Ozzy Osbourne left fans stunned after revealing he had only just met fellow rock legend Axl Rose for the first time.
The 76-year-old metal icon posted a photo on X on Monday, July 7, showing him shaking hands with the Guns N’ Roses frontman, 63.
“My first time meeting Axl Rose, at my age you don’t get to meet many legends,” Osbourne wrote alongside the picture. “Seriously an utter gentleman,” he added.
The post quickly caught fire online, with many fans expressing disbelief that the two hadn’t crossed paths until now, especially considering their decades-long careers in rock music.
“I can’t believe it took this long!! LEGENDARY moment in rock and roll history,” one fan commented.
Another wrote, “Shocked that you two never met before,” while someone else added, “After all these decades? I would’ve thought you guys would’ve at least hung out sometime during the ‘90s.”
The meeting reportedly took place during Black Sabbath’s farewell concert in Birmingham, titled Back to the Beginning.
The event marked Osbourne’s final performance with the band and was a gathering of some of metal’s biggest names, including Guns N’ Roses, Metallica, Slayer, Tool, Pantera, and Anthrax.
Osbourne opened the show with a dramatic entrance, rising from beneath the stage on a gothic throne adorned with bat wings and bones.
“It’s so good to be on this f—ing stage, you have no idea,” he told the crowd at the start of the set, according to Variety. “Let the madness begin!”
The performance was a milestone for Black Sabbath, as it marked their first time playing together in two decades, and, for fans, the surprise backstage meeting between Osbourne and Rose added yet another unforgettable moment to the night.