Discover
Insight with Chris Van VlietWill Ospreay On Signing With AEW, 5-Star Matches, Triple H's Comments, MJF, Bryan Danielson
Insight with Chris Van VlietWill Ospreay On Signing With AEW, 5-Star Matches, Triple H's Comments, MJF, Bryan Danielson
Will Ospreay On Signing With AEW, 5-Star Matches, Triple H's Comments, MJF, Bryan Danielson
Update: 2025-03-06
Share
Description
Will Ospreay (@WillOspreay) is a professional wrestler currently signed to AEW. He sits down with Chris Van Vliet to discuss his past year in All Elite Wrestling which included matches against Bryan Danielson, Konosuke Takeshita and Swerve Strickland, having 48 five-star or higher matches from Dave Meltzer, some of his most painful bumps in wrestling, if he has ever thought about permanently moving to the United States, Triple H's comments about being afraid of the grind and his response, if he has thought about slowing down in the ring, his go-to Nando's order and more!
Quote I'm thinking about: “To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.” – Oscar Wilde
Please support our sponsors!
PURE PLANK: The future of core fitness! Use the code CVV to save 10% on Pure Plank designed by Adam Copeland & Christian: https://gopureplank.com/?ref=tibcloux
TIMELINE: Go to https://timeline.com/insightto get 10% off your order of Mitopure!
VUORI: Get 20% off your first purchase! Get yourself some of the most comfortable and versatile clothing on the planet at https://vuori.com/cvv
ROCKET MONEY: Join Rocket Money today and experience financial freedom: https://rocketmoney.com/cvv
HUEL: Get 15% off plus a FREE Gift for NEW customers with the code INSIGHT at https://huel.com
ZOCDOC: Instantly book a top-rated doctor today at https://zocdoc.com/insight
BONCHARGE: Use the code CVV to save 15% off your infrared sauna blanket at https://boncharge.com/cvv
BLUECHEW: Get your first month of BlueChew for FREE at https://bluechew.com
RHONE: Rhone’s premium performance clothing is made to move you. Use code CVV to save 20% at https://www.rhone.com/CVV
MANSCAPED: Get 20% off plus free shipping when you use the code CHRISVAN at https://manscaped.com
PLUNGE: Get $150 off your Plunge with the coupon code CVV150 at https://plunge.com
For more information about Chris and INSIGHT go to: https://podcast.chrisvanvliet.com
If you have ever enjoyed any of these episodes, could I ask you to please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcast or Spotify? It takes less than a minute and makes a huge difference in helping to spread the word about the show and also to convince some hard-to-get guests.
Follow CVV on social media:
Instagram: instagram.com/ChrisVanVliet
Twitter: twitter.com/ChrisVanVliet
Facebook: facebook.com/ChrisVanVliet
YouTube: youtube.com/ChrisVanVliet
TikTok: tiktok.com/@Chris.VanVliet
Comments
Top Podcasts
The Best New Comedy Podcast Right Now – June 2024The Best News Podcast Right Now – June 2024The Best New Business Podcast Right Now – June 2024The Best New Sports Podcast Right Now – June 2024The Best New True Crime Podcast Right Now – June 2024The Best New Joe Rogan Experience Podcast Right Now – June 20The Best New Dan Bongino Show Podcast Right Now – June 20The Best New Mark Levin Podcast – June 2024
In Channel
Download from Google Play
Download from App Store
United States00:00
00:00
1.0x
0.5x
0.8x
1.0x
1.25x
1.5x
2.0x
3.0x
Sleep Timer
Off
End of Episode
5 Minutes
10 Minutes
15 Minutes
30 Minutes
45 Minutes
60 Minutes
120 Minutes
Transcript
00:00:00
You just realized that you needed to hire someone yesterday.
00:00:03
How can you find amazing candidates fast?
00:00:05
Easy.
00:00:06
Just use indeed.
00:00:07
When it comes to hiring, indeed is all you need.
00:00:11
Stop struggling to get your job post seen on other job sites.
00:00:14
Indeed, sponsored jobs help you stand out and hire fast.
00:00:17
With sponsored jobs, your post jumps to the top of the page for your relevant candidates so you can reach the people you want faster.
00:00:23
And it makes a huge difference.
00:00:25
According to Indeed Data, sponsored jobs posted directly on Indeed have 45% more applications than non-sponsored jobs.
00:00:32
Plus, with indeed sponsored jobs, there's no monthly subscriptions, no long-term contracts, and you only pay for results.
00:00:39
How fast is indeed?
00:00:40
Well, in the minute I've been talking to you, 23 hires were made on Indeed.
00:00:43
According to Indeed Data, worldwide.
00:00:46
There's no need to wait any longer.
00:00:48
Speed up your hiring right now with Indeed.
00:00:50
And listeners of this show will get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility at Indeed.com/BWN.
00:00:59
Just go to Indeed.com/BWN right now and support our show by saying that you heard about Indeed on this podcast.
00:01:06
Indeed.com/BWN, terms and conditions apply.
00:01:11
Hiring Indeed is all you need.
00:01:13
How are you,
00:01:24
my friends?
00:01:36
Welcome back to another one here on Inside I'm CBV.
00:01:41
Chris Van Vleet, thank you for choosing to hit play on this episode, and thank you for making insight the number one wrestling podcast on the planet.
00:01:51
Hit a shooting star press on that follow button wherever you're listening to this right now.
00:01:55
And if it happens to be Spotify, could I ask you to leave a rating for the show?
00:01:59
It would help so so much.
00:02:02
And also leave a comment on Spotify to let everybody know what you thought of this episode.
00:02:07
A lot has changed since the last time Will Ospreay was on the show in May of 2023.
00:02:13
He was still with New Japan at the time, but he said he was open to other offers when his contract was up.
00:02:18
He also made it clear that the most important thing to him was not having to move his family from the UK, which is a big reason why he signed with a W instead of signing with WWE.
00:02:30
We chat about some of the amazing matches he's had NAW over the last year matches with Brian Danielson, MJF, Swarov Strickland, just to name a few, all of which got a five star rating.
00:02:42
And as of right now, Ospreay has 48 five star matches from Dave Meltzer to put things in perspective.
00:02:51
He had 27 the last time that he was on the show 22 months ago.
00:02:57
That's a lot.
00:02:58
We also talk about what's next for Will.
00:03:01
And he says he wants to be the guy in AEW.
00:03:04
He wants to be the world champion.
00:03:06
And I think when you look at the landscape in AEW right now, there's a good chance that could happen at some point this year.
00:03:14
Maybe it's at all in.
00:03:15
It'll be very interesting to see.
00:03:17
Snap a screenshot and let us know you're listening to this tag us so we can share it out.
00:03:22
He's at Will Ospreay on social media.
00:03:25
I'm @ChrisFanFleet.
00:03:26
It's just our names.
00:03:27
And let's do this, ladies and gentlemen, Will Ospreay.
00:03:35
Do you just live in like a constant set of jet lag now?
00:03:38
Yeah.
00:03:39
So think about it.
00:03:40
Where's the furthest you travel to?
00:03:42
Australia.
00:03:43
OK.
00:03:44
How tired will you?
00:03:45
Oh, very.
00:03:46
Like 12 hour flight, right?
00:03:47
Every day.
00:03:48
How?
00:03:49
How do you do this?
00:03:50
I just, I've worked out kind of like a little pattern with it.
00:03:52
I just, I sleep on the airplanes.
00:03:54
I like time when I land and just try the best to sleep as much as possible.
00:03:58
But sometimes it doesn't work like last night.
00:04:00
I was too shattered like I wanted to meet up with the boys, but I couldn't, I was physically shot.
00:04:05
But I feel all right now, but like I think about 3 p.m.
00:04:08
it'll probably hit me.
00:04:09
But then you got a show tonight.
00:04:11
Yeah.
00:04:12
Oh, I wake up.
00:04:13
I go on.
00:04:14
Here we go.
00:04:17
You posted this thing where you've spent a week in the air.
00:04:21
Yeah.
00:04:22
So like just January and February.
00:04:23
Yeah.
00:04:24
Like 136 hours on a plane.
00:04:27
Yeah.
00:04:28
On a plane in the sky.
00:04:29
No, that's wild.
00:04:30
That is a little bit.
00:04:31
Yeah.
00:04:32
Even though the message was saying like that's a bit obsessive and I was just, I just want to move.
00:04:37
And that's not including the driving to the airport, it's not including the sitting around of the airport.
00:04:42
That's not including any sort of flight delays.
00:04:43
No.
00:04:44
That's literally just take off to landing.
00:04:46
Yeah.
00:04:47
Yeah.
00:04:48
Everyone keeps saying get in the app.
00:04:49
I don't want any more apps on my phone.
00:04:50
I've had enough of apps.
00:04:51
I can't do it anymore.
00:04:52
Like that's that's a lot of flying.
00:04:54
Yeah, but like I take all the precautions to make sure a lot of all my bodies are good.
00:04:57
Like I've got, you know, like the vibrating back belt, I've got that to heat up my back.
00:05:02
I like I bring my gut.
00:05:03
Like honestly, some of the times it's obviously I'm sitting there and I'll like get the massage gun out.
00:05:08
I'm just sitting there going, all right, babe, you good.
00:05:13
If I can try to massage myself like I take aspirin just to fit my blood.
00:05:18
So I've got my compression socks and everything's good because I get I get worried about like a deep vein from both this and like that.
00:05:25
So I look after my body as best as I can.
00:05:27
It's just I need someone to look after my body when I'm off the flight.
00:05:31
That's the main thing.
00:05:32
So this is a routine for you now.
00:05:33
Now it is.
00:05:34
Yeah.
00:05:35
I've got it into like a real sick routine.
00:05:36
And when there's like pay reviews of for example, we got one next week with revolution.
00:05:40
Like I will just I will land on the Tuesday, I'll wrestle Wednesday, I'll stay Thursday, Friday, Saturday, I think collision Saturday, then Sunday I'll wrestle, I'll stay Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and then I'll go on Thursday,
00:05:50
land Friday.
00:05:51
Like I want to pull this up because I took a screenshot of it.
00:05:53
I was like, because I fly a lot, I don't fly anywhere close to that much.
00:05:57
It was like Orlando to home eight hours, home to Nashville, 825, Nashville to home, 725, home to Chicago, 740, that's only two weeks into the year by the way.
00:06:07
And then this keeps going and going and going and going, 136 hours, 41 minutes, and that's just the first two months of the year.
00:06:14
Yeah.
00:06:15
So like if we times that by the whole year, that'll be eight weeks.
00:06:19
Yeah.
00:06:20
Two months in the air and then tack on all the other travel.
00:06:25
Maybe it's three months.
00:06:26
Yeah.
00:06:27
Quite possibly maybe.
00:06:28
Wow.
00:06:29
Dedication, mate.
00:06:30
Dedication to the game.
00:06:33
That'd be a thought about getting a place in the US just to spend some more time.
00:06:37
Fort Bay because me and the Mrs.
00:06:39
Dunn Disney World with the kid a little while ago and it was real fun.
00:06:44
We've done two weeks out in Orlando, which was, it was alright, I don't think I would live in Orlando just because, I don't know, it would great on me a little bit, but it's crossed our minds.
00:06:55
But we'll be honest with you.
00:06:56
I just live in England.
00:06:57
I love my country.
00:06:58
I love the city.
00:06:59
I mean, it's in shambles right now, I'll be honest with you, but I still love it.
00:07:04
I love seeing my mom, I like seeing my dad, I like seeing my grandparents, my granddad now in that past away, unfortunately, but yeah, I love seeing my family.
00:07:12
I love my country.
00:07:13
I love Nando's as well.
00:07:14
It's too good.
00:07:15
What's your order at Nando's?
00:07:16
Well mate, it's too butterfly chicken, too butterfly chicken's medium, peri-chips, creamy matchy.
00:07:23
If you're not feeling matchy, go corn on the cob, two perin-aise dips and a bottomless drink.
00:07:27
And suck on that.
00:07:28
What language was that?
00:07:30
Fucking minion, mate.
00:07:31
Oh, I was.
00:07:32
I know from talking to you enough that living anywhere in the U.S., my great on you a little bit.
00:07:40
No, it's not like, I just, I have a weird anxiety with it.
00:07:42
I don't like fully, when I lived in Japan, I had a mad anxiety with it, but it was so much like England where the public transport systems, I could get to Osaka and I could get to Tokyo,
00:07:53
I could get there.
00:07:54
As my standard bed was Tokyo, it was super easy for me.
00:07:57
America's not really like that.
00:07:58
You got to fucking fly everywhere.
00:07:59
What's big?
00:08:00
It's huge, dude.
00:08:01
And I think that, like, once again, it's an anxiety coming here, it fills me with, like, nose because if one thing goes wrong, I feel like I break as a human being.
00:08:09
So like, it's just for me personally, I don't fancy doing it, but like, will it happen eventually?
00:08:15
Maybe, but like, I'm doing my best to not move here.
00:08:18
Is that the biggest reason that AW was the right for free?
00:08:21
Oh, absolutely.
00:08:22
Yeah, like the, the, the offers were night and day as well, like flipping, like, the whole idea for me was like, I wanted to make money from this and like, I wanted to have the most amount of time with my family.
00:08:33
And although, like, three days out of the week, I would be wrestling.
00:08:37
Like, I get Friday sat at a Sunday with my kid.
00:08:41
And obviously, when there's a pay with you, it doesn't, but like, I get that time with my kid.
00:08:47
He's not a school.
00:08:48
I get to do whatever I want within.
00:08:49
We play video games.
00:08:50
We go out and we go out on mad heights.
00:08:52
So like, for me, that's way more important.
00:08:55
And I just didn't want to do the move.
00:08:57
That's it.
00:08:58
And like, for me, I believe in what AW is doing.
00:09:02
I believe in the style.
00:09:03
I believe in like the genre.
00:09:04
I believe it is actually the best wrestling in North America right now.
00:09:09
And I just think, I just want to drive that home and I want to be like, I want to be the guy.
00:09:14
So I wanted to just keep doing what I'm doing out here and just hope, hope like we can just like keep putting out these classic shows, man, like the recent Iron Muts and collisions have been like, fucking stellar.
00:09:24
Why is this the best wrestling in North America and not the world?
00:09:27
Well, because Mark McCulloch said it's like, he said flipping.
00:09:30
It's a, they're more sports, they're sports orientated and like story telling.
00:09:33
That's fair.
00:09:34
Like, that's more than fair, like we're more professional wrestling based.
00:09:38
So I think that's, that's great.
00:09:39
And he's the voice that we've been for our long 30 years.
00:09:42
Exactly.
00:09:43
Yeah.
00:09:44
And that's the reason why like they're doing so well, they're just like, they're telling that they've been all some stories on Netflix is great for them, but we're doing great stuff as well.
00:09:51
And I think like, it's so good that both of us like are doing great things, and I feel like everyone in North America right now, like that has like any type of TV deal.
00:10:00
Like everyone's doing like really well and like putting out great content.
00:10:03
Like, this is the bit where I'm like, man, wrestling's sick right now.
00:10:06
It's been a year since you've been in the AW, like officially stayed in AW.
00:10:10
Yeah.
00:10:11
How's this last year been for you?
00:10:12
I've really enjoyed it.
00:10:13
I feel like I didn't realize the heights that I could reach here.
00:10:19
It's just been like a crazy little ride and I feel like there's so much that I've done and I've experienced and I've not really digested it really well.
00:10:30
There's things that I have digested, but I just, I do love the environment, I do love the work ethic that I'm putting in and I'm just, there's something about, like, I don't know,
00:10:40
you said it once upon a time.
00:10:41
There's something about getting your gym bag and going to the gym and actually putting your gym shoes on and doing it.
00:10:46
For me, that feels like, well, there's something about when I have me little bag and I've got me backpack and I get on the airport and when I get here, like, there's a little drive in this little work ethic that comes out of me,
00:10:57
like, I've got like a mission and I really want to stick to it and I want to keep driving home how much AEW is like the best wrestling here and I just, I've just got that mad work ethic right now.
00:11:08
What's the mission for you?
00:11:10
I mean, for me, it's all in.
00:11:11
I think everyone wants to, like, I think that's the one where it's 40,000 seats.
00:11:17
That's the biggest show that AEW do on Newf America and I really want to drive it home.
00:11:22
I really want to put like 40,000 seats in there, like, just, but I don't know what the metric is.
00:11:27
I honestly have no idea what we have to do to do that, but like, I'm making myself available and I live in England.
00:11:34
I'm making myself constantly available, so if I need to go down to Ireland and I'm more than happy to go down, like, I want to, I want to go do that in the schools.
00:11:42
I want to go do the news reports.
00:11:43
I want to go do everything because I, I feel like my passion comes out when I talk about AEW.
00:11:48
I've been loving it.
00:11:49
I love what I'm doing.
00:11:50
It's completely changed my life, dude, like, like, everything about my life has changed since we last spoke as well and it has been, it's been a crazy ride where I'm just super grateful and this is like, this is meant to be our big show.
00:12:02
It's all in for a reason.
00:12:03
We're going all in for this one.
00:12:04
So like, I want like, all hands on deck and I really want to persuade all of our punters and all of our fans to come over to Ireland and on that day and celebrate with us.
00:12:13
Like, what was the highest one that I've done in North America?
00:12:16
Was that 20,000 in Grand Slam?
00:12:17
Yeah, I think so.
00:12:18
Right.
00:12:19
So that's 20,000 on the east.
00:12:20
Yeah.
00:12:21
But what was the one that we, it's not Crypto Arena, it's the other one.
00:12:25
It's the four.
00:12:26
Yeah, four of them.
00:12:27
Yeah.
00:12:28
And that was like 15, 16,000 in there and then you add North Carolina, which is 16,000.
00:12:33
So it's possible, but you have to make it easy for these people to travel.
00:12:38
You have to make it accessible for these people to do this stuff and like, I, I just believe in it.
00:12:44
I want everyone to come down and celebrate.
00:12:45
What's the match?
00:12:46
What's the match you want to have?
00:12:47
I want to remain event.
00:12:48
I'd be honest, I, I wanted it like I, I, the reason why I wanted it is because I think they trust me and I think I, the fans trust me with what the presentation and what the look of AEW should be.
00:13:03
And I think that, that says a lot because I've never been had, I've never had that trust.
00:13:08
Even like, even when I had it in Japan, it wasn't like, they would give me, um, Kobe and Osaka.
00:13:15
I've got the shows where it's like 4,000, 5,000 people, like that's something that we can draw in.
00:13:20
But just like, ever since I've walked in here, I've come in with a great attitude.
00:13:24
I've, my whole mission is to build a team.
00:13:27
Um, uh, I feel like whatever was going on in AEW before I got there, I've like, I've helped out with trying to get everyone on the same page and just, it,
00:13:37
it's hard for me to put into words sometimes.
00:13:40
But I just, the only thing that I can say is I think the audience trusts me and I won't break that trust.
00:13:46
I think that you personify what AEW is all about.
00:13:49
I think when people think about an AEW wrestler, they think about your style of wrestling.
00:13:53
Hmm.
00:13:54
So I think that what you're saying all adds up then.
00:13:56
Yeah.
00:13:57
And I think I'll just, I've just come in with the right attitude.
00:13:59
I think that's the main thing I just think like a lot of people have, um, have, um, uh, taken advantage of Tony's kindness and whether they're here or not, any more is this kind of,
00:14:10
I've, I've come in with the attitude of like, I could have gone anywhere.
00:14:13
I generally could have had offers from both sides.
00:14:15
I chose AEW like because I believe in it.
00:14:18
And I really, really do want to like, I would, I, like, standard bear is such a hard word because I do want to show people like this is the attitude I think we should be presenting.
00:14:28
So when you talk about all in, you want to be in the main event, you're talking about the AEW championship match.
00:14:33
So at this point right now, that'd be you and Marksley.
00:14:36
Yeah.
00:14:37
Old Ace versus New Ace.
00:14:38
I think that's a good story.
00:14:39
Yeah.
00:14:40
And then you want to be the guy.
00:14:41
I'd love to be the guy.
00:14:42
I'd, I'd love nothing more to be the guy, like whether that is the plan right now, like I've no real idea.
00:14:49
I don't know.
00:14:50
I don't know what's going on after time, but this, I've got some on my face and I'm ready to go to work.
00:14:54
Do you have like a core tenant when you think about pro wrestling?
00:14:58
Like what, what's your, what's the, the, what's the way that you approach a match?
00:15:03
I want people to have a good time.
00:15:06
Like I mean, obviously there are like aspects where I, obviously I would need to think of like the, the way that match goes and just like, oh, why does this make sense?
00:15:16
Or how does this make sense?
00:15:17
I had, but like more importantly, I'm just thinking, how am I going to make these guys lose their minds?
00:15:21
Like what do I need to do?
00:15:22
Like what are the things that I could place in this order to get the biggest reactions?
00:15:29
Because I, I know a lot of the time people will say, well, we're a TV company focus on the cameras, focus on the cameras.
00:15:34
And I believe that you guys got loads of cameras.
00:15:36
Find me.
00:15:37
Like I'm just, I'm going to perform to these guys and then hopefully like they're enjoying and nine times out of 10, man, like the beginning drum bits of the music here and they're flipping standing up.
00:15:47
And I think like, I'm ready to have a good, I just think, I'm just going a good time.
00:15:52
Do you think about like when you're backstage, talk to me like, you're five minutes before your music is about to hit?
00:16:00
Where would I find we'll ask for?
00:16:01
I've got me leg up somewhere.
00:16:03
Okay.
00:16:04
Stretching.
00:16:05
Yeah.
00:16:06
Just the one leg there, the one leg there, I go like that, tiny guy, let's fucking go.
00:16:12
I was like, yeah, fuck it, let's go mate.
00:16:15
Let's go out and open it.
00:16:17
Like honestly, I need to do a little bit more of a routine because especially with all the flying, my body is locking up a little bit.
00:16:23
So I've actually signed up with like a little performance company over in England.
00:16:28
They're going to help me out with like some stretches and mobility exercises before I go out because I am getting a little bit locked up now, but other than that, like I just, I feel like I feel great.
00:16:36
I feel like I'm doing like some real good stuff and as like I just get into like a little bit of a mindset of just like, okay, like whatever the time is like 12 minutes, 10 minutes, 15, 20, the hour one with max, like I get in kind of like a little zone and I'm just like walking back and forth.
00:16:49
Don't really not be in bothered.
00:16:50
I don't like, and then like I'll see Tony, I go, yeah, let's go out there.
00:16:54
Still getting nervous before you go out there.
00:16:56
Sometimes the Brian Danielson one, I got real nervous on like that was, that was a super crazy moment.
00:17:03
I could not believe this was even happening to be honest with you, like because when I first got there and I've done the tucking match and then it was like straight after, I was like, yeah, we're going to do an angle of you and Brian,
00:17:14
I went already.
00:17:15
So we had that and just there's a moment where I generally, I'm standing there opposite him and it's just before the bell rings, we're standing there looking at one another.
00:17:25
He's got big smile on his face and I just couldn't help but look around as being like, and there's 7,000 people in here and it's like, I was just a kid over and like, I thought for the life of me, I would have been just the kid in Japan for the rest of my life.
00:17:37
I thought that was, that was going to be me.
00:17:40
And then just to stand there and look at him and just be like, oh my God, I hear it is.
00:17:45
And I said, so this is going to be a pleasure and then we backed up and the bell rang and I was just like, let's go, like I've never felt more, I felt like I finally did it.
00:17:55
Like I always, like when Brian and Kenny stood in the ring, the bell rang and the fucking the place stood up.
00:18:02
I always wanted to be one of those guys and at that moment I was like, oh shit, like I finally did it.
00:18:07
I'm one of those guys now.
00:18:08
But you put together a match in the back, you're figuring out, all right, we'll do this, then this, then this.
00:18:14
When do you realize it's clicking in a match?
00:18:16
The first, I hate using the term, but the first high spot.
00:18:21
So then that first high spot that me and Danielson done and it like set and then the place stood up.
00:18:27
I was like, oh, we could fuck up like all of this now.
00:18:29
But like they're going to be into it.
00:18:30
Like the part where they were going, we're not worthy was what a chance.
00:18:35
Same.
00:18:36
Like that's never been done before that's just a chance that's never happened.
00:18:40
And like, it's a chance that you could have only got a EW that is the coolest thing.
00:18:44
That is the wildest chance.
00:18:45
Yeah.
00:18:46
And the fact is, it's like, I'm just some mad little ADHD kid from Essex and it's just like, it's just a crazy feeling to be in there with someone that like, I've admired respected.
00:18:58
Like I've got so many, like I've got a story about Brian Danielson wrestling in south end in Essex when he was a part of all style, which is also, I was like a family, like the guys are a wrestler on the weekend,
00:19:08
postman on the weekdays, which is my ambition, I'll be honest with you.
00:19:12
You want to be a postman more than anything.
00:19:13
I may, as soon as I'm done with eight, I'll be on being a postman, I'll have me outspaid off.
00:19:19
I'll have me mums outspaid off me dad's outspaid off and I'll just get me done, it's going to be a postman for the Royal Mail.
00:19:24
I would love that, mate.
00:19:25
I would flip me.
00:19:26
Love that.
00:19:27
Is it that it's just a simpler life?
00:19:29
Yeah.
00:19:30
I think all my life I've been wrestling, like I got signed at 22, 31 years now, 32 this year.
00:19:37
And I think by the end of this contract, I don't know what I'll be.
00:19:39
But like, I'll probably say, oh, and I'll probably do some type of wrestling, I have no idea, I'll probably will stay on, like, I fucking love it here.
00:19:47
But like that ambition of just being like, yeah, I'm done, I'm going to be a postman.
00:19:52
Just go stroke me with dogs, what's going on, mate?
00:19:54
Here's your post.
00:19:55
Does that mean you're already thinking about when wrestling's over?
00:20:00
Yeah, of course I am.
00:20:01
I always think about it.
00:20:02
Like, really?
00:20:03
Yeah.
00:20:04
You're in your prime right now.
00:20:05
Yeah, but like, you always got a thing, like, I've got a bunch of houses that I'm not looking at now, like, to do, like, the real estate side of things, but like, more importantly, like, I always think just like, ah, like,
00:20:15
this is great, but like, one of these days, like, I do want to have like a normal life, I can't, honestly, I've imagined just me knocking on your door, Royal Mayo outfit, fucking bad over there.
00:20:25
You used to be well sprayed, yeah, I'd love that, like, it's great.
00:20:31
But like, yeah, like, like right now, like, focus is being the best wrestler in the world, forming at the peak levels.
00:20:38
Do you feel like you're the best wrestler in the world?
00:20:40
Um, because there has to be a point where you believe it in yourself, but you also don't want to go over the line where you're arrogant.
00:20:47
Arrogant, yeah.
00:20:48
No, of course not.
00:20:49
I, I'm confident in my abilities and I'm confident with my audience.
00:20:53
Um, does that make me the best?
00:20:55
I don't know, because I feel like the best is now so widely spread, like, are you the guy that draws the most?
00:21:01
Are you guys that shift the most much?
00:21:03
Are you the best bell to bell?
00:21:05
And I just, like, I'll just, I'll just go out, I'm just the best.
00:21:08
And I just, I, um, I was out with my kid, we were working like, so to slap the royal ab at all.
00:21:14
And the guy came up, we were just like, we were like, with my kid, you guys, takes a photo with me.
00:21:20
And then, uh, Harry goes, why does that happen all the time?
00:21:23
And I was just like, I don't know, I don't explain it to him, because he's six and I have the mental capacity of a six year old.
00:21:29
So I was just being able to break it down for him.
00:21:31
No, but I was, yeah, exactly so I was went, you know, I'll do wrestling.
00:21:34
He's like, yeah, when I'm not the best, like, that's the only way I can put it into it.
00:21:43
Prize picks is the best place to get real money sports action.
00:21:47
With over 10 million members and billions of dollars in awarded winnings, prize picks has made daily fantasy sports accessible to all.
00:21:54
You just pick more or less on at least two players for a shot to win up to 1,000 times your cash, run your game all season long on prize picks, and prize picks puts their members first.
00:22:06
So all withdrawals are fast, safe and secure.
00:22:09
When your picks hit, you can get your money in as quick as 15 minutes, sign up today and get $50 instantly when you play $5.
00:22:17
You don't even need to win to receive the $50 bonus.
00:22:20
It's guaranteed.
00:22:21
Prize picks is the best way to win real money this season, which players are going off, which ones aren't going off, make your picks in less than 60 seconds and turn your sports opinions into real money,
00:22:32
all season long on prize picks.
00:22:35
Download the app today and use the code Insight to get $50 instantly after you play your first $5 line of that code is Insight when you download the app.
00:22:45
Prize picks, run your game.
00:22:49
This podcast is brought to you by Squarespace.
00:22:52
Squarespace is the all-in-one website platform designed to help you stand out and succeed online.
00:22:57
Whether you're just starting out or you're scaling your business, Squarespace gives you everything you need to claim your domain, showcase your offerings with a professional website, grow your brand and get paid all in one place.
00:23:09
With Squarespace's collection of cutting edge design tools, anyone can build a custom online presence that perfectly fits their design or their business.
00:23:17
Start with Blueprint AI.
00:23:18
Squarespace's AI Enhance website builder to get a fully custom website with just a few steps.
00:23:24
From there, get discovered fast with integrated Squarespace SEO tools.
00:23:29
Every website is optimized to be indexed with meta descriptions, an auto-generated site map, and more, so you show up more often on search engines and bring in more of your ideal customers.
00:23:40
Head to Squarespace.com/Insight to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using the code Insight.
00:23:47
Go to Squarespace.com/Insight to save 10% off your first purchase.
00:23:54
You just realized that you needed to hire someone yesterday.
00:23:58
How can you find amazing candidates fast?
00:24:00
Easy.
00:24:01
Just use indeed.
00:24:03
When it comes to hiring, indeed is all you need.
00:24:06
Stop struggling to get your job post seen on other job sites.
00:24:09
Indeed, sponsored jobs help you stand out and hire fast.
00:24:12
With sponsored jobs, your post jumps to the top of the page for your relevant candidates so you can reach the people you want faster.
00:24:19
And it makes a huge difference.
00:24:20
According to indeed data, sponsored jobs posted directly on Indeed have 45% more applications than non-sponsored jobs.
00:24:27
Plus with indeed sponsored jobs, there's no monthly subscriptions, no long-term contracts, and you only pay for results.
00:24:34
How fast is Indeed?
00:24:35
Well, in the minute I've been talking to you, 23 hires were made on Indeed.
00:24:38
According to Indeed data worldwide.
00:24:40
There's no need to wait any longer.
00:24:43
Get up your hiring right now with Indeed and listeners of this show will get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility at Indeed.com/BWN.
00:24:54
Just go to Indeed.com/BWN right now and support our show by saying that you heard about Indeed on this podcast.
00:25:02
Indeed.com/BWN terms and conditions apply.
00:25:06
Hiring Indeed is all you need.
00:25:10
There's a lot of wrestlers who have called themselves the best.
00:25:13
CM Punk called himself the best in the world, Daniel Bryan, Brian Danielson called himself the best in the world.
00:25:18
Chris Jericho said he was the best in the world of what he did.
00:25:21
You've never said you're the best, at least not in the story line.
00:25:24
Oh, no, I've said it a few times in story lines.
00:25:27
I've said it in the lens of Japanese cameras before, but just like, yeah, I try my best to not say it, but it's all about believing in yourself and conveying that image to the audience that like,
00:25:41
I do, I feel confident in my abilities and I feel confident going into this match that I am the better man and that's kind of how I've always been like, I have said it before.
00:25:49
I know I have.
00:25:50
I can't just can't remember when or a moment, probably against Bryan, actually.
00:25:53
You're in a tough spot because depending on who you ask, you're either the best wrestler in the world or the worst or you're the worst wrestler in the world.
00:26:01
How do you deal with being that polarizer?
00:26:04
I have a six year old kid who got a look after who's like mad about Sonic, I need to learn about all these Sonic characters.
00:26:11
I've been got time to debate with people anymore.
00:26:14
If you like my wrestling call, if you don't like it, I want it here to criticism, I always adhere to criticism because like, how are you ever meant to get better like and that goes for all the people that are like, like are thoroughly against me and thoroughly against AEW.
00:26:27
Like, if you remove your ego and listen, there is some time stuff that like, okay, like that is something that I could implement there, but like, I don't lose sleep over it.
00:26:36
Like I've lost sleep over wrestling and flipping ages, like even when I mess up, like, if I mess up on like a promo, there's a promo down ages ago with Max and not with Max, but two Max.
00:26:47
And I feel like I messed up my wording and I messed up my diction.
00:26:50
And I'd rather than just like, I'd just rather own it and to be like, yeah, guys, my bad, I'm still learning it.
00:26:54
It's like, fucking hell.
00:26:55
I can't read.
00:26:56
Like, how am I going to put it like, I can barely speak English.
00:26:58
I speak minion.
00:26:59
So like, you can't read barely, but I had to, what do you mean?
00:27:03
I can barely read.
00:27:04
Like the words get all like jumbled up, like, I can write it all like, yeah, yeah, I did when I was like, I don't know when the fucking life, but I found out about it after I left school.
00:27:14
And it was, it's crazy.
00:27:16
Like I didn't realize, but the words all just didn't jumbled up and like, I would not skip words.
00:27:21
It's just crazy.
00:27:22
Get mad headaches over it as well.
00:27:23
So I do my best to not read it.
00:27:26
So when you go out there, who were you, are you doing it for every person in that arena?
00:27:31
Are you doing it for one specific type of person?
00:27:34
Everyone in the arena, everyone in the arena has a different idea of what's great than why they're all standing up when I'm doing my shit.
00:27:41
Like, that's the one thing where I decide if there's one person going, boo, I'm not going to harken on that guy.
00:27:46
I'm going to like, I'm using my ears and I'm listening to every single thing I'm doing.
00:27:50
Like I sometimes in the match, I just change it on the fly.
00:27:52
I just go, no, we're doing this instead and I just, I just fucking go for one just because I'm listening to the audience.
00:27:57
Like I cut bits, I add bits, but like, for me, like when I'm in there, what are the majority of the people doing?
00:28:05
They're all losing their mind.
00:28:06
It's either like, normally at like the eight minute mark at one point, they've at least said this is awesome.
00:28:11
So like, you know what I mean?
00:28:12
Like I'm, I'm trying my chance now, but like, but like that is generally how I kind of see wrestling a lot of the time.
00:28:19
Like I just, I see it as a concert.
00:28:21
I see it as like, oh, like, like, I don't know when, obviously, I don't really don't have many concerts now.
00:28:28
I think about it.
00:28:29
But just like, there's always like a part where like the audience was singing along with it's a moment where like you'll stop the audience and just singing it back to you.
00:28:35
And I see that with wrestling as well.
00:28:37
Like I say, and this point, no, childness.
00:28:40
And normally it does work.
00:28:42
Yeah.
00:28:43
Do you wrestle differently in your 30s compared to your 20s?
00:28:45
Oh, yeah.
00:28:46
Of course I do.
00:28:47
Like, what's the different approach?
00:28:48
I can't do the stuff that I used to when I was 27, like I can barely do a shooting star press now.
00:28:54
I can still do it, but it takes a lot for me to do it and it takes a lot of a, a build up to do it.
00:28:59
Uh, this, the body has like locked up a little bit.
00:29:02
So then like I had to adapt to my style, um, feel like you need it hit up DDP.
00:29:08
Do some DDP yoga.
00:29:09
So a load of people said that and I've got the app.
00:29:12
I think it's just doing it.
00:29:13
I think that's my main thing.
00:29:14
Is this like for me, I just, after like a long old day, man, like you said, you do school run, you do either a crossfit class or a gym class.
00:29:21
I do my, uh, nutrition like I put my feet up and take the dogs out for a walk.
00:29:26
I go pick up the kid, then I'm like trying my best to like be with the kid and by the time I put him to bed at 8 p.m., I'm knackered, I'm tired, I just want to put my feet up.
00:29:35
I just want to fucking watch him films with the misses, but like, uh, I do, we got into a routine for a bit and then my miss is tore a meniscus.
00:29:42
So we had to, we just knocked it on the edge.
00:29:44
We haven't picked up again.
00:29:45
We need to now.
00:29:46
I just feel like that's the key to longevity.
00:29:48
Like when you look at someone like Tom Brady who's able to play to his 45, it's all about like lengthening the muscles and like giving you some mobility.
00:29:57
Yeah.
00:29:58
And I think my body spasms quite a lot, especially my lower back.
00:30:01
It just spasms.
00:30:02
I need to like, that's not a good, that's not good.
00:30:04
Yeah.
00:30:05
It's just because of the flipping that happens all the time.
00:30:08
We're bumping.
00:30:09
We're landing on metal wood and like this fin layer of padding.
00:30:12
It's going to happen.
00:30:13
Like I, I accept that.
00:30:14
I just do my best to look off of myself.
00:30:16
I feel like when you watch any of your matches, it doesn't feel like there's anything you can't do right now.
00:30:21
No, there are stuff like, there's just stuff that I used to do in my 20s.
00:30:25
Like I can't do like the backwards for 50s anymore.
00:30:28
I can't like, I can't do a 630 to save my life anymore.
00:30:31
Like I was young and nimble and like flexible back then.
00:30:34
I'm not as flexible now, especially since I packed on a bit of mass.
00:30:38
Like that, that was my main thing when I went up to the heavyweight class in New Japan.
00:30:42
Like if I'd packed on this mass and I found out very shortly after, I was like, oh fucking no, I can't, I'm not as nimble as what I once was.
00:30:49
So then like, you adapt and you change and I think that's wrestling, you've always got to revolve.
00:30:54
Didn't Chris Jericho call you up and say, I want to chat with you.
00:30:57
Yeah, he called me out.
00:30:59
I'd done something stupid like I fucked my neck up back in 2018.
00:31:02
I've never been the same since then.
00:31:03
It was against my, we done Spanish fly, I'm a fucking head at the apron.
00:31:07
But my neck contorted underneath me and I just, I felt everything like the shot go down my arm.
00:31:14
It was horrendous.
00:31:15
And I've never been the same since.
00:31:17
But then the month after, I know it's actually, yeah, no, it was the month after me and Kashida wrestling and we done like a DDT off the apron to the floor.
00:31:25
And I was fine.
00:31:26
I was absolutely fine.
00:31:27
I controlled my body on the landing, but it looked horrendous.
00:31:31
Jericho got on the phone to me and was just like, hey look, please don't die.
00:31:34
Like you've got to look after yourself, like pick your bumps, you don't need to be doing that type of stuff all the time.
00:31:40
And that hit and I was, I appreciated it like because especially at that time, like Jericho only would pop over to New Japan, like every now and again.
00:31:48
So the fact that he took his time out to be like, hey, look, Rocky gave me a number.
00:31:51
I want to have a chat like, let's, let's talk.
00:31:54
He generally gives a fuck like every time I've been around Chris, he's, he's always giving me like great advice, even being here.
00:31:59
There's like primal things that I would do and he went, oh, who told you to do that?
00:32:02
And I'll say this person told me, well, don't do that because of this reason when he explains it to me.
00:32:07
Oh, you know, yeah, of course.
00:32:08
So like he's been like a real good, like, hand to have backstage, unless like any time I go, what do you think of this?
00:32:13
He's great at his honesty.
00:32:15
Has that made you slow down at all?
00:32:16
I mean, yeah, for sure, like for sure, like, because I want people to digest what they're seeing.
00:32:22
Because I still do those stupid bumps, like, like, like, like, I do it.
00:32:28
The tombstone of the apron on the stairs, that was kind of silly.
00:32:31
Pretty silly.
00:32:32
That was very silly.
00:32:33
Like, amazing.
00:32:34
Yeah, look great.
00:32:35
I mean, everyone reacted.
00:32:36
Which happens.
00:32:37
But like, I also now, I plan those spots where I, like, I go and this is where everyone fucking complains about A W.
00:32:44
Like, I do it because personally is like, I just want to do it.
00:32:48
I'm not like fucking kicking out of firing up and shit like that.
00:32:51
I'm like, I'm like, rolling my shoulder off.
00:32:53
And like, if people are popping off about it, sweet, you're talking about it.
00:32:55
I think it's unfair, like if a similar type of spot happens in WWE, people don't seem to be as critical.
00:33:01
No, but like, if I've had it gone there, they would be fucking whanking into fucking tissues over me.
00:33:07
Like, you know what I mean?
00:33:08
But it's the same.
00:33:09
You know what I mean?
00:33:10
That's why you have to, you have to separate it.
00:33:11
Otherwise, you drive yourself insane.
00:33:13
Yeah.
00:33:14
And I just think like, I think if you have something like that, like my wrestling is my passion, it's my job most importantly.
00:33:21
But like, if you have something that you're passionate about, you really don't care about what people are saying, who have never impacted your career in your entire life.
00:33:28
Like, none of those people, like once upon a time, they were like, big hits that anyone that's ever complained about.
00:33:34
I'd be like the grifters or whatever they're called.
00:33:35
I don't know if that's the right term.
00:33:37
That's what everyone says.
00:33:38
But like, even if they say something, so that they're not impacting our show with the second most profitable wrestling company of all time, like that's not to talk about enough.
00:33:47
And everyone wants to like, dig on it.
00:33:50
And I get it like there's things that we could generally improve on, like, and I think it's fair to listen to some criticism that like for me, I don't lose sleep over anyone trying to tell me how to wrestle because now like,
00:34:03
from being like, look, look at me, I'm a fucking idiot.
00:34:07
Like, I know I am, but I've carved out this little lane for myself.
00:34:13
I was destined to be someone that would even work in McDonald's or push trolleys at Tesco's or but like because I grafted at this and because I learned the trade over in England and over in Japan and my enthusiasm and my passion comes over here.
00:34:32
I don't let things, like, if it's just like, oh, this is shit because why?
00:34:38
Because it's shit.
00:34:39
Well, that's not fair.
00:34:40
If you give me criticism and you give me points that I can work on, then I'll try my best to work on it.
00:34:45
I'm not going to get it right away.
00:34:47
But I think that's the stuff that people need to speak more about.
00:34:51
There's a lot of people that will say, oh, there's no say card, you know, like, have you ever even watched it?
00:34:55
No, but like, but you know what I mean?
00:34:57
Like, who are you?
00:34:58
Like, I mean, show me your face.
00:35:00
Show me your face.
00:35:01
Have you done, like, and they haven't, they haven't done nothing or if they have, they're in like these tiny little, like, English and they're great for you, like, apply your trade, but like,
00:35:12
after 15 years, boss, like, come on, like, fucking get with the program.
00:35:15
Like, we're all here.
00:35:16
Having fun.
00:35:17
Join us.
00:35:18
And what point did you realize?
00:35:19
You can't please everybody.
00:35:21
Fucking very early on, like, um, I think the Rikshay match, like, honestly, the first one is like team, but like, yeah, but in the same sense, are people like people at good points,
00:35:32
people at bad points and people at fair points.
00:35:34
And that's where I was kind of like, okay, well, that's the bit in the middle that you've got to listen to.
00:35:39
And at a 22 or I think it's 23 actually at the time at 23 years old, that is a fucking hard thing to master.
00:35:45
Like, the internet is not social media is not for everyone.
00:35:48
And like, I've learned that the hard way and I've had to deal with it by like only never a mistake that I've ever done, coming with my towel, tuck between my legs, bow in my head and put my head, put in my ass to work.
00:36:00
But like, learning that so I like, oh, like William Regal and Seth Rollins were saying amazing things about it.
00:36:07
But then Vader didn't like it.
00:36:10
We got fucking matching out of it.
00:36:11
So that was great.
00:36:12
But like, but like, there's people that like who have carved that incredible legacies in the industry that I respect and admire and that I've actually had wonderful conversations with where we've been in the same room chain.
00:36:27
But in the same sense like, I adhere to what you're saying, but I'm just going to do what I've done because it seems to be working.
00:36:34
Talk about how you grinded to make this happen.
00:36:37
Ah.
00:36:38
That's how I'm going with it.
00:36:40
That's how I'm going with it.
00:36:41
Well, go to there after that.
00:36:42
But I was going to say, not everybody can just work hard in this happens.
00:36:45
No, absolutely.
00:36:46
So it's not like you just work hard, you work hard and then this thing magically appears.
00:36:50
What's the secret sauce here for you?
00:36:52
I think it's dedication and it's like, for me, I realized as well when I went to New Japan for the first time, those first two years, I was like, oh,
00:37:03
I'm learning, like I'm seeing like Marafuji and Okada wrestling like Ria Goku and I'm listening to how all the audience are and they're all reacting and it's like, so then I was like, okay,
00:37:13
I want to master that and it's learning the trade and there was a point where I could have, I could have jumped in 2018.
00:37:21
In fact, the first time I actually met Tony Khan was in 2019, a wrestler pack in Yolkhov Revpro and he asked me, then would I be like, interested in doing even if it's just dream matches?
00:37:32
And I just, I respectfully just said like I want to dedicate myself to Japan right now.
00:37:36
And like he was super cool about it and I think because I dedicated myself to one place, my stock just went up and like my matches, even though I was losing a lot of them,
00:37:47
it was only in like 2019, I started really fucking finding my strides and I was like, I was the junior heavyweight.
00:37:53
I was putting on all the matches, I'd be in the positions and I was hitting home runs constantly.
00:38:00
And then there's like positions where New Japan was in the pandemic and the stock was at an all time low in New Japan pandemics because no one wants to watch silent wrestling.
00:38:09
But like for some strange reason we were, I managed to fucking swim with shackles in me fucking hands and just like been out to find oxygen and give New Japan these crazy matches in silence.
00:38:20
So I think a lot of people saw that and was like, right, well, we want that and then when I finally felt like I completed the trade and I wanted to, I wanted to a try something new and I wanted to be looked after because it was just to the point where you find out from other wrestlers how much people money's making and like I wasn't making,
00:38:40
like I was making great money in New Japan but like not the best and I just wanted to, I wanted to be looked after and then I've been fabrily looked after and I'm just grateful, grateful.
00:38:51
So like I've got to keep working because it's just pure and simple with my life's completely changed since coming here.
00:38:57
So I need to put in the work and I need to make this place the best it can be.
00:39:01
So then in the next five years when there's another Will Ospreay or another Squirt Strip going or another whoever I like, whoever's walked through these doors, there's been like, all right, this is the bomb now, this is the standard I need you to live up to it.
00:39:12
So let's go back to it.
00:39:13
Why did you take those comments from Triple H so personally?
00:39:15
He didn't say your name.
00:39:16
Why did you think he was talking about you?
00:39:19
He was and I got, I've got people that I won't throw under the bus saying, yeah, what's about me?
00:39:23
I won't throw any of my names under the bus, but it was about me.
00:39:26
But like I don't think it's like, I'm not taking it personally, like all that hurt my feelings.
00:39:29
It's just kind of like, all right, you take a French jab at me, I'll take one back.
00:39:32
Nothing like horrible or bad, like I don't hate the guy, oh, I've never met him.
00:39:37
How can I hate someone that I've never even met?
00:39:38
You don't even talk to him?
00:39:39
No, I've never spoke to him.
00:39:40
Oh, I've had an agency talk to everyone and I've told everybody about my situation and why I want to remain in the UK, which is why that kind of like hurt me a little bit.
00:39:50
But it's like not to the point where like it keeps me up and I was like, okay, you take a job at me.
00:39:54
I'll take one back and then that's it.
00:39:55
We're done.
00:39:56
And then someone was at this show that I was doing some stuff for pro wrestling even.
00:40:02
They do this.
00:40:03
They do this thing called the multiverse rumble and everybody dresses up as characters and somebody dress up as triple H and walked in here and I said, I look, I went, I've got to do it now.
00:40:12
I have a knife.
00:40:13
Why do you have to do it?
00:40:14
It's just funny.
00:40:15
And if anyone doesn't think it's funny, then I can't tell you what you humor is.
00:40:19
But my humor is this is hilarious.
00:40:22
I'm going to do it.
00:40:23
I think there's a certain section of fan, whether you're an AEW fan, a WWE fan, New Japan fan, TNA fan, whatever they're going to go, I don't like that other thing.
00:40:32
So I'm going to try to find a problem with that other thing and try to find a reason why I don't like this fair.
00:40:36
Yeah.
00:40:37
I mean, I can definitely see how people act like that.
00:40:41
I just, I don't think that way.
00:40:42
So I can't fully understand.
00:40:45
I can't understand anyone's fault process.
00:40:47
I'm fucking autistic as fuck mate.
00:40:49
But I can't understand anyone's besides my own.
00:40:51
I don't, I don't really know why, like if I got in trouble about this whole instance, like I don't understand why I got in trouble for it, like, I mean, I have an idea about it, but not really.
00:41:00
It's a great pedigree.
00:41:01
It's an amazing pedigree.
00:41:02
It must not do it.
00:41:03
It must not do it.
00:41:04
Why not?
00:41:05
Exactly.
00:41:06
Exactly.
00:41:07
Because it's funny.
00:41:08
I heard a great quote that it speaks to exactly what you're talking about.
00:41:11
We judge ourselves by our intentions, but we judge others by their actions.
00:41:16
And it's so true that like we, we just judge what other people are doing instead of going, why are they doing that?
00:41:21
What's the reasoning behind it?
00:41:22
What's their intention behind this?
00:41:24
If you could just stop and ask someone or ask anyone just a few questions, you can get to the root of like, why do you feel that way?
00:41:33
What that way about what?
00:41:34
Whatever it is, you know, like why are people so upset about this thing or this thing?
00:41:40
And that's, I just don't understand that.
00:41:41
And that's the thing.
00:41:42
I don't, I haven't got it in me to talk to however many followers I've got or have a many Twitter followers that there are in the world.
00:41:49
It's like, I haven't got it in me to talk to all those people.
00:41:51
I just, I don't know how people feel about it or I know is, I'm trying to have a laugh.
00:41:56
And it's, it's going really well.
00:41:58
So you try to entertain yourself?
00:41:59
Yeah, I do my best to make myself laugh and I knew deep down I was like, oh, this is going to make so many people cross an angry, I'll just think, fuck it, I'm going to do it because I find it funny.
00:42:09
I want to ask you about the hidden blade.
00:42:11
Go on.
00:42:12
What's the, what's the setup to this?
00:42:15
How do you even figure out you can do this move without literally concussing someone?
00:42:20
So when I was back yard in like years ago, like obviously we had like, I think we're like, if you'd land on your head from German superplexes or reverse runners and like if you took like shots set ahead without your hands there,
00:42:33
like obviously back then, like we didn't know anything about like what we do to our brains and our necks and shit like that.
00:42:38
We were like 14 or 15 years old.
00:42:41
It was almost like a badge of honor of doing that.
00:42:43
It was, it was crazy.
00:42:44
Now looking back on it, like some of the shit that we were doing off of gym horses on these like fin judo mats was insane.
00:42:50
Like I could, I could find you some stuff and you would fucking freak out.
00:42:55
But like I just, I do it when I was back yarding, but like just a normal thing.
00:42:59
I just, I just saw someone on the ground and I just went back hell with him.
00:43:02
Like I'm just fucking throwing like that.
00:43:04
And I remember when it was like, it was in New Japan and they said like, oh, we need something that looks like a knockout.
00:43:09
And for some strange reason, it just came to my brain.
00:43:11
Like I just, it just came to my brain and I thought, I'm just going to give it a go to see what happens.
00:43:17
And it worked.
00:43:18
It was absolutely fine.
00:43:19
A lot of people thought, because New Japan released something like, oh, Ibushi got concussed.
00:43:24
It was just kind of like guys, angle, relax.
00:43:27
Like flipping, it worked like it suckered so many people in it made people like fear this flipping move.
00:43:33
And I'm glad because like it's not shooting star press.
00:43:37
It's not an infrared.
00:43:38
It's not 630.
00:43:39
It's me moving my elbow from here to here.
00:43:43
And it's like, I could, I could do that when I'm 50 shit in my pants in these like small 200 seat of venues.
00:43:49
It looks so devastating though.
00:43:50
I'm so happy that people love that because I do like, I did put a lot of forward process into like, oh, I wonder if I could actually make this like a big, big move and it,
00:44:01
and it's worked.
00:44:02
Like, I've always loved like the spear.
00:44:04
I love the trouble in paradise.
00:44:05
I love the Bucyco knee.
00:44:07
And now I finally carved out my own one and I was at a show.
00:44:11
There was a show literally two minutes from my house, a couple of my friends were on it.
00:44:17
And I walked in like what towards a show was ending and the finish was a backbreaker into a hidden blade and he came back and was like, oh, and I was, I was, I was, I was blessed.
00:44:27
I was so happy.
00:44:28
They used it because I was like, I'm at it's like, it's infiltrated down to like, to like the indies and it's like a cool, like little independent move and people like, oh, yeah, let's get it.
00:44:39
I'm flattered when everyone uses my move like I love it.
00:44:43
You can do it to anybody.
00:44:44
Yeah, absolutely.
00:44:45
Yeah.
00:44:46
I'm going to do that to set them sing coming for you.
00:44:48
I'm trying to get you up for the storm right at one point.
00:44:51
He was on the plane.
00:44:52
I was on last week and I'm like, that's a big, big guy.
00:44:55
He was a big guy.
00:44:56
Someone just knocked out.
00:44:57
Oh, my goodness.
00:44:58
Who could it be?
00:44:59
Let's see.
00:45:00
It's going to be.
00:45:01
This is when you go like, oh, we're just talking about him, yeah, but like, oh, wow.
00:45:09
In the middle of interrupting the interview.
00:45:11
Wow.
00:45:12
It can hear us talking in the other side of the door.
00:45:15
Wow.
00:45:16
Oh, I'm so sorry, boss.
00:45:19
My boyfriend.
00:45:20
Grab a seat there.
00:45:21
No, not there.
00:45:22
No.
00:45:23
Yeah, over.
00:45:24
Yeah.
00:45:25
Yeah.
00:45:26
Okay.
00:45:27
Well, far bad, ladies and gentlemen.
00:45:28
Wow.
00:45:29
Boy, my boy.
00:45:30
But it's just, it's such.
00:45:31
It's such a devastating looking move.
00:45:33
I'm super happy with it.
00:45:34
I'm super happy that everyone's enjoying it and it's something that's that a lot of people like react to every time they see it.
00:45:40
It makes me happy.
00:45:41
That's the AW match you hang your hat on that you're super proud of.
00:45:46
Oh.
00:45:47
That's a Kesha one was kind of cool, just because I feel like a lot of people were like, okay, we've heard it.
00:45:55
Press us.
00:45:56
Like, and it was this.
00:45:57
Bam.
00:45:58
Knocked out of the park.
00:45:59
Then literally, bam.
00:46:00
Another one knocked out of the park and back like, so I do, I do hang my hat on that one to be like, okay, that was like the first thing that like, as a full-time member, that's the first thing you saw.
00:46:10
That's nothing yet.
00:46:11
Keep watching.
00:46:12
So like, I've still got a lot more in a tank and like, I still think, I've had like, like my match of Bryan Danielson, I think we'll go down as one of the greatest matches that I've ever done.
00:46:23
Um, the match with Swerve was fantastic.
00:46:26
Oh, God.
00:46:27
I'd flipping loved that.
00:46:28
I'd, I love wrestling Swerve and like, me and him have been boys for ages.
00:46:32
Like, when I first met him when he came over to Southside back in like 2014, we've always been boys.
00:46:37
When he was over in NXT, I've always been like, come on man, you can do it.
00:46:40
Like, fuck it.
00:46:41
We've always had one another's back.
00:46:42
So then when it finally came to it and I actually said to Tony, I was, I said, like, can I wrestle with him?
00:46:49
Like, I'd love to do it.
00:46:50
Like, because the forbidden door time, like, I really wanted to like, what could be like a sick main event?
00:46:54
I was just like, we're two, we're like, two steam trains running and now we've got to collide with one another and like, seeing everyone alive is just like, never one of these guys can lose, actually we can,
00:47:05
it's just how you do it.
00:47:07
This podcast is brought to you by Squarespace.
00:47:10
Squarespace is the all in one website platform designed to help you stand out and succeed online.
00:47:15
Whether you're just starting out or you're scaling your business, Squarespace gives you everything you need to claim your domain, showcase your offerings with a professional website, grow your brand and get paid all in one place.
00:47:26
With Squarespace's collection of cutting edge design tools, anyone could build a custom online presence that perfectly fits their design or their business.
00:47:34
Start with Blueprint AI, that Squarespace's AI-in-hands website builder to get a fully custom website with just a few steps.
00:47:42
From there, get discovered fast with integrated Squarespace SEO tools.
00:47:46
Every website is optimized to be indexed with meta descriptions, an auto-generated site map, and more.
00:47:52
So you show up more often on search engines and bring in more of your ideal customers.
00:47:58
Go to squarespace.com/insight to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using the code "insight".
00:48:05
That's squarespace.com/insight to save 10% off your first purchase.
00:48:13
You just realize that you needed to hire someone yesterday.
00:48:16
How can you find amazing candidates fast?
00:48:18
Easy.
00:48:19
Just use indeed.
00:48:20
When it comes to hiring, indeed is all you need.
00:48:23
Stop struggling to get your job posts seen on other job sites.
00:48:27
Indeed sponsored jobs help you stand out and hire fast.
00:48:30
With sponsored jobs, your post jumps to the top of the page for your relevant candidates so you can reach the people you want faster.
00:48:36
And it makes a huge difference.
00:48:37
According to indeed data, sponsored jobs posted directly on Indeed have 45% more applications than non-sponsored jobs.
00:48:44
Plus with indeed sponsored jobs, there's no monthly subscriptions, no long-term contracts, and you only pay for results.
00:48:51
How fast is Indeed?
00:48:52
Well, in the minute I've been talking to you, 23 hires were made on Indeed.
00:48:56
According to indeed data worldwide, there's no need to wait any longer.
00:49:00
Speed up your hiring right now with Indeed.
00:49:03
And listeners of this show will get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility at Indeed.com/BWN.
00:49:12
Just go to Indeed.com/BWN right now and support our show by saying that you heard about Indeed on this podcast.
00:49:19
Indeed.com/BWN terms and conditions apply.
00:49:24
Yes, we're sharing Indeed is all you need.
00:49:28
I feel like we just missed you versus CM Punk by a few months.
00:49:32
Yeah, he left at the end of, or 2023, you came in 2024.
00:49:37
Technically, 2020 for it at the end, but like, yeah, start in 2024.
00:49:40
Yeah, start in 2024, like, just now really missed it, but like is what it is, like, and no issues with him on my side of things I hope he's doing well.
00:49:50
That could have been a magic match.
00:49:51
It could have been, but like, things happen and things transpire and for me, like, I've never had an issue with him.
00:49:58
He's always been lovely to me, except for this one time, it's one time that really pissed me off.
00:50:04
Because I said to him, are there any decent steakhouse in Chicago, and he said, I promise you, I will get you a steakhouse.
00:50:11
Should I be in Chicago?
00:50:12
No steakhouse.
00:50:13
Wow.
00:50:14
That's the sea.
00:50:15
The sea.
00:50:16
The sea stands for something.
00:50:18
That is the start of the story.
00:50:23
That's, that's the start of the storyline there.
00:50:25
But to fucking show me a steakhouse, you didn't you pray.
00:50:30
How you doing?
00:50:31
Well, who haven't you worked with in AEW that you want?
00:50:33
I was thinking about that.
00:50:34
I'd flip it.
00:50:35
Hangman.
00:50:36
Hangman's the only one I've never actually like with.
00:50:39
We wrestled in a six man in New Japan, but did like a comeback, and that was it.
00:50:45
And I feel like, I feel like that's the main character.
00:50:49
That's the, that's the guy that's the, that's AEW right there staring at it.
00:50:54
And I think also Mark's sleep, but like you've wrestled him, but not in a, in a, in a, in a New Japan, we've wrestled one another, and it was a shit finish because the referee fucked up.
00:51:03
The like, it was meant to be the straight up one, two, three, no fucking mocks.
00:51:08
Kick out.
00:51:09
Okay.
00:51:10
But the referee still counted three.
00:51:11
And he got me in the choke.
00:51:12
And then like, let's start tapping out of me because I'm scared I was like, what the fuck is going on?
00:51:17
Like, it's, uh, it, but shit happens, but like for me, that's just more of an incentive to be like, okay, well, there's still me on this bone, like fucking, I, I did kick out.
00:51:26
The shoulder was up, but like the fucking referee fucked up.
00:51:29
So for me, there, there's, there's me on that bone.
00:51:32
And just as the old days and someone that like, I've openly said, he's actually one of the main reasons it, um, I wanted to come to AEW where he'd done that promo.
00:51:41
And he said about, he's embarrassed and he's, and it's now time to fight and it's the time to be a legend.
00:51:47
I remember watching that in Japan and being like, all right, I'm fighting alongside you.
00:51:50
Like deep down, I did feel like that moment was like a, like all hands on fucking deck.
00:51:57
And even though I was in New Japan at the time, I like, I deep down knew it was just kind of like, all right, that's really led me towards AEW because like, I want to, I want to be in the fire in all with you.
00:52:07
What's been the scariest moment for you in the ring?
00:52:10
Oh my god.
00:52:11
Oh, I need to tell you this story.
00:52:14
I need to tell you a story.
00:52:15
It's my last match.
00:52:16
I love how you lit up there because this honestly could literally see the late Bob.
00:52:20
Honestly, like, this is one of the fucking greatest moments of my fucking career.
00:52:24
It was the last match I ever had in New Japan.
00:52:26
We're in a dog pound steel cage match.
00:52:28
It's not what everyone thinks.
00:52:29
It's just a fucking Kate, a giant fence around the ring.
00:52:32
I got a real big one.
00:52:33
Not a literal one with dogs outside.
00:52:36
No, we were against the war dogs.
00:52:38
We were against the war dogs, right?
00:52:40
Uh, Gabe Kidd, David Finley, Carter Connors, Alex Cogling, Drillum alone in against the United Empire, me, Akira, TJ Jeff and Hennari.
00:52:50
These are like, these are all my boys.
00:52:52
Like it, both in K-fabe and in like, like, they're all my fucking, I love these guys so much.
00:52:58
And, uh, it was like, uh, the war game style match.
00:53:01
So then like, two minutes, someone else comes in, two minutes someone comes in, when everyone's in the ring, the fucking match starts, right?
00:53:07
And, uh, Gabe comes in and does start swinging chairs and throwing shit with ill regards.
00:53:14
And Gabe grabs his table and throws it at Hennari.
00:53:17
Hennari is this New Zealand, like, New Zealand boys.
00:53:20
I've got the artists in the fucking business, mate.
00:53:22
Don't head by him.
00:53:23
Event by him once in a career.
00:53:24
You're fucking hurt a lot.
00:53:26
And he threw this table and the table started going flat and then turns like that.
00:53:30
And he, I didn't fucking see it.
00:53:33
But then like, Jeff comes down, starts clearing house.
00:53:36
And I look over and Aaron's bleeding.
00:53:38
Like, and I race fucking bleeding.
00:53:40
So I do this like, comical crawl over and like, I go hard.
00:53:43
If someone get busted, open the hard way and he's going, hands over his head and he's going, I think I'm going to die.
00:53:49
I know it's just like, what are you okay, mate?
00:53:52
What's going on?
00:53:53
He went, my eyes are closing and I can't keep him open.
00:53:56
And I just went, take your hands away.
00:53:57
Let me see.
00:53:58
And I shit you not, man.
00:53:59
It was the fucking worst thing I've ever seen.
00:54:02
He takes his hands away.
00:54:03
My hands feel with blood straight away.
00:54:06
And I look at this fucking gash.
00:54:07
And I could fit four of my fingers in his fucking skull.
00:54:10
Like, it was so bad.
00:54:12
And I fucking like, put my hand on his head.
00:54:16
And then all of a sudden the cage door locks.
00:54:18
So we're like, what?
00:54:20
This man needs a hospital.
00:54:22
Like now, like fucking now.
00:54:24
And then like, I've like put on their massage.
00:54:27
I train them, like gets in the fucking ring.
00:54:30
And now he's taking over.
00:54:31
And Jeff's going, our room, because we now need to do this like trio spot on someone.
00:54:35
I went, no, Aaron, just me.
00:54:36
Like fucking, we carry on with this match.
00:54:39
Now we're trying to communicate with everybody.
00:54:41
It's 10 of us in this ring.
00:54:43
Like, and now he's done.
00:54:44
We got to fit.
00:54:45
And now we're trying to finger shit on the fly.
00:54:47
And I really wish I can move with it.
00:54:49
Like, there's a spot where it's just like, we're doing like, like, move after move after move after move and big move.
00:54:55
And we all lay down and the crowd goes nuts, right?
00:54:58
So then like, I'm looking between my legs, Clark's coming up.
00:55:01
He does a soup.
00:55:02
Like, takes it.
00:55:03
And we were just going to like, do that.
00:55:04
And then we were just going to do me and Dan.
00:55:06
I look between my legs.
00:55:07
I can hear Driller going, no fucking way.
00:55:10
And I looked, Henry has a towel on his head.
00:55:14
And he's taken to me fucking head.
00:55:16
We're like, no fucking way.
00:55:17
And he's like, doing the moves.
00:55:19
We're doing all the escalators.
00:55:21
And I look, I was like, guess we're fucking doing it.
00:55:23
We're all laying there.
00:55:24
And I went, dude, get that fuck out of you.
00:55:26
No, I was like, wow.
00:55:29
He was like, mate, does it get so much better?
00:55:31
So it gets more, mate, there's more.
00:55:33
There's so much more.
00:55:34
Because like, this match goes on for an hour.
00:55:37
It's like, we overstayed our welcome completely.
00:55:39
But there's one point in this match where Henry and Gabe getting to like a big one, two, like this.
00:55:44
It was meant to be like, chair goes over his head.
00:55:46
Like, you see the Japanese chairs are like, pop off, right?
00:55:49
Goes over his head.
00:55:50
Does it in return?
00:55:51
Both fire up.
00:55:52
One, two, three, one, two, three, right?
00:55:56
One, he doesn't want to take it over the head.
00:55:57
So he punches through the fucking chair.
00:55:59
Gabe takes it over the head.
00:56:00
He fires up.
00:56:01
And it's meant to be one, two, three, you one, two, three.
00:56:04
Gabe goes, one, two, three.
00:56:05
Hanari just fucking cocks his hand and he hits him.
00:56:09
As hard as he humbly possible.
00:56:11
It sounded like a fucking gun went off in the building.
00:56:14
Gabe made eye contact with every fucking person in the room.
00:56:18
I mean, it's bags looking at one another going, oh my fucking god.
00:56:23
It was fucking chaos.
00:56:25
And I sat there at the end of it.
00:56:27
And all of us are dead.
00:56:28
Hanari had to go to the hospital.
00:56:30
We're all like, I don't want to do that ever again.
00:56:33
And then he fucking, we were at dinner and he shows up with this fucking man.
00:56:36
He joined his head.
00:56:38
And always the toughest guy I've ever met in my entire life.
00:56:40
It was the fucking, oh my god.
00:56:42
At the time, I was so scared that he was going to die.
00:56:45
Like I generally thought he was going to die.
00:56:47
It was the worst thing I've ever seen.
00:56:49
Oh my god.
00:56:49
I took up a huge chunk of interview.
00:56:51
But that's what a story.
00:56:53
It's a great story I've got.
00:56:55
And the passion you have in behind this story, he should have died, man.
00:56:59
That was the worst thing.
00:57:00
Did he not even go to the hospital?
00:57:01
Went to the hospital.
00:57:02
And then he still came back out.
00:57:03
Don't come out for dinner.
00:57:05
Hero.
00:57:06
Give that man a fucking badge of honor.
00:57:10
That's hero shit, man.
00:57:12
That's some hero shit.
00:57:14
Probably still taking shots that night, having all kinds of drinks.
00:57:18
He had one drink.
00:57:19
He had one drink.
00:57:20
Oh my, he's my hero.
00:57:23
I love back and forth during the pandemic.
00:57:26
That was my boy.
00:57:27
Have you had a moment like that?
00:57:28
Have you had a super scary moment in the ring like that?
00:57:31
The money.
00:57:32
One where I dumped my neck at like ages ago, like I had where I kind of felt like I shouldn't be wrestling right now, but we kept going.
00:57:39
In your A&W debut, you took the brain buster.
00:57:41
It was supposed to be to the turnbuckle.
00:57:43
My ass.
00:57:44
Oh my god.
00:57:46
It wasn't like, it wasn't like, oh my life is on the line here, but it was, oh my fucking god.
00:57:54
It's the worst rug burn ever.
00:57:56
No, man.
00:57:57
It was worse than that.
00:57:59
It felt like I got hit by a car.
00:58:00
It was so fucking fable.
00:58:02
That was like my ass.
00:58:03
Where did it actually make impact like on the fucking, like on the top of my blue and then my, my like hell.
00:58:10
You can see the like scrape, right?
00:58:12
Yeah, honestly.
00:58:13
And I am made.
00:58:13
It was because everyone thought I was just a scrape at one.
00:58:16
It was like because I was ropes at cable, like steel fucking cable man.
00:58:21
So it like, it like hit my ass and like fucking like put it back.
00:58:25
Oh my, it was horrible.
00:58:27
But like, I remember Tony being like, you don't have to wrestle next week.
00:58:31
I'm like, no, I'm good.
00:58:32
I'm like, he's like, no, fucking god.
00:58:34
How many bruv shirts have you sold?
00:58:36
Cause last interview, I was like, you should make the shirt.
00:58:39
And you're like, I don't know if I should make the shirt.
00:58:41
I'm like, make this shirt.
00:58:43
And do you know what's really gone over the jerseys?
00:58:45
The jerseys have got super overloaded.
00:58:48
They even done ones for Brisbane lights.
00:58:51
I'm like red colored ones because I think it matched their colors or something like the Brisbane colors.
00:58:56
And they all sold out in the arena.
00:58:58
So I feel like what we're planning on doing is every paper view, we're going to make the same jersey, but in the home team colors, my mate, honestly, I cannot thank you for whoever made the jersey.
00:59:10
Thank you very much.
00:59:11
But just like, it's crazy like the, because I will go everywhere.
00:59:15
I went on the Jericho cruise with the Mrs and like my two mates who are like, they are interested in, but like not really that deep in it.
00:59:21
And they were like, fucking hell.
00:59:23
Like it was bruv shirts were everywhere.
00:59:25
It was crazy.
00:59:26
And you didn't even realise bruv was a thing.
00:59:29
I say it when I get pissed off.
00:59:31
When I get like locked in and I would like, I get angry with someone and I'll get I just flips out, bruv just comes out instantly, especially when I'm getting mad.
00:59:40
Like when I'm in the mood to have a fight with someone, like I like fucking comes out.
00:59:44
I don't normally say it when I've said it once during this holiday.
00:59:48
So like when it comes out when I get fucking angry, because the Essex boy comes out.
00:59:53
I mean, I can't put it back in.
00:59:55
So when we did that last interview, it was I think April of 2023.
00:59:58
And we talked about five star matches at that time.
01:00:00
You're 27 of them.
01:00:02
You now have 47 or eight.
01:00:05
Is this wild to you?
01:00:08
No, I don't get it anymore.
01:00:10
I just I love it now when I see it.
01:00:14
And I go, and let's see what the internet says.
01:00:17
And I do have anything less than five.
01:00:18
Is it like, oh man, I really don't look at you.
01:00:21
I do not look at you.
01:00:23
But like, it's just funny, because then my Twitter comes up.
01:00:26
And I see you a lot, the, the, the, the bar counts.
01:00:28
And they go like, well, this is 40.
01:00:29
I just be fucking hell.
01:00:32
I think it's because now it's not.
01:00:33
And you break down the numbers.
01:00:35
I wrote them down here.
01:00:35
AEW has had 41 as a company.
01:00:38
So you've had more than AEW.
01:00:40
WWE has had 20, including NXT.
01:00:43
So you've had more than double.
01:00:45
And TNA has had three.
01:00:47
And you've had two of those funny.
01:00:51
It's funny, because the thing is it's that it generally makes like no difference, right?
01:00:56
Because that was a topic that happened a little while ago when I go like five star matches, don't pay bills.
01:01:01
Oh, yeah.
01:01:02
That was a bit with, with bully Ray.
01:01:04
But I have paid for my dad's ass.
01:01:07
I've paid for my mom's kitchen.
01:01:10
So they mean nothing guys.
01:01:12
You even said when you were leaving New Japan, you're like, you know, I don't care about five star matches.
01:01:19
But if it gets me a better deal somewhere else, then all right.
01:01:22
Yeah, but that was the thing.
01:01:24
I think, honestly, it was more like if people were looking at it and going like, oh, this is sick.
01:01:29
They admired the work ethic and the imagination and the details that I was putting in to the match that made it whatever day thinks it was.
01:01:36
But like, of course, everyone's right.
01:01:39
It doesn't pay for bills.
01:01:40
But like for me, at that time when it was like I was approaching free agency, it was like, well, who isn't going to want the guy that is putting on fucking banger after banger after banger after banger?
01:01:49
Like, so that for me, that was kind of like what I was trying to get out.
01:01:54
But like, it makes so different in my bank account.
01:01:56
But however, I like, I have paid for me dad's ass and my mom's kitchen.
01:01:59
It's crazy.
01:02:00
Like, I'm like, look, stupid old billies like looking after his mom and dad now.
01:02:05
It's fantastic.
01:02:06
That makes me honest.
01:02:07
Yeah.
01:02:07
That's what it's all about.
01:02:08
I think it's just, it's so arbitrary, right?
01:02:11
Like, this point has been beaten to death, but Kurt Angles had zero, Randy Orton's had zero.
01:02:16
Exactly.
01:02:16
And they're the fucking grace.
01:02:17
They're so sick.
01:02:18
But like, exactly.
01:02:19
It's this is, he's got a flavor of ice cream that I really like.
01:02:22
And it's you.
01:02:23
And I'm vanilla, baby.
01:02:24
I am vanilla.
01:02:26
You are the flavor of ice cream.
01:02:27
Oh, I am vanilla.
01:02:28
Go get yourself some vanilla, Dave, you've earned it.
01:02:31
What's even your thought process when you're talking to your opponent, you're putting it together a match?
01:02:39
What's even the thought process of like, to get to this, we have to do this, this and this first.
01:02:45
I mean, obviously, like, that's exactly what you kind of said.
01:02:48
Like, if someone suggests an idea or might suggest an idea, we work about like, how, what is the mechanics?
01:02:54
We finally, we get to that point.
01:02:56
But like, there was something that Chris Hiro said once upon a time.
01:02:59
And I wasn't at the seminar.
01:03:00
It was just passing along.
01:03:01
And I love what he said.
01:03:02
He said, if you're working to get me over, and I'm working to get you over, we're both going to get over.
01:03:08
And I try and carry that philosophy.
01:03:10
I know deep down, there are some days where like, you can't get everyone over in an eight minute match.
01:03:16
You can't.
01:03:16
It is, it's designed to get like one person to start gaining momentum towards whatever they're going to do.
01:03:23
But like, my philosophy is, well, like, there's something that you want to do.
01:03:26
Like, something that it's going to break the internet or get some clips or whatever.
01:03:30
Let's try and work together and like, get it out there because I feel like that's the best thing that we can do as I could company.
01:03:36
It's like, if I'm looking after you, looking after me, then we're all looking after AW.
01:03:40
What's the thought process behind workshopping a new move?
01:03:43
Because some of the stuff you do is insane.
01:03:45
Do you see the one I've done on Phoenix?
01:03:46
Well, like, I completely just, I just invented a new move.
01:03:50
Like, we're meant to do the Spanish fly.
01:03:52
And I guess he just forgot.
01:03:54
But I'm in this position where I've got his idea and I've stood up and had a conversation in my hands.
01:04:00
I went, I don't do it there.
01:04:02
I crash that shit.
01:04:03
So I went, I just spun him around and I was like, I've never done it since.
01:04:09
Just invented a new move.
01:04:10
But like, yeah, maybe we should start doing that again.
01:04:12
I tried.
01:04:13
Maybe we're trying to do it against Brian tonight, see if it happens.
01:04:16
So how do you workshop these?
01:04:17
How do you realize like, all right, I've got an idea in my head.
01:04:20
It could look like this if we pull it off.
01:04:23
Do it like that.
01:04:23
But then do you say, I'd practice it a little bit.
01:04:27
See if it works, if it doesn't work, and if it does work, then we'll go do it because some of this stuff is just some of the stuff that I've turned down is like, they're like the fucking wild shit.
01:04:38
Like what?
01:04:40
Someone wanted to do a Spanish fly off a barrier onto an announce table, which doesn't seem bad.
01:04:50
That's crazy.
01:04:51
But it doesn't seem bad.
01:04:52
But like it was just kind of like how my body was feeling at time.
01:04:55
And I was just like, this isn't the time.
01:04:56
And this isn't the place.
01:04:58
Like, I am very picky with how I do my shit now.
01:05:00
But like, you know when like fucking, you know when I'm fucking switched on because we're doing some of the most ridiculous shit.
01:05:07
Like going towards like, we got this revolution match coming up, right?
01:05:11
Still cage.
01:05:12
Never been one.
01:05:12
Like, I've been one once.
01:05:14
But I was in England and it was 2018.
01:05:16
And it was one of those like real backyard still cages.
01:05:19
This is like a real American steel cage match.
01:05:22
That's when American acts are fucking do it as well.
01:05:25
But like, so for me, that's going to be like a real ultimate challenge for me because now this is where like, I can't do a dive to the outside.
01:05:36
I can jump off the fucking thing now.
01:05:39
And you probably will.
01:05:41
I mean, it is me and it is Kyle.
01:05:43
We're both, we're both fucking both insane.
01:05:45
You did that moonsault recently where you did it off the highest thing you've ever done it off.
01:05:50
That scared me.
01:05:51
Okay.
01:05:51
Is it scary when you're climbing up?
01:05:54
Is it scary when you're standing there?
01:05:57
It's scary because we jumped up and Kyle has this fucking oil or his body.
01:06:01
So as I got up into the thing, my hands slipped.
01:06:04
So I was like that.
01:06:05
And the kid went, I was like, yeah, I'm fucking picking myself up.
01:06:10
And I looked at Kennedy to give him the thumbs up to basically be like, all right, it's your turn to go.
01:06:14
I ain't had my foot in yet.
01:06:15
So I looked and I went, oh, fuck, I need to get my foot in.
01:06:18
As I put my foot up there, there was a girl right there.
01:06:20
And I was just, and I started using her as like a fucking balance.
01:06:23
Like a fan.
01:06:23
Yeah, a fan.
01:06:24
Like, and she's like, looking at me in the eyes.
01:06:26
I'm looking at her and you have some thinking, are we gonna kiss?
01:06:29
And I'm looking at her and I went, see you.
01:06:31
And I looked at her and I've never seen her ever again.
01:06:34
There was a moment there where we could have kissed.
01:06:36
We could have, it could have been like a real sense of romance.
01:06:39
Like, how I met your dad's.
01:06:40
Like, you could have been that.
01:06:42
And then I just accidentally, accidentally from my life.
01:06:44
And honestly, I know it was the highest for me I've ever jumped off of for the sole reason as I left, as I jumped.
01:06:50
I felt the, you know, I'm being on the rides like how a terror where you're fucking assing something in your mouth.
01:06:58
Like that, I was like, I genuinely like, that's that scared me.
01:07:03
It was so smooth.
01:07:04
But oh my god Kyle called me.
01:07:06
Fuck me.
01:07:07
That was a good catch.
01:07:09
Like god damn.
01:07:10
Like the moods up was great.
01:07:12
The catch.
01:07:12
Perfect.
01:07:13
But you could have over rotated.
01:07:15
You could have under-rotated.
01:07:17
The roll bank call could have fucking landed.
01:07:19
I would jump that way.
01:07:20
Fucking yeah.
01:07:21
I'm alive.
01:07:22
And also, that's the story of every will last pretty much.
01:07:24
Atlanta my feet.
01:07:25
I'm a fucking cat, bro.
01:07:26
I am a cat.
01:07:27
It's first brother for drops.
01:07:29
Have you used up your eight of your nine lives?
01:07:32
No, I think I've used up about one.
01:07:34
That's it.
01:07:35
Yeah.
01:07:36
I haven't, I haven't felt like totally not fucked up to the point where like I thought I was going to die.
01:07:42
Like the one with the Spanish fly had fucked me up.
01:07:44
But like other than that, I've been not real good like in terms of like I'm I'm all good.
01:07:50
You're millimeters away from like serious injuries sometimes.
01:07:55
But I make it, but you make it.
01:07:57
Yes, but you're trusting me and I would live.
01:07:59
And that's the amazing thing about what you do.
01:08:03
Your your timing is so precise.
01:08:06
Yeah.
01:08:07
I got good body control.
01:08:08
This mom gave me a trampoline in my back garden.
01:08:11
So I've always always quite good at that.
01:08:13
You also have a wrestling ring in your back.
01:08:14
Yeah, yeah, 14-year-old.
01:08:16
Yeah, 14-year-old.
01:08:17
I had a wrestling ring in my garden, mate.
01:08:19
We were called the neighbors from hell because we were like, mate, we were doing some duff shit.
01:08:24
We were doing some fucking right, like bad stuff, bad stuff.
01:08:27
I'd like to fucking, I could get in my garden, put a barbed wire board there.
01:08:32
I was just like, all right, who's jumping from it?
01:08:33
And then like one of my mates, Troy was like, fucking stood on the top rope before a chair.
01:08:37
He said, he fucking took a bun from the top rope to the fucking floor.
01:08:41
So you were going to be a pro wrestler, no matter what?
01:08:45
Yeah, I lived it, man.
01:08:47
I couldn't, I was hyperfixiated on it and I just couldn't let it go.
01:08:52
I hated the normal life.
01:08:54
I worked as a mastic man, which is like the rubber seals round your bathrooms and windows.
01:08:58
And I just, I wanted to do something performance based.
01:09:01
And I loved wrestling.
01:09:03
I loved dancing as well, like I love performing, like I'd done something on the West End once, but like just once.
01:09:09
Really?
01:09:10
Yeah, my mum ran a huge show, like 2,000 people showed up and I was on the West End stage, just fucking sick.
01:09:16
But like I, I love performing, I really loved it.
01:09:21
And I just, I could do stuff with wrestling.
01:09:25
I could take reverse runners and Canadian straws when at the time that wasn't like, that wasn't the thing to do.
01:09:31
I mean, like my area was like TNA exhibition, like 2004, 2009 style, like that was.
01:09:37
And even then, like, I can't even show back then was like crazy.
01:09:41
And like people from England on our scene, 2004, 2009, they couldn't do that shit, but our backyard mates could.
01:09:47
And we were like doing it off of like, we're doing on concrete.
01:09:50
We were doing it off of like gym horses.
01:09:53
We were like, we were nuts, man.
01:09:54
We were fucking like mentally ill, like properly, like, so then when obviously like all of us, like, there was a certain few of us, like Mark Andrews, Pete Dunn, myself, Flashmore,
01:10:05
Webstar, Pack, Pack was one of them as well, like, but we miss Pack.
01:10:09
It was a generation before us.
01:10:12
But like, we liked that style of wrestling, the PWG, the TNA exhibition style.
01:10:18
And that's what we wanted to promote in England.
01:10:20
And I think because we were doing that style in England, that's kind of how it all like popped off.
01:10:25
And we had this, we had this crazy British wrestling boom.
01:10:28
So like, and it's been like great ever since I mean, obviously like, it slowed down after the pandemic, but like, it's coming back now, like I've, I just want to say it allows well, but I've been doing some work with Pro Wrestling Eve,
01:10:40
which is an all women's company.
01:10:42
Like, it started off like, my miss is, I kind of started helping her go striker matches.
01:10:47
And I wanted her to understand this is why I put these matches together in this order.
01:10:51
Do you want to do it for, I've done it for a dog collar match with her, I've done it with one of her best mates who was leaving wrestling.
01:10:57
They wanted to have like a real fucking sick match.
01:10:59
So I put it all together.
01:11:00
And from there, it was just like, I have a great relationship with Dan Reads.
01:11:03
And he was just like, do you want to just take over the show, like, run it and produce it.
01:11:07
And I've been producing these crazy all women shows.
01:11:11
And they're, they're fire, man.
01:11:14
We had the last one we just done was Jamie Hater versus my Mrs.
01:11:18
L, Alex Windsor.
01:11:20
And they just put on like this 30 minute classic man that and like, room full of like 500 people were just standing up, going insane.
01:11:29
And I've really got like, I love working with all the girls, all the girls are like, super up for anything.
01:11:34
So I'm like, I'm like, putting like effort into it.
01:11:37
And like, my ambition is to hopefully, I like, in November, I want to like sponsor an event and like, really go for like a 1500 or 2000 C, and that will be like the highest all women's show in Europe.
01:11:52
That's my, I've got like a little side hustle mission.
01:11:55
And I love working with Eve.
01:11:56
So I'm like, if, if anyone wants to give it a shot, please give it pro wrestling, even on all the socials, WWE, WWE, WWE or Eve wrestling.com.
01:12:08
So yeah, I just, it's a real bit passionate.
01:12:12
I love female wrestling.
01:12:13
I love the girls.
01:12:13
I would hope, honestly, if some of the AW girls and the ring of honor girls aren't doing anything, if they generally wanted to come over to England, like, I would happily help them come over and if they can help out our products,
01:12:24
like, I really love it.
01:12:25
I love the passion that you speak about this worth.
01:12:28
Yeah, I just, my, I love wrestling so much.
01:12:30
And like, I, my enthusiasm and just, it hasn't stopped even coming over here and on a weekly basis.
01:12:37
This could grind on anyone ever on a weekly basis.
01:12:40
I love it, man.
01:12:41
Your commute's pretty long.
01:12:43
Yeah, your commute door to door is what 12 hours.
01:12:46
Most of the time you leave your house clear customs, sit in the airport, board the plane, all that, get to the hotel.
01:12:52
Yeah, like pretty much yeah, minimum 12 hours commute.
01:12:55
I honestly, it hasn't wiped the smile off my face.
01:12:59
I like, I'm, I'm just as passionate as when I first took my first bump and I got my first paycheck, which is 30 quid.
01:13:07
And I like to now, which is astronomical money.
01:13:11
And I love, I love this passion you have.
01:13:14
Do you think about how much longer you want to do this for before you become a postman?
01:13:19
Honestly, now, like, I don't like thinking of it.
01:13:22
I think I will just one day, I will just disappear.
01:13:25
I will just go, ah, this is me.
01:13:27
I won't have anything really.
01:13:28
You won't have a final match.
01:13:30
Oh, no, of course I will.
01:13:31
But then that was the day I will grab the microphone on live TV and say the C word and then drop the mic, ruin this.
01:13:37
And then I'll just go be a postman somewhere right away to go.
01:13:41
Like that big thing retirement where everyone's like coming out and like, cup in their hands, tears in their eyes.
01:13:47
And I just grabbed the microphone and go, that's the way I want to go out.
01:13:54
So good to be able to catch up with you.
01:13:56
No, mate, it's been too long.
01:13:57
Thank you.
01:13:58
I got, I got to have you on more often.
01:13:59
Play honestly.
01:14:00
I'm a ball of energy.
01:14:01
I love it.
01:14:02
We should get like a group of us would do like a big group and we'll talk about it.
01:14:05
I'd love that.
01:14:06
Let's do it.
01:14:06
Easy boss, man.
01:14:07
Thank you.
01:14:08
No, thank you.
01:14:09
I'm going to ask you the question that I end every interview with.
01:14:11
Go for it because gratitude is so important to me.
01:14:14
What are three things you're grateful for right now?
01:14:16
Well, the first thing is obviously family and that does include my misses and my little boy, of course, like with obviously with I'm getting there, like I'm getting there with an L and just I know that's the direction I want to go in and that's the thing that makes me happy.
01:14:32
It gets me out of bed every single morning.
01:14:34
So like my mom, my dad, my miss is granddad's, my nan, that's passed away.
01:14:39
My granddad's actually going in for surgery this morning.
01:14:41
So like if everyone have a little fucking prayer for him, like that, so that would be great for us.
01:14:45
The second thing is that's AEW.
01:14:48
Like I am, it has, I put Tony in that because he's changed my life, dude.
01:14:53
He's completely changed my life.
01:14:55
Like my whole life has changed and I'm like, I'm like putting things in place to like look after myself after wrestling, which is like mad.
01:15:04
Like I'm able to look after my parents now, which for 31 years they've looked after me.
01:15:10
Like they helped me get my first house and I was able to pay off of the money that I made with New Japan and I've paid them back every single cent and I've gotten their own houses now so they don't need to be around each other.
01:15:19
The fucking eight you want another.
01:15:21
And the third thing is that I am grateful for every little bit of support that has ever come my way for wrestling because once again we talked about the fans trust me and for a while I thought maybe wrestling didn't want me a part of it because of the way that I was.
01:15:39
I was a very immature young man.
01:15:42
I always got myself in a lot of trouble, especially on social media.
01:15:45
I have adapted and I have educated myself about everything kind of like because I want to be the guy.
01:15:51
I want to be someone that a lot of people can just go like he learned his lesson and he done everything he can to carry every bit of burden and he could like I want to be the guy and this audience that I wrestle for trusts me.
01:16:06
And I think that is the thing that I want.
01:16:08
I'm super grateful for that because being who I am, being ADHD, being one of those kids that were never going to fucking amount to anything.
01:16:17
I did it and there's nothing more I want to do than bring the AEW World Championship back to England one day and just go like I was one of you guys just a wrestling fan that stayed up at 1 a.m.
01:16:30
to watch wrestling.
01:16:31
I had a passion about it like no one else.
01:16:33
There's probably a 14 year old kid in the venue that I'll one day say that and I generally hope one of these days it'll be 10 years down the line and he'll be still in the opposite corner to me and let's put on one of the best matches we can.
01:16:46
Great to see you.
01:16:47
Thanks man.
01:16:49
Thanks man.
01:16:49
Thank you so much.
01:16:49
Always a great chat with Will Ospreay.
01:16:59
We had been talking about doing this one for a while so I'm glad we were able to make it happen right before AEW Revolution which is live from the Crypto.com arena in Los Angeles.
01:17:09
This Sunday Will Ospreay is taking on Kyle Fletcher in a steel cage match which when you put those two guys together and it's a steel cage this is going to be wild.
01:17:20
Main event.
01:17:21
That revolution is John Moxley defending the AEW World Championship against Cope.
01:17:27
It's going to be a great show.
01:17:28
Snap a screenshot of this one.
01:17:30
Let us know you were listening and tag us on social media.
01:17:34
He's at Will Ospreay.
01:17:35
I'm at Chris Fanfleet and I love this quote from Oscar Wilde.
01:17:40
To live is the rarest thing in the world.
01:17:44
Most people exist.
01:17:46
That's all.
01:17:47
So good.
01:17:47
Be great.
01:17:48
Be grateful.
01:17:50
Have an amazing day.
01:17:51
We will see you back here tomorrow for Ask CVV number 73.
01:17:56
There is a lot to unpack from elimination chamber and this crazy week that has been in WWE.
01:18:04
So if you're listening on Spotify, leave a comment on there with your question.
01:18:09
Send it in on social media using the hashtag #AskCVV or shoot me an email.
01:18:13
CVV at ChrisFamfleet.com.
01:18:15
And we'll see you right back here tomorrow for Ask CVV number 73.
01:18:20
