For some time it appeared as if Marco Fu may gatecrash the celebration, however ultimately the Betway UK Championship has obtained one of many finals that many neutrals would have needed within the form of Ronnie O’Sullivan towards Mark Selby.

Simply trying on the two names whets the urge for food for a long-distance contest over the perfect of 19 frames for the £170,000 first prize at York’s Barbican Centre in the present day – and serves as a reminder of a few of their earlier high-profile clashes.

Though O’Sullivan, going for a record-equalling sixth UK title to match Steve Davis, claimed that he was “the underdog” on Saturday night time, the bookmakers disagree – however not by a lot. The sheer weight of cash O’Sullivan at all times attracts might be the rationale for him being a marginal favorite.

However Selby, who has the sting on his rival in total finals and likewise the most important ones, has the prospect to stamp some extra authority each on O’Sullivan and the game normally after being world No1 for 94 weeks in a row.

John Higgins might have been profitable the massive invitational match cash within the final month, however the 33-year-old Selby has now been prime of the rankings for practically two years and already appears prone to keep there till the World Championship. Victory would solely make that extra possible.

O’Sullivan defends an astonishing 100 per cent report in UK finals having received 5 from 5, the primary coming in 1993 as a 17-year-old. But it surely was Selby who ended the same world closing report for the Rocket on the Crucible two years in the past. And there have additionally been massive wins for the Leicester Jester in a Masters closing, and a Welsh Open showpiece.

There has unquestionably been needle between the pair up to now, created partly by a conflict of kinds, and O’Sullivan commenting on this in lower than flattering phrases about Selby’s play – notably in his autobiography when he branded his rival ‘The Torturer’.

However very similar to within the case of the same stand-off with Stephen Hendry a few years in the past, O’Sullivan insists that the connection has thawed following quite a few joint exhibitions and excursions overseas, when it’s laborious for 2 gamers to not spend a deal of time collectively.

O’Sullivan dropped as many frames towards Fu as he had within the earlier 5 matches, and was in reality fortunate to win by way of, the Hong Kong participant blowing an awesome likelihood to wrap up victory at 6-4 earlier than lacking a significant inexperienced and seeing the Rocket mop up with 130 within the decider.

However each O’Sullivan and Selby are chasing historical past in the present day. Whereas O’Sullivan tries to equal considered one of boyhood hero Steve Davis’s marks and likewise declare a twenty ninth rating title that might edge him forward of the Nugget and John Higgins, Selby additionally has targets.

He can grow to be the primary participant for 15 years to win the world and UK titles in the identical calendar yr, one thing carried out solely by Davis, Stephen Hendry, O’Sullivan, John Higgins and John Parrott. And a equally small group have received every of the massive three on two or extra events.

It guarantees to an awesome closing and contest – up to now such showpiece events between the pair have not often disenchanted.