2023)
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United Empire (Will Ospreay, Jeff Cobb, Aussie Open) vs Los Ingobernables de Japon (Shingo Takagi, Tetsuya Naito, Yota Tsuji, Hiromu Takahashi)
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The Battle Autumn tour pits UE and LIJ against each other in various tags, with Ospreay and co. winning every single one thus far, the issues between Takagi and Naito even spilling into here whilst the rest of LIJ tries to play the role of mediator. With UE dominating and Shingo’s shot mere days away though, they agree something needs to change. And so, for the sake of the greater LIJ family, they do their best to stay out of each other’s ways, finally stringing together some respectable momentum.
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As Aussie Open goes for the Coriolis on Naito, Shingo bursts in off tagging Tetsuya’s back, nailing a PUMPING BOMBER on Davis to knock Tetsuya off his shoulders, before a Pumping BombeDestino combo on Kyle and a LAST OF THE DRAGON breaks the LIJ curse, though going right back to sharing tense stares, Naito ultimately nodding to Shingo, wishing him luck. Ospreay, however, stands unfazed, knowing Takagi’s the one with the chip on his shoulder this time.
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Los Ingobernables de Japon def. United Empire (18:38)

I am planning on buying 2020 or 21 cpo volvo, fighting btwn s60 vs xc40, i heard s60 is same as xc60 platform but sedan hopefully this gives better driving experience? On other hand Trend of crossover is here and sedans will be rare (s60 discontinued in few countries already) , coming from merc gla 2019(underpowered 208hp) same size as xc40 Please suggest