Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay are two of the top performers in wrestling; however, their match at Forbidden Door left many fans and critics aghast due to the use of a Tiger Driver ’91. And while Omega, who received the move, was left unharmed, many criticized the spot for being too dangerous. Now though, Omega has shot back at those who spoke out about the maneuver, telling Sports Illustrated they are not “even close to being qualified” and telling them to “shut the f*ck up.“
“There are people who want to complain and put themselves on a pedestal by saying what we did was dangerous, well, you think? So I’ve been asked, why did we do it? It made sense in the match and evoked emotion. And we both knew I would end up coming out of the move unscathed. Is there a risk? Sure. There’s always a risk.
Don’t tell me not to wrestle the way I know how to wrestle. Is there a risk? Was there a risk when Mike Tyson was fighting within inches of space between another championship-level boxer throwing power punches? Of course. But Tyson was confident in his abilities, and he knew he was the best. So don’t tell Mike Tyson how to box, and don’t tell Tyson Smith how to wrestle. You aren’t even close to being qualified. Just shut the f*ck up.”
Kenny OmegaFor those who didn’t watch the match and are unaware of precisely what a Tiger Driver 91 is, it is a move that involves lifting an opponent up onto the wrestler’s shoulders in a powerbomb position and then dropping them down to the mat headfirst or onto their upper back. The move is often associated with Japanese wrestling and has been performed by various wrestlers over the years. Jaguar Yokota is typically credited with creating the move, which she initially named the Jaguar Driver ’85.
