Insight with Chris Van Vliet - Will Ospreay On Signing With AEW, 5-Star Matches, Triple H's Comments, MJF, Bryan Danielson

Episode Date: March 6, 2025

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 WildePlease 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chris How are you, my friends? Welcome back to another one here on Inside. I'm CBV. Chris Van Fleet, thank you for choosing to hit play on this episode. And thank you for making Insight the number one wrestling podcast on the planet.

Hit a shooting star press on that follow button wherever you're listening to this right now. And if it happens to be Spotify, could I ask you to leave a rating for the show? It would help so, so much. And also leave a little. a comment on Spotify to let everybody know what you thought of this episode. A lot has changed since the last time Will Osprey was on the show in May of 2023. He was still with New Japan at the time, but he said

he was open to other offers when his contract was up. 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 AEW instead of signing with WWE. We chat about some of the amazing matches. He's had a.W over the last year. Matches with Brian Danielson, MJF, swerve Strickland, just to name a few, all of which got a five-star rating. And as of right now,

Osprey has 48 five-star matches from Dave Meltzer. To put things in perspective, he had 27, the last time that he was on the show, 22 months ago. That's a lot. We also talk about what's next for Will. And he says he wants to be,

the guy in AEW. He wants to be the world champion. 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. Maybe it's it all in. It'll be very interesting to see. Snap a screenshot and let us know you're listening to this. Tag us so we can share it out. He's at Will Osprey on social media. I'm at Chris Van Fleet. It's just our names. And let's do this. Ladies and gentlemen, Will Osprey. Do you just live in like a constant state of jet lag now? Yeah. So think about where's the furthest you travel to?

Australia. Okay. Our tired, were you? Oh, very. It's like 12-hour flight, right? Every day. So how do you do this? I just, I've worked out kind of like a little pattern with it.

I just, I sleep on the airplanes. I like time when I land and just try the best to sleep as much as possible. But sometimes it doesn't work. Like last night I was too shattered. Like I wanted to meet up with the boys, but I couldn't. I was physically shot. But I feel all right. now, but, like, I think about 3 p.m.

It'll probably hit me. But then you got a show tonight. Yeah, I'll wake up. I hear the da-da-dun-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da. Go on. Here we go! You posted this thing where you've spent a week in the air. Yeah.

So, like, just January and February. Yeah. You spent 136 hours on a plane. Yeah, on a plane in the sky. That's, no, that's wild. That is a little bit, yeah. Even though Mrs. was saying, like, that's a bit obsessive. And I was just, I just want to move.

And that's not including the driving to the airport. That's not including the sitting around of the airport. That's not including any sort of flight delays. No. It's literally just take off to landing. Yeah, yeah. Everyone keeps saying, get the app. I don't want any more apps on my phone.

I've had enough of apps. I can't do it anymore. But, like, that's a lot of flying. Yeah, but like, I take all the precautions to make sure, like, all my body's all good. Like, I've got, you know, like the vibrating back belt. I've got that to heat up my back. I like, I bring my gut, like, honestly, some of the times, because obviously I'm sitting there

and I'll like get the massage gun out and everyone and I'm just sitting there going all right babe you're good if I can try to massage myself like I take um aspirin just to fit my blood so I've got my compression socks

so everything's good because I get I get worried about like like a deep vein thrombosis and like so I look after my body as best as I can it is just I need someone to look after my body when I'm off the flight that's the main thing so this is a routine for you now

now it is yeah I've got into like a real sick routine. And when there's like paper views, for example, we got one next week with Revolution. Like I will just, I will land on the Tuesday. I'll wrestle Wednesday.

I'll stay Thursday, Friday, Saturday. Think collision Saturday. Then Sunday I'll wrestle. I'll stay Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and then I'll go on Thursday, land Friday.

Like, I want to pull this up because I took a screenshot of it. I was like, because I fly a lot. I don't fly anywhere close to that much. It was like Orlando to home, eight hours, home to Nashville,

825, Nashville to home, 725, home to Chicago. I'll go 740. That's only two weeks into the year, by the way. 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. Yeah. So like if we times that by the whole year, that'll be eight weeks. Yeah. So you'll spend two months in the air. Yeah. And then tack on all the other travel. Maybe it's three months. Yeah, quite possibly. Maybe.

Wow. Dedication, mate. Dedication to the game. Have you thought about getting a place in the US just to spend some more time? Thought about it because me and the miss is done Disney World with the kid a little while ago. And it was real fun. We done two weeks out in Orlando, which was, it was all right. I don't think I would live in Orlando just because, like, I don't know, like it would great on me a little bit. But it's crossed our minds. But we'll be honest with you.

I just like living in England. I love my country. I love to stay in there. I mean, it's in shambles right now. I'll be honest with you, but like flipping, I still love it. Like, I love seeing me mama, like seeing my dad, like seeing my grandparents, like my granddad now. I mean, nothing passed away, unfortunately.

But, yeah, I just, I love seeing my family. I love my country. I love Nando's as well. It's too good. What's your order at Nandoz? Oh, mate, it's two butterfly chicken berry, uh, two butterfly chickens medium, peri chips, creamy mash. If you're not feeling mash, you go, uh, corn on a cob, two perinase dips and a bottomless

drink. Man, suck on that. What language was that? Fucking minion, mate. Oh, it was. That was wild. I know from talking to you enough that living anywhere in the U.S. migrate on you a little bit.

No, it's not like, I just, I have a weird anxiety with it. 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,

like, the public transport systems, I could get to Osaka and I could get to Tokyo. I could get there. As when I sat in bed with Tokyo, it was super easy for me. America's not really like that. You've got a fucking fly everywhere.

What's big? So, like, it's huge, dude. I think that like, once again, it's an anxiety coming here. Like, it feels me of like nerves because if, like, one thing goes wrong, I feel like I break as a human being. So, like, it's just for me personally, I don't fancy doing it. But, like, will it happen eventually?

Maybe. But, like, I'm doing my best to not move here. Is that the biggest reason that AEW is the right fit for you? Oh, absolutely. Yeah. Like, 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. And although, like, three days out of the week, I would be wrestling, like, I get Friday, Saturday, Sunday with my kid. And, like, obviously, when there's a pay-per-view, it doesn't, but, like, I get that time with my kid is not at school. I get to do whatever I want with him. We play video games. We'd go out and we'd go on mad hikes.

So, like, for me, that's way more important. And, like, I just didn't want to do the move. That's it. And, like, for me, I believe in what I, you. is doing. I believe in the style. I believe in like the genre. I believe it is like actually the best wrestling in North America right now. And I just think I just want to drive that home and I want to be like, I want to be the guy at Ace. So I want to just keep doing what I'm doing at here and just hope, hope like we can just like keep putting out these classic shows, man. Like the recent

diamonds and clisions have been like fucking stellar. Why is this the best wrestling in North America and not the world? Well, because Michael Cole said it's like he said flipping. It's a, they're more sports are oriented and like storytelling. And I think that's, that's fair. Like that's, there's more than fair.

Like, we're more professional wrestling based. So I think that's, that's great. And he's the voice of WWE for how long? 30 years. Exactly.

So, like, that's, and that's the reason why, like, they're doing so well, they're just like, they're telling their,

flipping awesome stories on Netflix. It's great for them. But we're doing great stuff as well. And I think, like, it's so good that both of us, like, are doing great things.

I feel like everyone in North America right now, like, that has, like any type of TV deal. Like everyone's doing like really well and like putting out great content. So like this is the bit where I'm like, man,

wrestling's sick right now. It's been a year since you've been into A.W. Like officially standing in AW. Yeah. How has this last year been for you? I've really enjoyed it. I feel like I didn't realize the heights that I could reach here.

It's just been like a crazy little ride. And I feel like there's just so much that I have done and I've experienced and I've not really digested. it really well. There's things that I have digested, but I just, I do love the environment. I do love the, um, the work ethic that I'm putting in and I'm just, there's something about, like, I don't know, you said it once upon a time. There's something about getting your gym bag and going to the gym, and actually to put your gym shoes on and doing it. For me, that, that feels like,

there's, there's something about, when I have my little bag and I've got my backpack and I get on the airport and then when I get here, like there's, there's a little drive and there's a little work ethic that comes out of me. Like, I'm, I've got like a mission. And I, and I'm, 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 what's the mission for you I mean for me it's all in I think everyone wants to like I think that's 40,000 seats that's the biggest show that AEW do on Newf America and I really want to drive it home I really want to put like 40,000 seats in there like I just like I don't know what the metric is

and I honestly have no idea what what we have to do to do that. But like, I'm making myself available. And I live in England. I'm making myself constantly available. So if I need to go down to Arlington, I'm more than happy to go down. Like, I want to go do the schools. I want to go do the news reports.

I want to go do everything because, like, I feel like my passion comes out when I talk about AEW. I flippin love it. I love what I'm doing. It's completely changed my life, dude. 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 great. for and this is like this is meant to be our big show it's it's all in for a reason we're going

all in for this one 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 arlington on that day and celebrate with us like what was the highest one that have done in north america was that 20,000 in grand slam yeah i think right so that's 20,000 on the east yeah then we add like what uh what's the one that we it's not crypto arena it's the other one it's uh the forum lost yeah forum yeah and that was like 15, 16,000 in there. And then you add North Carolina, which is 16,000. So it's possible.

But you have to make it easy for these people to travel. You have to make it accessible for these people to do this stuff. And like, I just believe in it. I want everyone to come down and celebrate. What's the match? What's the match you want to have? I want to be my event. I'd be honestly, I want it.

Like, I, the reason why I want it is because I think they trust me. And I think the fans trust me with what the president. and what the look of AEW should be. And I think that says a lot because I've never been had, I've never had that trust. Even like, even when I had it in Japan, it wasn't like they would give me Kobe and Osaka,

like those type of shows where it's like 4,000, 5,000 people like, that's something that we can draw in. But there's like, ever since I've walked in here, I've come in with a great attitude. My whole mission is to build a team. I feel like whatever was going on in AW

before I got there, I've helped out with trying to get everyone on the same page and just, it's hard for me to put into words sometimes, but I just, the only thing that I can say is I think the audience trusts me and I won't break that trust. I think that you personify what AEW is all about.

I think when people think about an AEW wrestler, they think about your style of wrestling. So I think that what you're saying all adds up then. Yeah, and I think I've just come in with the right attitude. I think that's the main thing. I just think like a lot of people have taken advantage of Tony's kindness and whether they're here or not anymore is this kind of, I've come in with the attitude of like,

I could have gone anywhere. I generally could have. I had offers from both sides. I chose AEW like because I believe in it. And I really, really do want to like, 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. So when you talk about all in, you want to be in the main event, you're talking about the AEW championship match. So at this

point right now, that'd be you and Moxley. Yeah, old ace versus new ace. I think that's a good story. Yeah. And then you want to be the guy. I'd love to be the guy. I'd love nothing more to be the guy. Like whether that is the plan right now, like I have no real idea. I don't know, I don't know what's going on half the time, but I've got a smile on my face and I'm ready to go to work. Do you have like a core tenant when you think about pro wrestling? Like what, what's your, what's the, what's the way that you approach a match? I want the people to have a good time. Like, I mean, obviously there are like aspects where I, obviously, I need to think of like, the, the way that the match goes and just like, oh, why does this make sense or how does this make

sense or how, like, more importantly, I'm just thinking, how am I going to make these guys lose their minds? Like, what do I need to do? Like, what are the things, that I could place in this order to get the biggest reactions. Because I know a lot of the time people will say, well, we're a TV company, focus on the cameras, focus on the cameras. And I believe that. You guys got loads of cameras. Find me.

And then like, 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. And I think, like, I'm ready to have a good. I just think, let's go have a good time. Do you think about like, when you're backstage, talk to me like, you're five minutes before your music is about to hit.

Where would I find Will Osprey? I've got my leg up somewhere. Stretching? Yeah, well, just the one leg. Just the one leg there. The one leg there. One leg there. Go like that.

Tony goes, let's fucking go. And it's like, yeah, fucking let's go, mate. I'll just go out and hope for it. 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. So I've actually signed up with like a little performance company over in England. They're going to help me out with like some stretches and mobility exercise 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. I feel like I'm doing like some real good stuff. And there's 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. don't really like being bothered. I don't like. And then like I'll see Tony.

I'll go, yeah, let's go. And they'll come out there. Still getting nervous before you go out there? Sometimes. The Brian Danielson one, I got real nervous on. Like that was, that was a super crazy moment. Like I could not believe this was even happening,

to be honest with you. Like, because when I first got there and I'd done the tucky match, and then it was like straight afterwards. It was like, yeah, we're going to do an angle with you and Brian. I went, already. So we had that and just, there's a moment where I just, generally I'm standing there opposite him, and it's just before the bell rings.

We're standing there looking at one another. He's got this big smile on his face. And I just couldn't help look around just being like, man, there's 7,000 people in here and it's like, I was just a kid over in, like, I thought for the life of me, I would have been just the kid in Japan for the rest of my life. I thought that was, that was going to be me. And then just to stand there and look at him and just be like, oh, my God, like, here it is. And I said, so this is going to be a pleasure.

And then we backed up and the bell rung. I was just like, fucking let's go. Like, I've never felt more, I felt like I finally did it. Like, I always,

like when Brian and Kenny stood in the ring, the bell rung and the, fucking the place stood up. I always wanted to be one of those guys. And at that moment, I was like, oh shit, like I finally did it.

I'm one of those guys in that. But you put together a match in the back, you're figuring out, all right, we'll do this, then this, then this. When do you realize it's clicking in a match?

The first, um, I hate using the term, but the first high spot. So then that first high spot that me and Danielson done, and it like set and then the place stood up. I was like, oh, we could fuck up like all of this now. But like, they're going to be into it. Like the part where they were going, we're not worthy.

What a chance. Like that's never been done before. That's just a chant that's never happened. And like, it's a chant that you could have only got at EW. That is the coolest thing. That is the wildest chant. Yeah. But like, and the fact is,

just like, I'm just some mad little ADHD kid from Essex. And it's just like, it's just a crazy feeling just being there with someone that like, I've admired, respected. 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-Star, which is also, it was like a family, like, ooh, the guys are a wrestler on a weekend, postman on the weekdays, which is my ambition. I'll be honest with you.

You want to be a postman? More than anything. I, mate, as soon as I'm done with AEW, I'm being a postman, I'll have my house paid off. I'll have my mum's house paid off. My dad's house paid off. And I'm just going to be, all right,

that's me done. I'm going to be a postman for the Royal Mail. I would love that, mate. I would flippin love that. Is it that it's just a simpler life? Yeah,

I think all my life I've been wrestling. Like I got signed at 22. 31 years now. I'm 32 this year. And I think by the end of this contract, I don't know what I'll be. But like this, like,

I'll probably stay on. I'll probably do some type of wrestling. I have no idea. I probably will stay on. Like, I fucking love it here. But like that ambition of just being like, yep, I'm done. I'm going to be a postman.

Just go stroke people's dogs. What's going on, mate? Here's your post. Does that mean you're already thinking about when wrestling's over? Yeah, of course I am. I always think about it. Really? Yeah.

You're in your prime right now. Yeah, but like you always got a thing. I've got a bunch of houses that I'm not looking at now to do like the real estate side of things. But like, more importantly, like I always think just like, ah, like this is great. but one of these days, like, I do want to have, like, a normal life. Like, I would, honestly, I've imagined just me knocking on your door, royal male outfit, fucking van over there.

You used to be Will Sprite. Yeah. I'd love that. Like, it's great. But, like, yeah, like, right now, like, focuses being the best wrestler in the world, performing at the peak levels. Do you feel like you're the best wrestler in the world? Because there has to be a point where you believe it in yourself.

But you also don't want to go over the level. line where you're arrogant. Arrogent, yeah. No, of course not. I'm confident in my abilities and I'm confident with my audience. Does that make me the best? I don't know because I feel like the best is now so widely spread. Like, are you the guy that draws the most?

Are you guys that shifts the most merch, are your best bell to belt? And I don't like, I'll just go, I'm just the best. And I just, I was out with my kid, we was watching like Cirque to Slate at the Royal Albert Hall. and a guy came up and was just like, well, I was like, with my kid,

he's like, takes a photo with me. And then Harry goes, why does that happen all the time? And I was just like, I don't know how to explain it to him because he's six and I have the mental capacity

of a six-year-old. So I was, he was able to break it down for him. Yeah, exactly. So I just went, you know, I'll do wrestling.

He's like, yeah, I went, I'm like the best. That's the only way I can put it to him. Prize Picks is the best. is the best place to get real money sports action. With over 10 million members and billions of dollars in awarded winnings,

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when you download the app. Prize picks, run your game. There's a lot of wrestlers who have called themselves the best. C.M. Pong called himself the best in the world. Daniel Bryan or Brian Danielson called himself the best in the world. Chris Jericho said he was the best in the world of what he did. You've never said you're the best, at least not in the storyline. No, I've said it a few times in storyline.

I've said it in, like, down the lens of Japanese cameras before, but just like, yeah, I try my best to, like, not say it, but, like, it is, It's all about like kind of believing in yourself and conveying that image to the audience that like 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. I know I have. I just can't remember when or like a moment.

Probably against Brian, actually. 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. How do you deal with being that polarizer? I have a six-year-old kid I've got to look after who's like mad about Sonic. I need to learn about all these Sonic characters. I haven't got time to debate with people anymore. If you like my wrestling court, if you don't like it, I adhere to criticism.

I always adhere to criticism because like, how are you ever meant to get better? And that goes for all the people that are like, like, are thoroughly against me and thoroughly against AEW. Like, if you remove your ego and listen, there is sometimes stuff that like, okay, like, that is something that I could implement there. But like, I don't lose sleep over it. Like, I haven't lose sleep with wrestling in flipping ages. Like, even when, like, I mess up, like, I, if I mess up on, like, a promo, there's a promo I done ages ago with Max and not with Max, but two Max. And I feel like I messed up my word in and I messed up my diction.

And I'd rather than just, like, I'd just rather own it to be like, yeah, guys, my bad, I'm still learning it. It's like, fucking hell. Like, how am I going to put? Like, how am I going to put? Like, I can barely speak English. I speak Minion. So, like, you can't read?

Barely. What do you mean? I can barely read. Like the words get all like jumbled up. Like I can write it poorly. Yeah. Like I had it when I was like, I've won't want to fucking life. But I found out about it after I left school.

And it was, it's crazy. Like I didn't realize, but the words all just didn't jump on up and like I would not skip words. And it's just crazy. Get mad headaches over it as well. So I do my best to not read. So when you go out there, who are you, are you doing it for every person in that arena? Are you doing it for one specific type of? person.

Everyone in the arena. Everyone in the arena has a different idea of what's great. Then why they're all standing up when I'm doing my shit. Like that's the one thing where I decide. If there's one person going, boo, I'm not going to hearken on that guy. I'm going to like, I'm using my ears and I'm listening to every single thing I'm doing. Like I, sometimes in a match, I just change shit on the fly. I just go, no, we're doing this instead.

And I just, I just fucking go off on one just because I'm listening to the audience. 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 they're all losing their mind it's either like at the at the eight minute mark at one point there they've at least said this is awesome so like do you know what I mean like I'm time my chance now but like but like that is generally how I like I kind of see wrestling a lot of the time like I just I see it as a concert I see it as like all like like I don't

know when I obviously I don't really go to many concerts now think about it but just like there's always like a part where like the audience was singing along like there's just a moment where like you'll stop, the audience are just singing it back to you. And I see that with wrestling as well. Like I see, and this point they'll chant this. And normally it does work. Yeah. Do you wrestle differently in your 30s compared to your 20s? Oh, yeah, of course, I do. What's the different approach? I can't do the stuff that I used to do when I was 27. Like, I can barely do a shooting star press now. I can still do it, but it takes a lot for me to do it. And it takes a lot of a build-up

to do it. The body has, like, locked up a little bit. So, and like I had to adapt my style. I feel like you need to hit up DDP, do some DDP yoga. So a load of people said that and I've got the app. I think it is just doing it. I think that's my main thing. It's like for me, I just, after like a long old day, man, like it's like you do a school run, you do either a CrossFit class or a gym class.

I do my nutrition. Like I put my feet up, I take the dogs out for a walk. If I go pick up the kid, then I'm like trying my best to like be with a 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. I just want to fucking watch them films with the misses.

But like, I do, we got into a routine for a bit and then my missus tore a meniscus. So we had to, we just not get on the edge. We haven't picked it up again. We need to now. I just feel like that's the key to longevity.

Like when you look at someone like Tom Brady who's able to play till he's 45, it's all about like lengthening the muscles and like, giving your submobility. Yeah. And I think like my body spasms quite a lot, especially my lower back in the spasm side. need to like that's not a good that's not good yeah it's just because of the flipping that happens all the time we're bumping we're landing on metal wood and like this thin layer of padding it's going to

happen like i i accept that i just do my best to look after myself i feel like when you watch any of your matches it doesn't feel like there's anything you can't do right now uh now there are stuff like it's just stuff that i used to do in my 20s like i can't do like the backwards four 50s anymore I can't, like, I can't do a 6.30 to save my life anymore. Like, I was young and nimble and, like, flexible back then. I'm not as flexible now, especially since I packed on a bit of mass. Like, that was my main thing when I went up to the heavyweight class in New Japan. Like, if I'd packed on this mass, and I found out very shortly after, I was like, oh, fucking hell, I can't, I'm not as nimble as what I once was.

So then, like, you adapt and you change. And I think that's wrestling. You've always got to revolve. Didn't Chris Jericho call you up and say, I want to chat with you? Yeah, he called me. I'd done something stupid. Like I fucked my neck up back in 2018. I've never been the same since then.

It was against my. We've done Spanish fly. My fucking head hit the apron. But my neck contoyed underneath me. And I just, I felt everything. Like the shot go down my arm. It was horrendous. And I've never been the same sense.

But then the month after, I know, it was actually, yeah, no, it was the month after. Me and Kashida wrestling. And we done like a DDT off the apron to the floor. And I was fine. I was absolutely fine. I controlled my body on the landing, but it looked horrendous.

Jericho got on the phone to me. It was just like, hey, look, flipping hell, please don't die. 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. And that hit, and I was like, I appreciated it. Like, because especially at that time, like, Jericho only would pop over to New Japan, like, every now and again. So the fact that he took his time out to be like, hey, look, Rocky gave me your number.

I want to have a chat. Like, let's talk. He generally gives a fuck. Like, every time I've been around, Chris, he's always giving me, great advice. Even being here, there's like promo things that I would do. And he went, oh, who told you to do that? And I'd say, oh, this person told me, he went, don't do that because of this reason.

When he explains it to me, I thought, oh, yeah, of course. So, like, he's been, like, a real good, like, pan to have backstage. And it's like, anytime I go, what do you think of this? He's great at his honesty. Has that made you slow down at all? I mean, yeah, for sure. Like, for sure, like, because I want people to digest what they're seeing. Because I still do those stupid bumps.

Like, like, like, I do it. the tombstone off the apron on the stairs. That was kind of silly. Pretty silly. That was very silly. Looked amazing. Yeah, look great.

Everyone reacted, which it happens. But, like, I also now, I plan those spots where I, like, I go and this is where everyone fucking complains about AED up you.

Like, I do it because personally, it's like, I just want to do it. I'm not like fucking kicking out and firing up and shit like that. I'm like, fucking rolling my shoulder off.

And like, if people are popping off about it, sweet, you're talking about it. I think it's unfair? Like, if a similar type of spot happens in WWE, people don't seem to be as critical? No, but then, like, if I've had gone there, they would, they'd be fucking wanking into

fucking tissues over me. Like, you know what I mean? But it's the same. Do you know what I mean? That's why you have to, you have to separate you. Otherwise, you drive yourself inside. Yeah. And I just think, like, I think if you have something that, like, like, my wrestling is my passion,

it's my job, most importantly. But, like, if you have something that you're, you're passionate about, you really don't care about what people are saying who have never impacted your career. career in your entire life. Like, none of those people, like, once upon a time, they were, like, big hits, anyone that's ever complained about AW, like the grifters or whatever they're called. I don't know if that's the right term. That's what everyone says.

But, like, even if they say something, it's like they're not impacting our show. We're the second most profitable wrestling company of all time. Like, that's not to talk about enough. And everyone wants to, like, dig on it. 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. but like for me,

I don't lose sleep over anyone trying to tell me how to wrestle because now like from being like, look at me. I'm a fucking idiot. Like I know I am, but I've carved out this little lane for myself. I was destined to be someone that we either worked in McDonald's or push trolleys at Tesco's, 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. I don't let things, like if it's just like, oh, this is shit, because why? Because it's shit. Well, that's not fair. 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.

I'm not going to get it right away. But I think that's the stuff that people need to speak more about. There's a lot of people that will say, oh, there's no psychology. And I'm like, have you ever even watched? No, but like, but you know what I mean? Who are you? Like,

show me your face. Show me your face. What 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, indie show and they're great for you. Like, apply your trade. But like, after 15 years, boss, like,

come on, like fucking get with the program. Like, we're all here having fun. Join us. At what point did you realize? You can't please everybody. Fucking very early on.

Like, I think the rickshay match, like honestly the first one where, 2016. But like, yeah, but in the same sense, like, people had good points, people had bad points and people had fair points. And that's where I was kind of, okay, well, that's the bit in the middle that you've got to listen to.

And at 22 or, I think it's 23 actually at the time, at 23 years old, that is a fucking hard thing to master. Like, the internet is not, social media is not for everyone. And like, I've learned that the hard way and I've had to deal with it by like owning every mistake that I've ever done. Coming with Mattel, talking between my legs, bowing my head. head and putting my head, putting my ass to work. But like, learning that side, like, oh, like, William Regal and Seth Rollins were saying

amazing things about it. But then Vader didn't like it. We got fucking match out of it. So that was great. But, like, there's people that, like, who have carved that incredible legacies in the industry that I respect, I admire, and that I've actually had wonderful conversations with where we've been in the same room chatting. 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. Talk about how you grinded to make this happen. So I'm going with this. We'll go to there after that. But I was going to say, not everybody can just work hard and this happens. No, absolutely. So it's not like you just work hard, you work hard, and then this thing magically appears.

What's the secret sauce here for you? 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, I'm learning, like, I'm seeing, like, Marifuchi and Okada wrestling like Ria Goku, and I'm listening to how all the audience are and they're all reacting. It's like, so then I was like, okay, I want to master that and it's learning the trade. And there was a point where I could have jumped in 2018.

In fact, the first time I actually met Tony Kahn was in 2019, a wrestled pack in your call for RevPro. And he asked me then, would I be like interested in doing even if it was just dream matches? And I respectfully just said, I want to dedicate myself to Japan right now. 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. It was only in like 2019. I started really fucking finding my stride. And I was like, I was the junior heavyweight. I was putting on all these matches. I'd be put in the position.

and I was hitting home runs constantly. 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 pandemic because no one wants to watch silent wrestling. But like for some strange reason, I managed to fucking swim with shackles in my fucking hands and just like being able to find oxygen and give New Japan these crazy matches in silence.

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 train, and I wanted to I wanted to I tried something new and I wanted to be looked after because it was just to the point where you find out from rather wrestlers

like how much people money is making I wasn't making, I was making great money in New Japan but like not the best and I just wanted to be looked after and then I've been thoroughly looked after and I'm just grateful yeah grateful so like I've got to keep working

because it is just pure and similar with like My life's completely changed since coming here. So I need to put in the work and I need to make this place the best that it can be. So then in the next five years when there's another Will Osprey or another Swart Strickland or another whoever, like whoever's walked through these doors, just be like, all right, this is the bar now. This is the standard.

I need you to live up to it. So let's go back to it. Why did you take those comments from Triple H so personally? He didn't say your name. They didn't say my name, but why did you think he was talking about you specifically? He was. And I've got people that I won't throw under the bus and saying, yeah, it was about me. I won't throw any names under the bus, but it was about me.

But like, I don't think it's like, I'm not taking it personally and like, oh, that hurt my feelings. It's just kind of like, all right, you take a French jab at me. I'll take one back. There's nothing, nothing like horrible about it. Like, I don't hate the guy. Oh, I've never met him. How can I hate someone that I've never even met? You didn't even talk to him?

No, I've never spoke to him. Oh, I have an agency to talk to everyone. And I, I've told everybody about my situation and why I want to remain in the UK, which is why that, like, kind of like, hurt me a little bit. 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. I'll take one back. And then that's it, we're done.

Yeah. And then someone was at this show that I was doing some stuff for Pro Wrestling Eve, and they do this thing called the Multiverse Rumble, and everybody dresses up as characters, and somebody dressed up as Triple H and walked in here. And I looked, I went, I've got to do it now, haven't I? Like, why'd you have to do it? Because it's funny.

And if anyone doesn't think it's funny, then I can't tell you what your humor is, but my humor is, this is hilarious, I'm going to do it. I think there's a certain section of fan, whether you're an AEW fan, a WW fan, New Japan fan, TNA fan, whatever, they're going to go, I don't like that other thing. 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. That's fair. Yeah. I mean, I can definitely see how people act like that. I just, I don't think that way. So I can't fully understand. I can't understand anyone's fault process. I'm fucking

autistic as fun, mate. Like, I can't understand anyone besides my own. 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. It's a great pedigree. It's an amazing pedigree. It might start doing it. Might start doing it. Why not? Exactly. Exactly. Because it's funny. Like, I heard a great quote that speaks to exactly what you're talking about. We judge ourselves by our intentions, but we judge others by their actions. And it's so true that like we we just judge what other people are doing instead of going why are they doing that what's the reasoning behind it what's their intention behind this 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 what that way about what whatever it is you know like why are people so upset about this thing or this thing and that's i just don't understand that and that's the thing i don't i haven't got it in me to talk to however many followers I've got or however many Twitter followers that there are in the world. Like, I haven't got it in me to talk to all those people. So I just, I don't know how people feel about it. All I know is, I'm trying to have a laugh. And it's going really well.

So you're trying to entertain yourself? Yeah, I do my best just to make myself laugh. And I knew deep down, I was like, oh, this is going to make so many people cross and angry. I just think, fuck it, I'm going to do it because I find it funny. I want to ask you about the hidden blade. Go on. What's the, what's the setup to this? How do you even figure out you can do this move without literally concussing someone?

So when I was backyard in, like, years ago, like, obviously, we had, like, a thing where, like, if you'd land on your head from German suplexes or reverse armas and, like, if you took, like, shots to the head without your hands there, like, obviously back then, like, we didn't know anything about, like, what we'd do to our brains and our necks and shit like that. When we were, like, 14 and 15 years old, it was almost like a badge of honor of doing that. It was crazy. Now looking back on it Like some of the shit that we were doing

Off of gym horses on these like Finn judo mats was insane Like I could I could find you some stuff And you would fucking freak out But like I just started doing it I was backyard in

But like just a normal thing I just saw someone on the ground And I just thought I was gonna back hell with him Like I'm just fucking throw him like that 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 And for some strange reason It just came to my brain Like I just It just came my brain and I just thought, I'm just going to give it a go, see what happens. And it worked. Guy was absolutely fine. A lot of people thought, because New Japan released something like, oh, Ibushi got concussed. It was just kind of like, guys, angle, relax. Like, flipping, it worked. Like,

it sucked so many people in it. It made people, like, fear this flipping move. And I'm glad because, like, it's not shooting star press. It's not an infrared. It's not a 630. It's me moving my elbow from here to here. 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. It looks so devastating. I'm so happy that people love that because I do like, I did put a lot of thought and process into like, oh, wonder if I could actually make this like a big, big move and it and it's worked. Like I've always loved like the spear. I love the trouble in paradise. I love the Bucycone and now I finally carved out my own one. And I was at a a show, there was a show

literally two minutes from my house. A couple of my friends were on it. And I walked in, like, what towards a show was ending. And the finish was a back breaker into a hidden blade. And he came back and was like, oh, I went, uh-huh. And I was just, I was, honestly, I was blessed.

I was so happy that he used it. Because I was like, oh, man, 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. So I'm flattered when everyone, uses my move. Like, I love it. You can do it to anybody.

Yeah, absolutely. Big or small. Yeah. I'm going to do that to Satanem Singh. Coming for you. I'll try and get you up for a storm breaker at one point one. He was on the plane I was on last week and I'm like, that's a big, big guy. He is a big guy. Someone does not go. Oh, my goodness. Who could it be? Let's see. It's going to be there. This is when you go like, oh, here he is. We were just talking about him.

Yeah, but like, oh. Oh, oh. Oh, in the middle of interrupting the interview. Wow. He can hear us talking in the other side of the door. Wow. Oh, I'm so sorry, boss. My boy, grab a seat there. No,

not there. Yeah, over it. Yeah. Yeah, okay. Wow. Farbaid,

ladies and gentlemen. My boy, my boy. But it's just, it's such, it's such a devastating looking move. I'm super happy with it. 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. It makes me happy. What's the AEW match you hang your hat on that you're super proud of? Oh. The Takesha one was kind of cool just because I feel like a lot of people were like, okay, we've heard it.

Impress us. Like, and it was this, bam, knocked out of the park. Then literally, bam, another one knocked out of the park. And back, like, so 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. That's nothing yet. Keep watching. So, like, I've still got a lot more in a tank. And, like, I still think I've had, like, my match of Brian Danielson, I think will go down as, like, one of the greatest matches that I've ever done.

The match with Swerve was fantastic. Oh, God. I flipping loved that. I love wrestling swerve. And, like, me and him have been boys for ages. Like, when I first met him when he came over the South Side, back in, like, 2014. We've always been boys. When he was over in the next day, I've always been like, come on, man, you can do it.

it like, fuck it. We've always had one another's back. So then when it finally came to it, and I actually said to Tony, I said like, can I wrestle with? Like, I'd love to do it. Like, because the forbidden door time, like, I really wanted to like, oh, what could be like a sick main event? I was just like, we're like two, we're like two steam trains running and now we've got collide with one another. And like, seeing everyone align is just like, neither one of these guys can lose. Actually, we can. It's just how you do it. I feel like we, we just missed you versus CM Punk by a few months. Yeah.

He left at the end of 2003. You came in 2024. Technically, 2023 at the end. But like, yeah, signed in 2020. But yeah,

started 2020. Yeah. Like, just narrowly missed it, but like, is what it is. Like, and no,

no issues with him on my side of things. I hope he's doing well. That could have been a magic match. It could have been, but like things happen and like things transpire. And for me, like, I've never had an issue with him.

He's always been lovely to me, except for this one. time, it's one time that really pissed me off. Because I said to him, are there any decent steakhouse in Chicago? And he said, I promise you, I will get you a steakhouse. Showed up in Chicago, no steakhouse. Wow. That's the, the sea there. The sea, that is the sea stands for something. That is the start of the story. That's, that's the start of the storyline there. But to fucking show me a steak house, you didn't, you, you prick. How you doing well?

Who haven't you worked with an AEW that you want? I was thinking about that. Flip it, Hangman. Hangman's the only one I've never actually. Like, we've wrestled in a six man in New Japan, but did like a comeback and that was it. So I feel like, I feel like that's the main character.

That's the, that's the guy. That's AEW right there staring at me. And I think also mocks sleep, like you've wrestled him, but not in a new, No, in New Japan, we wrestle one another. And it was a shit finish because the referee fucked up. Like, it was meant to be the straight up one, two, three.

And I fucking mocked, kick out. Okay. But a referee still counted free. And he got me in the choke. And then I started tapping out immediately because I was scared. I was like, what the fuck is going on? Like it's, but shit happens. But like, for me, that's just more of an incentive to be like, okay, well, there's still meat on this bone.

Like, fucking, I did kick out. The shoulder was up. But like the fucking referee fucked up. So for me, there's meat on that bone. And just as the old ace and someone that, like, I've openly said, he's actually one of the main reasons I wanted to come to AEW, where he'd done that promo and he said about he's embarrassed and it's now time to fight and it's time to be a legend.

I remember watching that in Japan and being like, all right, I'm fighting alongside you. Like deep down, I did feel like that moment was like all hands on fucking deck. 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 lent me towards AEW because like I want to, I want to be in the fire and all with you. What's been the scariest moment for you in the ring? Oh my God. Oh, I need to tell you this story. I need to tell you a story. It's my last match.

I love how you lit up there. No, because this, honestly, could literally see the light bulb. Honestly, like, this is one of the fucking greatest moments of my fucking career. It was the last match I ever had in New Japan. We're in a dog pound steel cage match. It's not what everyone thinks. It's just a fucking, a giant fence around the ring, like a real big one. Not a literal one with dogs outside.

No, because we were against the war dogs. We were against the war dogs, right? Gabe Kid, David Finley, Clark Connors, Alex Coglin, Driller Maloney against United Empire. Me, Akira, T.J., Jeff and Hanari. These are like, these are all my boys. Like, both in K-Fave and in, like, they're all my friends. fucking, I love these guys so much. And it was like the war game style match.

Then like two minutes, someone else comes in, two minutes, someone comes in. When everyone's in the ring, the fucking match starts, right? And Gabe comes in and just starts swinging chairs and throwing shit with ill regards. And Gabe grabs his table and throws it at Hanare. And like, Hanare is this New Zealand, like, New Zealand boys have got the hardest heads in the fucking business, mate. Don't head bottom. I've had by him once in a career.

They're fucking at it a lot. And he threw this table. And the table started going flat and then turns like that. And hit him. I didn't fucking see it. But then, like, Jeff comes down, so I's clearing house. And I look over and Aaron's bleeding. Like, and R.A.'s fucking bleeding.

So I do this, like, comical crawl over. And like, I go, oh, did someone get busted open the hard way? And he's got his hands over his head. And he's going, I think I'm going to die. And I was just like, what? Are you okay, mate? What's going on? He went, my eyes are closing and I can't keep him open.

And I just went, take your hands away. Let me see. And I shit you not, man. It was the fucking worst thing I've ever seen. He takes his hands away. My hands fill with blood straight away. And I look at this fucking gash and I could fit four of my fingers in his fucking skull. Like it was so bad.

And I fucking like put my hand on his head. And then all of a sudden the cage door locks. So we're like, what? This man needs a hospital like now. Like fucking now. And then, like, I've, like, put on there, Massawa's our trainer, like, gets in the fucking ring. And now he's taking over. And Jeff's going, Aaron, because we now need to do this, like, trio spot on someone.

And I went, no, Aaron, just me. Like, fucking, we carry on with this match. Now we're trying to communicate with everybody. There's 10 of us in this ring, like, Hanari's done. And now we're trying to finger shit on the flight. And, oh, man, I really wish I could move with it. But, like, there's this spot where it's just like, we're doing, like, move after move, after move after move and big move and we all lay down and the crowd goes nuts right so then like

i'm looking between my legs clark's coming up he does a suplex takes it and we were just going to like do that and then we're just going to do me and dan i look between my legs i can hear driller going no fucking way and i looked hanare has a towel on his head and he's taped it to his fucking head we're like not fucking what and he's like doing the moves we're doing all the escalators and i was like guess we're fucking doing it we're all laid it we're all laid in there and I went, dude, get that fuck out of here. He went, no. Oh, my God.

He was like, mate, it gets so much better. So it gets, there's more. There's more. There's so much more. Because, like, this match goes on for an hour. Like, we overstayed our welcome completely. But there's one point in this match where Hanari and Gabe getting to like a big one, two, like there's meant to be like chair goes over his heads.

Like you see the Japanese chairs or they go pop off, right? Goes over his head. Does it in return? Both fire up. One, two, three, one, one, two, three. right. He doesn't want to take it over the head, so he punches through the fucking chair.

Gabe takes it over the head. He fires up and he's meant to be, one, two, three, you one, two, three. Gabe goes, one, two, three. Hanare just fucking cocks his hand. And he hits him as hard as humanly possible. It sounded like a fucking gun

went off in the building. Gabe made eye contact with every fucking person in the room. Me and Spaggs looking at one another going, oh my fucking God. It was fucking chaos. And I sat there at the end of it and all of us are dead. Had Ari had to go to the hospital. We're all like, I don't want to do that ever again.

And then we're all at dinner and he shows up with this a fucking bandy on his head. And Ari's the toughest guy I've ever met in my entire life. It was the fucking. Oh my gosh. At the time, I was so scared that he was going to die. Like I generally thought he was going to die. It was the worst thing I've ever seen. Oh, my God.

I don't know. I took up a huge chunk of an interview. But that's the greatest story The greatest story I've got And the passion you have Behind this story He should have died man That was the worst thing

Did he not even go to the hospital? Went to the hospital And then still came back out Then came out for dinner Hero Give that man a fucking badge of honor That is that's hero shit man That's some hero shit

Probably still taking shots that night Having all kinds of drinks He had one drink He had one drink Oh mate He's my hero. I love back and forth. During the pandemic, that was my boy.

Have you had a moment like that? Have you had a super scary moment in the ring like that? The Marty one where I'd done my neck like ages ago, like I kind of felt like I shouldn't be wrestling right now, but we kept going. In your AEW debut, you took the brainbuster, it was supposed to be to the turnbuckle. My ass.

Oh my God. It wasn't like, oh, like, it wasn't like, oh, my life is on the line here, But it was, oh my fucking God. Look like the worst rug burn ever. No, mate, it was worse than that. It felt like I got hit by a car. It was so fucking painful, man. This guy in my house.

Where did it actually make impact? Like on the fucking, like, on the top of my glute and then my, my, like, oh, yeah, you could see the, like, scrape, right? Yeah, honestly. And I, oh, mate, it was because everyone thought, oh, it was just a scrape. It won. It was like, because those ropes are cable, like, steel fucking cable, man. So it like, it like hit my ass and like fucking like put it back.

Oh, mate, it was horrible. But like, I remember Tony being like, you don't have to wrestle next week. I'm like, no, mate, I'm good. Jeez. I was like, nah, fucking go. How many bruv shirts have you sold? Because last interview, I was like, you should make the shirt. And you're like, I don't know if I should make the shirt.

I'm like, make the shirt. And do you know what's really gone over the jerseys? The jerseys have got super over. They even done ones for Brisbane, like some red-colored ones, because I think it matched their colors or something, like the Brisbane colors. And they all sold out in the arena. So I feel like what we're planning on doing is every paperview,

we're going to make the same jersey but in the home team colors. So, mate, honestly, I cannot thank you. Whoever made the jersey, thank you very much. But just like, it's crazy, like the, because I will go everywhere. I went on the Jericho cruise with the misses and, like, two mates are like they're in wrestling but like not really that deep in it and they were like fucking hell like it was brub shirts were everywhere it was crazy and you didn't even realize bruv was a thing i i say it when i get pissed off when i get like locked in and i like i get

angry with someone and i get i it just flips out brub just comes out instantly especially when i'm getting mad like when i'm in the mood to have a fight with someone like i like it fucking comes out I don't normally say it. I've said it once during this whole interview. I don't think so. So like when it comes out when I get fucking angry because the Essex boy comes out, I mean, I can't put him back in.

So when we did that last interview, it was I think April of 2020, and we talked about five-star matches at that time. You're 27 of them. You now have 47. 48. Is this wild to you? No, I don't get it anymore.

I just, I love it now when I see it. And I go, and let's see what the internet says. So if you have anything less than five, is it like, oh, man, I really... I don't look at it. I do not look at it, but like, it's just funny

because then my Twitter comes up, and I see all like the bot accounts, and they go, like, well, this isn't 48 for one. And I'd just be fucking hell. No, it's not. When you break down the numbers, I wrote them down here, AEW has had 41 as a company.

So you've had more than AEW. WVE has had 20, including NXT. So you've had more than double and TNA has had three and you've had two of those. It's funny. It's funny because the thing is, it generally makes like no difference, right? Because that was the topic that happened a little while ago.

Well, they're going like five-star matches don't pay bills. Oh, yeah. That's a debate with bully Ray. But I have paid for my dad's ass. I've paid for me mom's kitchen. So, like, they mean nothing, guys. You even said when you were leaving New Japan, you're like, you know, I don't care about five-star matches, but if it gets me a better deal somewhere else, then all right.

Yeah, but that was the thing. I think, honestly, it was more like if people were looking at it and going like, oh, this is sick, they admired the work ethic and the imagination and the details that I was putting in to the match that made it whatever Dave thinks it was. But, like, of course everyone's right. Like, it doesn't pay for bills. 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?

Like, so that, for me, that that was kind of like, like, what I was trying to get out. But, like, it makes no different in my bank account. But however, like, I have paid for me, dad's house and me, mom's kitchen. It's crazy. Like, I'm like, little stupid old billy's, like, looking after his mom and dad now. It's fantastic. That makes me honest. Yeah.

That's what it's all about. I think it's just, it's so arbitrary, right? Like, this point has been beating the death, but Kurt Angles had zero. Randy Orton's had zero. Exactly. And they're the fucking greets. They're so sick. But like, exactly.

He's got a flavor of ice cream that I really likes. And it's you. And I'm vanilla, baby. I am vanilla. You are the flavor of ice cream. Oh, I am vanilla. Go get yourself some vanilla, Dave. You've earned it.

What's even your thought process when you're talking to your opponent, you're putting it together a match? What's even the thought process of like, to get to this, we have to do this, this, and this first. I mean obviously like that exactly what you kind of said like to if someone suggests an idea or if I suggest an idea we work about like how what is the mechanics we finally we get to that point but like there was something that Chris Hero said once upon a time and I wasn't at the seminar it was just passed along and I love what he said 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 and I try and carry that philosophy I know deep down there are some days where like you can't get everyone over in an eight minute match. You can't. It's designed to get, like, one person to start gaining momentum towards whatever they're

going to do. But, like, my philosophy is, well, like, if there's something that you want to do, like, something that's going to break the internet or get some clips or whatever, 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, like, a company. It's like, if I'm looking after you, you're looking after me, then we're all looking after AW. What's the thought process behind workshoping a new move?

because some of the stuff you do is insane. Do you see the one I've done in Phoenix where I completely just invented a new move? Like, we're meant to do the Spanish flyer and I guess he just forgot. But I'm in this position where I've got his head here and I've stood up.

And I had a conversation in my head. I went, I don't do an air raid crash, that shit. So I went, and I just spun him round. And I was like, I've never done it since. Just invented a new move. But like, yeah, maybe we should start doing that again. I try and do it against Brian today, see if happens.

So how do you workshop these? How do you realize like, all right, I've got an idea in my head. It could look like this if we pull it off. I'd just do it like that. But then do you say, I practice it a little bit. I 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 that they're like the fucking wild shit.

Like what? someone wanted to do a Spanish fly off a barrier onto an announce table, which doesn't seem bad. It doesn't seem bad. But it was just kind of like how my body was feeling that time. And I was just like, this isn't the time and this isn't the place. Like, I am very picky with how I do my shit now. 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. Like going towards like we got this revolution match coming up right steel cage never been in one like I've been in one once but I was in England and it was 2018 and it was one of those like real backyard steel cages this is like a real American steel cage match like excellent American accent yeah I fucking do it as well yeah ha ha 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 I mean, jump off the fucking thing, no. And you probably will. I mean, it is me, and it is Kyle. We're both, we're both fucking, both insane. You did that moonsault recently, where you did it off the highest thing you've ever done it off. That scared me.

Okay. Is it scary when you're climbing up? Is it scary when you're standing there? It's scary because we jumped up and Kyle has this fucking oil over his body. So as I got up into a thing, my hand slipped. So I was like that. And the kid went, yeah. I was like, yeah, as I fucking picking myself up.

And I looked at Kenny to give him the thumbs up to basically be like, all right, it's your turn to go. I ain't had my foot in yet. So I looked and I went, oh, fuck, I need to get my foot in. As I put my foot up there, there was a girl right there. And I was just like, ah, and I started using her as like a fucking balancing thing. Like a fan? Yeah, a fan.

Like, and she's like, looking at me in the eyes. I'm looking at her in the eyes. I'm thinking, are we going to kiss? And I fucking looking at her and I went, see you. And I like, left that. And I've never seen her ever again. Like, there was a moment there where we could have kissed. We could have.

It could have been like a real sense of romance, like how I met your dad's. Like, it could have been that. And then I just exited from my life. And honestly, I know it was the highest thing I've ever jumped off of. For the sole reason, as I left, as I jumped, I felt the, you're on the rides like Tower of Terror where your fucking ass ends up in your mouth. Yes. Like that. That I went, hook.

Oh, it was like a genuine like, oh. That scared me. It was so smooth. But, oh my God, Kyle caught me. Fuck me, that was a good catch. Like, God damn. Like, the moonsop was great. The catch.

Perfect. But you could have over rotated. You could have under rotated. You could have rolled my ankle. Could have fucking... Landed oil jumped up with fucking, yeah, I'm alive! Also, that's the story of every Will Osprey match. I land on my feet.

I'm a fucking cat, brother. I am a cat. It's the first brother of dropped. Have you used up your eight of your nine lives? No, I think I've used up about one. That's it. Yeah. I haven't felt like totally like fucked up to the point where like I thought I was going to die.

Like the one with the Spanish fly had fucked me up. But like other than that, I've been like real good like in terms of like I'm all good. You're millimeters away from like serious injuries sometimes. But I'd make it. But you make it. But you're trust in me and I would live. And that's the amazing thing about what you do. Your timing is.

So precise. Yeah, I got good body control. Mum gave me a trampoline in my back garden, so I've always been in time. I was always quite good at that. And you also have a wrestling ring in your back here? Yeah, yeah. 14 year old? Yeah, 14 year old, I had a wrestling ring in my garden, mate.

We were called the neighbors from hell because we were like, mate, we were doing some doth shit. We were doing some fucking, like, bad stuff, bad stuff. I had like a fucking, like a pit in my garden and put a barbed board there. I was just like, all right, who's jumping from it? And then, like, one of my mates, Troy, was like, fuck it. and stood on the top rope we threw a chair at his head and he fucking took a bun from the top rope

to the fucking floor. So you were going to be a pro wrestler no matter what? Yeah, I lived it, man. Like, I couldn't, I was hyperfixated on it and I just couldn't let it go. I hated the normal life.

I worked as a mastic man, which is like the rubber seals around your bathrooms and windows. And I just, I wanted to do something performance-based. And I loved wrestling. I loved, I loved dancing as well. Like, I loved

performing. Like, I, I've done something on the West End once, but like, just once. Really? Yeah, just my mum, my mum ran a huge show, like 2,000 people showed up, and I was on the West End stage. It was fucking sick. But, like, I, I love performing. I really loved it. And I just, I, I, I could do stuff with wrestling.

Like, I could take reverse runners and Canadian destroyers when at the time, that wasn't, like, that wasn't the thing to do. Like, I mean, like, my area was like TNAX division, like, 2004, 2000. 2009 style. Like that was. And even then, like, a Canadian shore back then was like crazy. And like people from England on our scene,

2004, 2009, they couldn't do that shit. But our backyard mates could. And we were like doing it off of like, we're doing it off of like, gym horses. We were like,

we were nuts, man. 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, Webster. Pack. Pack was one of them as well. But we missed Pat. It was a generation before us.

But like, we liked that style of wrestling, the PWG, the TNA X-Division style. And that's what we wanted to promote in England. And I think because we were doing that style in England, that's kind of how it all like popped off. And we had this crazy British wrestling boom. 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've, I just want to throw it a low as well, but I've been doing some work with

pro wrestling Eve, which is an all women's company. Like, um, it started off, like my missus,

um, I kind of started helping her, ghost writer matches. And I wanted her to understand, this is why I put these matches together

in this order. She wanted to do it for, I've done it for a dog collar match with her pro and I've done it with one of her best mates who was leaving wrestling. They wanted to have like a real

fucking sick match. So I put it all together. And from there, it was just like, I have a great relationship with Dan Reed. And he was just like, do you want to just take over the show? Like, run it and produce it. And I've been producing these crazy all-women shows.

And they're fire, man. The last one we just done was Jamie Hater versus my Mrs. Al, Alex Windsor. And they just put on like this 30-minute classic, man. And like room full of like 500 people were just standing up going insane. And I've really got like, I love working with all the. girls, all the girls are like super up for anything. So I'm like putting like effort into it. And my ambition is to hopefully, like in November, I want to like sponsor an event, like really go for like a 1500 or 2000 seat. And that will be like the highest. All women's show in Europe.

That's my, I've got like a little side hustle mission. And I love working with Eve. So like if, if anyone wants to give it a shot, please pro wrestling Eve on all the social. at www www. www. eave wrestling.com so yeah it's a real bit passion I love female wrestling

I love the girls I would hope honestly if some of the AEW girls and the Ring of Honoured 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

like I'd really love it. I love the passion that you speak about this with yeah I just mate I love wrestling so much and like I my enthusiasm and just it hasn't stopped. Even coming over here and on a weekly basis, this could grind on anyone on a weekly basis. I love it, man.

Your commute's pretty long. Yeah, your commute door to door is what, 12 hours? Most like, yeah, probably. You leave your house, clear customs, sit in the airport, forward the plane, all that, get to the hotel. Yeah, like pretty much, yeah, minimum 12 hours commute. I honestly, it hasn't wiped the smile off my face, like I am just as passionate.

as when I first took my first bump and I got my first paycheck, which is 30 quid. And I like to now, which is astronomical money. And I love, I love this passion you have. Do you think about how much longer you want to do this for before you become a postman? Honestly, no, like, I don't like thinking of it. I think I will just one day, I will just disappear. I will just go, this is me. I won't have anything really.

You won't have a final match? Oh, no, of course I will. But then that was the day I will grab the microphone on live TV and say the C word. And then just drop the mic, ruin this. And then I'll just go be a postman somewhere. What a way to go. Like that big sting retirement where everyone's like coming out and like cup in their hands, tears in their eyes.

And I just grab the microphone and go, Cun. That's the way I want to go out. So good to be able to catch up with you. No, mate. It's been too long. Thank you, Simon. I got to have you on more often.

Honestly, I'm a ball of. I love it. We should get like a group of us. We'll do like a big group and we'll talk about it. I'd love that. Let's do it. Easy boss, man. Thank you kindly. No, thank you. I'm going to ask you the question that I end every interview with. Go for it. Because gratitude is so important to me. What are three things you're grateful for right now, Will? The first thing is obviously family and that does include my, my missus and my little boy, of course, like we're, obviously, we're, I'm getting there, like, I'm getting there with an ill and just, I know that that's the direction I want to go in and that's the thing that makes me happy.

It gets me out of bed every single morning. So, like, my mom, my dad, my missus, granddad's, my nan that's passed away. My granddad's actually going in for surgery this morning. So, like, if everyone would have a little fucking prayer for him, like, that would be great for us. The second thing is, it's AEW. Like, I am, it has, I put Tony in that because he's changed my life, dude. He's completely changed my life. 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. Like I'm able to look after my parents now, which for 31 years they've looked after me. Like they helped me get my first house and I was able to pay it 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. They fucking hate one another. 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. I was a very immature young man. I always got myself in a lot of trouble, especially on social media. I have adapted and I have educated myself about everything I've like, because I want to be the guy. I want to be someone that a lot of people can just go like, he'd learn his lesson and he done everything he can to carry every bit of burden. Like, I, I want to be the guy. And this audience that I wrestle for trusts me. And I think that is the thing that I want. 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, I did it. And there's nothing more I want to do than bring the AW World Championship back to England one day and just go like, I, I was, I was one of you guys, just a wrestling fan that stayed up at 1 a.m. to watch wrestling. I had a passion about it like no one else. There's probably a 14-year-old kid in a 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 stood in the opposite corner to me. And that's still one of the best matches we can. Hell yeah. Great to see you, Matt. Thanks, man. Thank you so much.

Always a great chat with Well Osprey. 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. This Sunday, Will Osprey is taken 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. The main event at Revolution is John Moxley defending the AEW World Championship against Cope.

It's going to be a great show. Snap a screenshot of this one. Let us know you were listening and tag us on social media. He's at Will Osprey. I'm at Chris Van Vleet, and I love this quote from Oscar Wild. To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist. That's all.

So good. Be great. Be grateful. Have an amazing day. We will see you back here tomorrow for Ask CVV number 73. There is a lot to unpack from Elimination Chamber and this crazy week that has been in WWE. So if you're listening on Spotify, leave a comment on there with your question. Send it in on social media using the hashtag AskCTVV or shoot me an email, CVV at chris fanfleet.com. And we'll

see you right back here tomorrow for Ask CVV number 73. Jim Rome takes on sports. Why? Because I have a job to do with rapid fire takes. So I don't want to hear from you lava pigs on this notion today. No idea what you're talking about. You're complaining more. Then you like to breathe air. It's like you get up in the morning only to complain and cry and moan on social media about things that you don't even understand. He's the spitfire of sports smack. Take advantage of it. Get up in here.

The Jim Rome Show podcast. What's your beef? Follow and listen on your favorite platform. You've been warned.