Will Ospreay Has 25 5-Star Matches! NJPW Contract Ends Next Year, AEW, Kenny Omega Match
Will Ospreay Has 25 5-Star Matches! NJPW Contract Ends Next Year, AEW, Kenny Omega Match
Will Ospreay (@willospreay) is a professional wrestler currently signed to New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW). He sits down with Chris Van Vliet before NJPW Resurgence in Los Angeles to talk about being one of the best wrestlers in the world, having 25 matches rated 5-stars or better by Dave Meltzer from Wrestling Observer, his match with Kenny Omega at Wrestle Kingdom 17, the match with Ricochet in 2016 that changed both of their lives, his AEW debut, why he doesn't want to move the United States, a possible match with CM Punk, why he doesn't want a WrestleMania moment, what wrestling in the Tokyo Dome is like and much more!
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Quote I'm thinking about:
"Don't find fault, find a remedy. Anyone can complain." - Henry Ford
On Will Ospreay’s transformation:
“Yeah, I just never really like, when I grew up doing wrestling, like I didn't really have the money to like, afford a gym membership. And then when I did go, I didn’t f*cking know what I was doing. Just like with the machines and stuff like that, just did everything. Like I always had like a very slender figure that’s like, because I used to dance for years. I used to do like, the trampolining. And so always always there was active but like I didn't know how to work out, it was only in 2019 was over in New Zealand, sory 2018, was over in New Zealand and like, we tried these muscle farm workers and like I know like, what a barbells like, what like I knew bench press, I knew all that, but I didn't know why I did it in certain orders. Yeah. And then why not just follow these workouts for like three weeks. I started noticing already and I was like Jesus. That's when I contacted a guy called Iestyn Rees who is my personal trainer over in England. And he's just I can't floor him mate. Like being so dyslexic man. Like it's so hard to like read and understand what like carbs and fats and proteins were like and I didn't understand it. I just like going down the chip shop, I like to eat my mom's roast dinner. So then like understanding like calorie deficits and understanding like macro counting, it was just mad, I couldn't understand it like at first, Iestyn was able to break it down so I was able to transform my body like loads of different times like my 2019 I really wanted to focus on being like very quick and nimble for the junior style. And then when I got asked to move, like because we were testing the waters with the heavyweight in 2019 and see if I can do that style, and I feel like I did an all right job at it. Then it was that when 2020 came around and like I just got locked in my room I was just like I outsmarted everyone doing that man, I outsmarted everybody like I as soon as I started seeing like venues closed down Yeah, I heard like like malls are closing down, I just, I went I think they're gonna shut gyms. My partner of the time was not like no way they're gonna shut gyms, it's for people's health as I’m like because you got, like metal like things like that was like metal barbells or people are coughing in their hand. I went I'm just gonna spend about 6k and I'm just gonna cut out the gym and she went I think you're wasting your money. I got everything, I think it was like I got everything on like Wednesday and then by Friday they went we're having a national lockdown, gyms are closed. I was like motherf*cker! The one time I outsmarted everyone man like the dumbest kid in the neighbourhood and I outsmarted everybody.”
On struggling to do moves while being heavier:
“I discovered that out the hard way because obviously when I was like 2020 I was 105 [kilos]. Just eating junk food and working out. Like doing a shooting star press was not easy. Like then I had to like drop the weight again. And then like I managed to maintain like a real healthy weight of like, like it would normally be 95 to 100 like that was, that's a real comfortable weight for me. I'm comfortable with that weight. I feel like I can move to the right amount that I'm not disappointing anyone anymore. But like one of the things that I mean like one of the things I even tried it like before the New Japan cup forgot her I was trying the you know the the 450 where you go backwards that the ring post is here and your opponents that way, I tried that, I can't do it any more. I'm just too fat, there's a belly, I need room to tuck in. I can't, like in 2016 I had a way room. I could wiggle my hips and everything, now man, I can't do it.”
On possibly changing his style:
“I don't know, like because I guess I'm a little bit of my own worst critic, but like I do feel like I've carved out like a gnat for this style. Now to the point now where like I have friends that go on US indie shows and they're like you will not believe the amount of guys that do your style of moves now. It is like even like to the point where they go [does pose] before they do an Oscutter. It does blow my mind, because like I don't, I don't really care. Like years ago I used to be like why are they doing that? And now it's don't care I'll just say yeah, please, like I don't mind. But like it is truly mind blowing like seeing it out there but I do think it is like obviously I do need to reevaluate and I do need to change it up, but like I don't think I need to change it dramatically. Like Jericho and Mysterio are like my prime examples. I still consider like even now I still consider like Jericho, not a highflyer anymore but like I think a lot of people just because he does a Lionsault so might say it but like even Mysterio like he's still like managed to call himself a high flyer. But like he doesn't do as many tricks that he used to do but like that fountain of youth man is like incredible. Like how they're just I don't know It's like a magic act.”
Has Will Ospreay ever had a bad match:
“I mean, like I don't, I didn't like the Vader one. And I don't like speaking ill of like him because now he's passed. But like I really just didn't enjoy it. It was just like it wasn't, there was like agreement puts in put in place and then he like pulled it whatever because he didn't want to f*cking do the job and it was a whole lot of things but like it was just unpleasant to work with. But like I wish him no harm I wish, I hope his family are all good and everything just because like it's not easy like losing like a father or anything along those lines. So he's just like, I don't like to be that, but I just didn't enjoy it. Chris Hero enjoyed it.”
On the match against Kenny Omega:
“I mean, I love that, like, I think like both of us really collaborated hard into putting all that together and like I'm proud of it. I'm sure like he's happy with it. But yeah, like the storytelling aspect of it is I think it just comes from like that real world experience that we went through in COVID. Because I think a lot of people had like, mad benefits that they were like, we didn't have that, like, so at first, like we got completely locked out of the country [Japan]. There's no way for us to get in. And then obviously, when we finally was able to come in, you'd have to do like a two week quarantine. Now luckily for me, I had my apartment at the time, so I didn't do nearly as many quarantines, but then it was like, it was just such a mad stuff that would happen like bam, bam, bam, and like, he just wasn't prepared for it. Like you'd be calling your missus and your family. And it'd be like hey when you're coming home, you'd be like, I don't know. And then you'd be like, I remember, like, one of the ones I did, it was like, I was locked in the room. So he was just mad, you'd land, you'd go around the airport for 4 hours, like filling out all the paperwork. Then, even though you had a doctor's note saying that you didn't have COVID, you had to then do another COVID test. And even when you came back negative, you were still transported to the hotel for 14 days. And it's no bigger, like, like half of the room. And it was just like a bed and, and it was crazy. Because then after that normally be like man, but at least I get to wrestle. it was like, above all this, right? I love New Japan. Like, I love the style of wrestling. I'm passionate about it. I just believe that this is the style that I've liked is really made me comfortable. And then the best thing about that wrestling is the Japanese fans, it is incredible. They make noise constantly, you will be just in a hold, and you'll see like people were like crying in the audience and sh*t like that. It's like, it's so cool to them. And then it was silent. So like they were allowed to be in the building, but they weren't allowed to clap because the government said that cheering would cause COVID to spread. So then do that like you every now and again, you heard him a little bit but then instantly though, because it is such a by the book country they would just go like wow, I knew it would break my heart man like I won IWGP World Heavyweight Champion right? And that's like such like a man I can f*cking did it like the company puts trust in me. I'm sending him pictures of the belt to me mom and dad like be like that are so sick. 123 I heard nothing. I heard him come up and then cut off straight away. Yeah. And it just f*cks with you. I really does I just because like when you go from about 40,000 people in the dome, screaming like actually singing your name. And then like [silence], it's upsetting.”
On the match against Ricochet and it being a surprise:
“Oh, more than anything I once again, I’m like 23 years old. I don't know how to, I don't know how to handle social media now. That alone back then. Yeah. And it's just kind of like, it just blew my mind. Because I've never experienced that. It's like William Regal was talking about who I was on the phone with like months prior but WWE. Seth Rollins was talking about it, like, everyone was talking about it to the point where the next day we just kept looking like everyone's looking at phones. You couldn’t believe this is f*cking happening. Like, we've never had that. I don't think I don't know if I've ever had that since I don't know.”
Do 5* matches matter to Will Ospreay:
“Okay, so this is I always have an argument, they don't matter in terms of my financial game. Okay, so in my life, they don't matter. I'm not going to make any money on it. However, when contracts come up, and I become a free agent, who's not going to want the kid that works hard and puts on these phenomenal matches everybody talks about? So like, that's where we can always argue like so like one of my friends would be like, I don't know like name a wrestler now like I don't bury anyone I really don't but like it's a case of like if I come up against somebody else. I don't know, like the current format like I just don't, I really don't know. But it just for me like in terms of If that does ever become available and I am on the market who's not going to want someone that's going to as work hard and put on banging matches.”
On goals left to accomplish in New Japan:
“I just like doing it. I mean, there's always I can always reinvent I can always change it up. And like right now the United Empire is like real hot like merchandise sales with us real good in Japan, like we're number one faction in New Japan and voted by Tokyo sports and fans, and just, we're just I can feel like something that was like, it was It wasn't like the best start with like the United Empire because of COVID and everything because like, there was no reason for myself O-Khan, Jeff [Cobb] and [Aaron] Henare to be put together. But we just made it work. We decided then, but there was an injury there's a bunch of things that always happen but like in the end we finally got all the group together and 10 Jewels make the crown so like now I just can't walk around in Japan now without like at least being stopped once or twice a day and like people doing the new thing that we just made up in Ireland like, we need a, we need a cool hand so yeah.”
On the true Forbidden Door match:
“I think it's gotta be Seth [Rollins] after like, after our little Twitter thing like we’ve got to, like, it'd be fun. And he is so over right now, You see the crowd like singing the song everything, it’s mad. Yeah, like, especially from like, what? What he was getting like when we had our little thing, and like but like that was a mixture of like, the bad booking and everything along those lines at that time and like now he’s just, it's crazy. It’s mad.”
On a possible match against CM Punk:
I would want more of a paycheck! Like now it is quite open, especially like the relationship that AEW have with New Japan. It's like, it's so different how it was back in 2020. There wasn't A Forbidden Door back in 2020. So now the relationship is like kind of grown and like I mean, Kyle [Fletcher] and [Mark] Davis are over there all the time now and I am a little bit like, like doing it. Doing AEW was a real eye opener and like how TV wrestling works and how like the backstage vibes and stuff like that. I was kind of like, okay, like so I guess this is like, how like the American side is now because my only experience with American wrestling is the indies and Ring of Honor, which was like, it was just like go out there and do a really good match. But like this is all about like camera acting was camera cause but he didn't let me go like, Okay, well, there's another thing to learn.”
On being tempted to wrestle at WrestleMania:
“Not like in that sense of this but like, of course I would love to wrestle in front of 80,000 people who wouldn't want to wrestle? But like, in the same sense of, I'm not going to lose sleep if I never do it. But you know what I mean? Like I never wanted to get to this level of fame with wrestling. I just enjoyed doing it on the weekends. And New Japan offers me a lot of money, and I was just like Whoa, I can make money from this. Here’s the thing I told you this, but like WWE, TNA and New Japan were on the table at the same time. And like the selling point in New Japan was that I get to come home. WWE I have to move there ,TNA, most likely the same thing and it wasn't guaranteed money. In New Japan, I get to come home. And I'm a real home guy. So like the fact that I've got to come home was like, incredible.”
How does Will Ospreay keep outdoing himself?
“I do think it just you got to evolve a little bit. You got to like, you just got to take people on a ride. Like I mean I've wrestled Taichi. That was my next singles match after that, I just love that. And it was a completely different style. It was just like we tried to do the Kings Road style which he was a student of Koada and like just taking like little elements of that match and just like just like changing it up I just really do. I've enjoyed like not relying on the high flying stuff but just more relying on my elbows now.”
On the cost of being Will Ospreay:
"I don't know when to shut my mouth. I've noticed that about that has come from growing up now. [you've done a really good job in this interview]. Thank you. But like, No, I've realised the one thing that I've like, I've never been good, like, keeping my opinion to myself. And I think that comes with like the ADHD and like being like, little bit like, I'm swear, man, like, I need to f*cking get round to the doctors about I swear, man, like, I definitely am on a spectrum for f*cking autism. Because I don't realise people's feelings when I f*cking said shit. And it's only now like growing up and like, I never will, I won't put it out to be like, I'm in like, a position now of f*cking responsibility. So now I am aware of sh*t more like, I'm aware, like, I need to f*cking, like, I feel like I have let people down. And that I need to like, rehash my image a little bit. And like, I need to like, like, there are certain things I will stand by to the day I f*cking die. But like, there are things where I know I've made mistakes and no one's like, it's no one's fault other than my own, like, I'll put myself into those mistakes. But like, I'm doing everything I can to remedy those mistakes and fix everything just because like, this my mom's side of me. I mean, mom's has been like, she'd be nice to everyone. And like, I like I am doing my best, because I realise I have like, I've put my foot in it with a lot of fans and that fans I never wanted to let down. No one feels like they've let down my country more than me, so like now trying to like really do like a better job with this and like to really not only fly the flag for my country because like it's in tatters. It was and now it's like coming back out. We're about to do the Copperbox Arena and it's going to be me and Shingo again. But like I want to be like almost like I hate the word leader, I really do. But like I want to lead by example. So like, it's just one of those things where like, I've matured a lot. I've grown up a lot, like, and it does come from when you come into wrestling, whatever age that you came out. They say that your age freezes a little bit, so your mentality doesn't change because this isn't a normal life. This is not a normal life. Like even hanging out with his school friends. Like, they know he's still doing that wrestling thing and it's one of those things where they'll never understand it. Like there's people watching you every f*cking move and every word that you say they try and twist things now and I didn't understand that. I almost use social media as a f*cking diary. Like no you lie I should have kept a lot of these things myself and realise a lot of f*cking lot people's feelings a lot of people support towards you're on the line. And like I feel like I have dampened that so like I am doing like f*cking everything in my power to just like rehash because like once again, there's a lot of responsibility at home now. And I want to do the best job I physically can.”
On acting more maturely:
“Like I've got a couple of like, I had a messy I won't say who from. But the like, a guy who was a higher-up in New Japan has been like you haven't, you haven't got yourself in any trouble recently. Well done. But like, I know it is funny, but it's like that actually kind of means a lot to me. Like, no one feels I've let down not only my roster like the team like the country like I do. I feel like sometimes I have been just so immature about how I've handled this, and it's an immature industry, it's so immature. But like half the time we are naked oiling each other up, rubbing fake tan fade out every now and again. He was like all the boys are going ugh! I mean it's a such an immature industry. So like now like realising like where I am or who I am or what I want to achieve and like everything in between like a really the best job I can now.”
What is Will Ospreay grateful for:
“Wrestling, my family and my missus.”