Insight with Chris Van Vliet - Omos: The Man Behind WWE's Nigerian Giant, His Goal To Be WWE Champion, Brock Lesnar Match

Episode Date: May 4, 2023

Omos (@thegiantomos) is a WWE Superstar and former college basketball player. He is also the tallest wrestler on WWE's active roster at 7'3". He joins Chris Van Vliet to talk about how he got discovered by WWE, the original WWE tryout that he was supposed to have in 2014 and why it didn't come to fruition, his match with Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 39, making Brock Lesnar look small in the ring, what he learned from working so closely with AJ Styles, the difficulties of flying on a plane at his height, his match against Seth Rollins at Backlash, his goal to become WWE Champion and much more! For more information about CVV and INSIGHT go to: https://podcast.chrisvanvliet.com If you enjoyed this episode, could I ask you to please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcast/iTunes? 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

All systems are gathered. Ladies and gentlemen, Chris Van Bleas! Oh, it is so good to see you, my friends. Welcome back to another installment of the podcast known as Insight with Chris Van Fleet. Hey, that's me. I'm Chris Van Fleet. And a few weeks ago, when I said that we had a big interview coming up, I meant a big giant interview.

And it was so good here to be able to get to know the man behind the Nigerian giant, omas. He's such a laid-back guy. And one thing that you're really going to get from this conversation is that he wants to work hard to be the best that he can possibly be in the WWE. And when you think of some of the other big men in WWE history, I mean, we're talking about the Undertaker, Andre, Kane, Big Show, Kevin Nash. And it certainly seems like WWE is giving Amos all of the tools to eventually be part of that conversation. And I asked him, what are your goals for the next five or 10 years from now? And he didn't hesitate to say that he wants to be the WWE champion. Great conversation with him. I hope that you enjoy it. Take a screenshot. Let us know what you think of this episode and tag us. He's at

the Giant Omas. I'm at Chris Van Fleet. And if you're one of the like 60% of people who according to the analytics listen to the show but don't actually follow the show, please just take a second right out, a click follow wherever you're listening, because Insight has been continuing to get bigger every single week. And I'm sure, you know, it's because of guests, big guests, like Amos, and Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Undertaker, and L.A. Knight, yeah. But it's mostly because of awesome people like you. And I appreciate you so much, whether you're following or not.

I still appreciate you. But it'd be awesome if you did follow. Here we go. Please enjoy this conversation with the Nigerian giant, Omas. Omas, so good to see you. Life must be pretty good for Omas. You're coming off of this match with Brock Leznor, WrestleMania. Now you got Seth Rawlins coming up at backlash.

Man, life is wonderful, man. I remember, you know, I spoke to my business partner. You ever had a couple of ideas but wanted to do. And it seemed like the universe heard, but we're planning for. And it's giving us those gifts in, high in-stick matches and now we're actually grateful. This is what I think is so interesting about you. And I'm a big believer that things in life happen for a reason at the time that they're

supposed to happen. You were supposed to have a WWE tryout in 2014 and because of various different circumstances that didn't happen. Do you think about what life would look like had that happen at that time? I do, but I don't think I was mentally ready for it. I always think back to, you know, back then and, you know, what I, when I didn't come for the trial, what everything I had to go do in that for your time span. And I think I'm dead to go through that growth and truly try and give my best to basketball.

And for example, I mean, for example, if I just come to a full stop before I jump into wrestling, because I don't think if I just came at that point in time, I think I'll have to have some, Oh, what if I do this in basketball? What if I did this? But I truly exhausted all my options. I was at a point where it does really nothing else for me to do. And I did it pivot in my life, you know, and so happened to me that, you know, wrestler was presented to me.

And I fell in love with it on the first tryout I ever had, I ever got into the ring. And it was, you know, love at first sight, but truly love at first sight. What was your first introduction to the WWE and the pro wrestling? Like, is it something that's popular? in Nigeria? To be honest, I didn't think it was until when I went back home last year, and I truly doesn't understand the magnitude of fans to have, not just Nigeria, but there's all over Africa's all, and how people, keep individuals watching, you know, running back home last year for the first time of 14 years and just having regular their

workers, seeing the other shifts and say, oh, my, so much, and I'm kind of shocked because I wasn't expected that type of reception. But, like, everyone doubts to me didn't you know the current vice, that in Nigeria and like his kids are watching the paper view do you know this is right before um after we did uh we saw the last year brought and i and you know go back going back home and the the president's like so you what you're doing here i'm like came in this to my family and you know's pro w wbb we just saw you this you know a couple days ago in saturday i'm just like wow like this like i did not know this but it is extremely popular back home extremely popular they don't have a um it's called john

Jambo on the cable network there and it's like a 24-7 programming for WW. You can watch WW 24-7 every day. Man, I think that people think Omas is your real name. What's the story behind the name Omas? So, fun fact is, Omas is one of my last name, right? So my last name is among the Heng, which is a very difficult to understand. And when I was a kid, I don't know what called him, you know, I got in my dad's head

and he wanted to attend to Omanx. So for a while for like 10 12 years of my life in Nigeria, my last and most, Omas. And then about three years

before I when I said I played basketball and front of Canada said, you know what? I want to change a battle in a day. And you know,

as it goes, you know, before we mind the Boutes and we all changed our last since back home again. So Amos is my last time

but doesn't go bite in the one. I don't think that people realize how big you are until they see you, like, live at a WWE event. Yes. I'm curious. At what age did you become six feet tall?

I was 11 years old. That is not fair, by the way. I'm sorry, man, you know, I don't make the rules. I don't follow them. So whatever you was given to be, I just sticking around with it. So I'll say about 11. Wow. Okay.

And then, like, at what point are you seven feet tall? So I'm 11 years old, I was about 6 feet. And then I think by the time I was 13, I was someone in like two years span, I meant through a seven inches, the seven inch coursework. So by the time I was 13, I was six, seven. That's what I said, I playing basketball. And by the time I was 15, I was like six, eleven, seven foot. Wow.

Now, is the same thing that you had? Is that the same thing that Andre had, the growth on your- So, yes, similar but different. Mine is different because those. those guys have they just had a I will medley right which is the which is the tumor which is the consumer and the pituitary gling I have that but also have to agendasism right which is and also something else called partial patient disease and from on they said it was all the first case that ever seen that had those three diseases together because they don't

they're pretty much all diseases that that make you large and I kind of have all the you know like a like a rich spot you know they have I had all the fixes and it was an all way they found that I had all like I've been studied by there's a medical journal about my condition to help all the divisions of kids that have for similar cases like I do. You know, I've only had the opportunity, you know, for, you know, residents to talk to me and ask me all my experience, you know, what it's like to have all the disease because it's ready to find someone who has offered that type of.

So, yes. But this isn't just like something that makes you tall. Like this is something that if not treated. I mean, you know. Oh, it's been very fair, yes, absolutely, absolutely. So for me, it's just like if you're saying where I have to monitor my, it's called IGF1, which is your growth hormones. Yeah.

So after mass, it's for mine pretty much every through the four months. And I'm pretty much in the medication every day to help stop my body from using the home. If not, if I do that, I keep on growing, which I don't want to be anymore. I'm okay, I'm satisfied at what I have. You know, so. Do you have to duck to walk into, like, every room now? Pretty much. Every room, maybe, and it's become,

even when the doors are about, like, 10 foot tall, it's just still a natural reaction to me. Redis have to have to do it just in case, you know? I don't want to like, you know what? I'm fine, and I go in the deep hand, and this has happened a couple of times, but I always try to make sure I duck is just to become a natural instinct now.

Okay, how about sitting on an airplane? What does that look like? There's a video that MVP posted last year of what it was like in Al NLincki going to the bathroom, visit the bathroom, and coming back, and it's like a big of the better terms, you know, because those plays are designed for a human being like me. So there's how to, you know, make best. I always had, you know, my life has been a thin, but I have to figure out, okay, how do I maneuver into small and tight-grade spaces that I didn't necessarily designed for me.

Man. Who were some of the big men that you looked up to when you were a fan growing up? Oh man. I can't go without an Undertaker. The Undertaker man, both on, you know, watching the ring as an individual, I should have such great admiration for him, Kevin Nash, Raised Ramon, the Resum of the Post-P I actually miss him a lot because you know he you know I've never had no submit in this business I've had the privilege of having such good mentors who would call me and give me advice

who also like Henry um big show you know those this is you guys you know that I've you know watched a lot of cane and just try to take a little bit out of how they work and implement it so how I work you know a lot of people don't know this but a lot of people see me do the snitch eyes be do. It's not going to take his famous moves. You know, everybody does, I just say, you know what? I think, you know, I've earned the right back and do that for this permission. I was able to, so, you know, a way to honor people who I truly look up to.

Look, I think that people think Brock Lesnar is a big dude. And then when you see you guys in the ring together at WrestleMania 39, you make it look so small. But what I think is a true testament to Brock's strength is he picks you up for that F5, like you weigh nothing. That is, I was telling somebody other that I think the two strongest individuals of a band that were in with Baxter and Bobbila actually.

I have no idea how those guys are amazed they are and such. And this is something that sounds very common for me because I'm also a physical specimen, but there's such physical specimens and phenomenal athletes. The United States Soccer Federation present the U.S. soccer podcast.

My name is David Goss, and I'm joined by my co-host, Megan Clenembert. And now we're giving people an inside look at the World Cup. Time's ticking. I think you can feel the intensity. All the guys are wanting to really take their claim, and they want to be on that World Cup roster. There's no doubt about it.

Hosting the World Cup on the home soil comes with its pressures, but we're just really excited just as the people are. The U.S. Soccer podcast, presented by Hencoe. Follow and listen on your favorite platform. Well, you talk about phenomenal. I mean, I think I'd be remiss to not bring up AJ Styles. I'm really curious what's something that you do in the ring now that is something that you learned from working with AJ. Being vicious.

That's the thing that's what's simple as to everybody else. AJ knows when he's going to be vicious. And he just sitting in his eyes when he truly wants to kill somebody. And that's what I learned from him is, you know, when he was also under him, it was mentoring me, which is too dusty today because he's one of my closest friends. They look like you want to kill somebody. That is the art. It's not about what you do. It's what's been here and what you come in your eyes.

And that was something I learned from him. And I still did today looking like, okay, I'm going to kill this guy. Like, I want to murder him. I feel like you're just getting started in WW. Like, you really are. And you've already accomplished so much. So if we look ahead now, five years, 10 years plus, what are some of the long-term goals you have for yourself in WWA?

I mean, of course, my WW champion you know, that's, I think at the top of the list. You know, I had a, when I first started, I had a, uh, goals on one of the comps, and I think I met some of those goals. People on one of the wrestle before they said you by.

And then I wanted to do, like, you know, being a wrestling, and I've had the privilege to be a wrestling media three times, you know, one with it as a WWE champion with AJ Styles. Yeah. Going solo wrestling, public last year in Dallas.

And then starting to show, with one of the only broccoli. So I think there's all the plans left and a lot of things that are that's actually cheap. But I think the top of the list is becoming, you know, holding that blow up in my head. Yeah.

Yeah, look at me now. I'm the biggest, baddest son of me going. You ever say, now we're here, you know? So that's the top of the list, you know. Yeah. Give me some travel tips here. If I'm going to visit Nigeria for the very first time, what do I need to do?

First thing for, especially vaccinated. Okay. That's the first thing you do first. I would say, figure out a good amount of money you want to spend. So I never suggest if I get credit costs for anything. I would say bring cash.

Cash is can't get injured. Like U.S. cash? Yeah, U.S. cash. You can change it back home. You can change it once you get there. Okay. Okay. Let's make sure you bring cash.

You don't need credit cards, debit cards, you're straight cash. You have a budget of how much you're going to spend. do that and find a, I'll say still the island, which is like,

you say, Lakey, Lagos Island, but just make sure get a remorse on one of the islands. The third is, if you can afford it,

that is. And let's get more security that can help you navigate through Lagos because they always call, I'm not a, although I'm from Lagos, I'm not the kind of Vegas. It's like New York

steroids, and I can't stand that because it's just so many people in this world crowd, there's a lot of traffic. So you just need to find someone who can help and move with the space and that's pretty much it. That's what you're going to need. And make sure I don't mean, everyone does, but make sure you try with the, uh, a, uh, thing is this thing you're putting to the outlet so so you can charge your phones and all.

Oh, yeah, the power converter. The power converter. Yeah, yeah. It was making one of those. So it makes you a gamer, make sure to be your games, just give us something at the hotel. what else very important the battery

they charge a portable battery battery battery and that's what I mean aside from you who's the most famous Nigerian that we might know it's a lot man it's a lot yeah there are a lot yeah it's a lot man

go to UFC Israel Adesonia um Kamar Usmir though to Hollywood um John Boyega dance and injures from snowfall

it's a lot of them's years doing a lot of great things man so it's alive and everywhere everywhere it's fine and I see basketball same thing you know it's it's truly an amazing time to see you know a country crew on the wall mapping all this great you know what would you say is the best piece of advice that you've received you know right before you were going to get onto the stage that you got on and WWB, what's the best piece of advice that you got that you now carry with you? Enjoy it.

I think sometimes those moments are so huge that we forgets being the present, that truly enjoy that and soak it in. And I always try to make sure whenever I go out there, I take my time and I truly absorb it and I truly, you know, enjoy them being the moment of the present. Because, you know, maybe I's performed as a performer, you get nervous, you get tense, you know, it's like going ahead, but sometimes that's it away from just enjoying and on a sudden, like, on a sudden, I'm about to go in front of 5,000, 10,000 people, but go to either scream or booming, and they're going to have an amazing time, and they're going to look crazy.

Like, that is an accomplishment, you know, itself. So it just always be president truly, and just enjoy the moment. Yeah. Look, so many of the things that you did, you were going to do. getting over when there weren't any fans in the arena. So what was it like when you did get in front of fans for the first time and they knew who you were and they knew what you were all about? A lot of nerds.

I think the first time we had a huge crib being in front of France. I think it was at SummerSlam in 2019, 2019, I believe, in Vegas and that was, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Mania. It was mainly in Tampa. And it was, it was such a. good experience because before I wanted to

play basketball and wanted to go pros obviously that didn't happen I had goals I wanted to accomplish I went to college in Tampa

in Minnesota I had goals I wanted to accomplish there which I mean yes due to health reason and all the things

right and after I graduated in 2014 and then to go back there a couple years later and to do

what we did at the largest stadium in Tampa Yeah. But everybody in Tampa knew who I was. And they saw it to do that there was, it was like, the full circle morning for me to go back here.

I knew that an extreme, and also an extremely emotional one because a lot of what I went through happened in Tampa, the stuff of my surgeries I did on my brains, the ACLs, everything that kind of all the large hurdles I kind of faced happen in Tampa. But to go back there and do what I did a rest of my name. it out forever was going to top of the list of you know of you know being there and then through the experience in the crowd and seeing them go crazy and i think it was only 205

i think it was about 25 capacity this is over it was still like the ex-mist on the list because i still feel the energy i remember you know we had the introduction of the first day they they brought us out there to introduce us to the fans because especially every back since the pandemic and i just remember going out there that i could just feel the energy from audience and I got emotional that I came back there and I saw Kevin and actually he just gave me a big hug and I was just told him just grave relax because it was he was I was talking with this there's no energy like the energy that them did you fans bring to you know that there's nothing like I don't care when they take baseball

basketball or UFC there's nothing like it like once you get it they experience and you feel the energy of how actually this fans are like it's truly different and I remember and I thought that for the first time in beginning million good books right now and came in the goosebumps and go back i saw kemerey nice in the hallway and like i'll it comes to the point where i was emotional that's how much energy i felt from the audience and i was going because it was like it's okay because just read and like i will never forget i'm always this is such an amazing business but i we can go all day long about you know the business and all but like i i truly love this business

Look, your journey is so inspiring and it's so cool seeing what you've been doing in the WWE and I can't wait to see what's next for you. I end every conversation talking about gratitude because it's such an important part of my life. I always wake up. I say out loud three things that I'm grateful for and I do it before I go to sleep. What are three things in your life that you're grateful for right now? I'm grateful to be able to do what I'm doing. you know, which is

it's technical across the world and completely being a creative space where I actually be whatever, whatever, whatever, whatever, and whether I want to do. And thirdly, for my loved ones, my fiance in particular, my family, because those at the core

and things have gone sour to be there for me. So I'm sure you're going to go for those three things. Well, Lamas, such a pleasure to be able to spend some time with you and looking forward to seeing you and Seth Rolins backlash. Yes. Sir, yes, sir. Thank you so much for the truth of the audience of speech you as well.

The honor's mine. Thank you, sir. Thank you. That is a gentle, kind man. But man, oh man, I wish that I was six feet tall when I was 11 years old. I think I was like four feet, maybe a little bit over four feet tall. But still, what a great guy. And I can't wait to see what the future holds for him. And I mean three WrestleMania matches in a row. He's worked with Bobby Lashley. He's worked with. Brock Lesnar. WWE certainly seems to be setting him up for some big, big things.

So it'll be interesting to see what happens in the rest of 2023 with Omas. Take a screenshot. Let us know what you thought of this episode and tag us. He's at the giant Omas. I'm at Chris Van Fleet. And I'll leave you with this quote from Andy Rooney. Everyone wants to live on the top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're close.

climbing it. Now, that's that whole thing about it's not the destination. It's the journey. Be great. Be grateful, my friends. We'll see you back here tomorrow for a bonus Friday episode of Insight. The Hammer Alley podcast, an 80s flashback mockumentary. Back in the 80s, there were a thousand bands trying to make it in the world of rock, but there was one band that had it all. Hammer Alley. Whatever happened to Hammer Alley? How did they go from top of the rock? I'm looking for a music video.

They're a band from 1987. Hammer Alley. Ever heard of them? To Rock Bottom. Dude, I was born in 1987. I can't believe he's doing this. Hammer Alley. Follow and listen on your favorite platform.