British wrestling superstar Will Ospreay has candidly opened up about his mental health struggles and how he deals with toxicity on social media.
The New Japan Pro Wrestling star will be performing at London’s Copper Box on Saturday (October 14) when he takes on fellow UK favourite Zack Sabre Jr, and he admitted big matches are usually the most difficult to deal with in his head.
He exclusively told Metro.co.uk: ‘I used to be such in such a horrible, dark place where me and my head just didn’t get along. Sometimes it creeps in, especially big matches.
‘The Tokyo mach with Kenny [Omega], I can’t tell you enough how much doubt creeped into my mind with that. I get mad anxiety when I wrestle guys like Kenny.’
When it comes to this weekend’s match with Zack, he’s excited to be in the ring with someone he’s always felt a bond with on their respective rises to showcasing British wrestling in Japan.
‘I’ve always looked up to him him a weird way, we’ve had this incredibly friendly rivalry that’s stretched across England, America and Japan and it’s scary to say that he’s gotten even better,’ Will said.
‘He’s put on weight, he’s now a real life heavyweight style wrestler, but he hasn’t lost any of his fluidity or flexibility as a performer. But, I don’t think there’s anybody in the world that can compete with me right now.’
For all the bravado as a performer, life in the public eye can be difficult, and Will admitted he has been subjected to death wishes from people on social media.
‘As long as no one interferes with my love of professional wrestling and the income for my family, we ain’t got a problem,’ he insisted.
‘You can boo, you can cheer, you can do whatever you want, you can tweet, you can wish death upon me. No one wishes death upon me more than me, trust me on that!’
He suggested no one is really prepared for having access to people’s opinions on such forums, but part of his own mental health journey has been some level of acceptance.
‘It’s difficult at first, but I guess half of it is whether you care that much about people’s opinion on you anymore,’ he said. ‘I got numb to it all, “I can’t make everyone liked me!” That’s absolutely fine – if you don’t like me, that’s cool, I don’t like you either!’
Family life has had a big influence on the current IWGP United States/United Kingdom Heavyweight Champion, and with his partner and young child helping him ‘mature’.
‘I’m a parent now, my kid goes to school, I’m with a wonderful girl. They motivate so much and it is literally the most rewarding thing that I’ve ever done in my entire life,’ he smiled.
That influence extends to his in-ring work too, as he adapts to find a style that suits him after building up a reputation as an innovative and risk-taking high flyer.
‘I’ve taken away the stuff that I would find too risky, especially for my body, because the injuries have piled up,’ he said, explaining his transition to a ‘more strike based offence’.
He added: ‘It seems to have worked for me, because I feel like I’ve entered that conversation of the best five wrestlers in the world right now.’
Family makes it harder being away from home, and that feeds into his mental health struggles when he’s in Japan while his loved ones are in London, where he has bought a home.
‘My mental health, my depression, my anxiety are huge factors into my performance – especially when you’re away from your family, and you’re left in the hotel rooms,’ he admitted.
Having the support of his loved ones is a lifesaver for Will, who admitted he has started to overcome his ‘demons’ as he’s grown in the public eye.
‘The most important thing for me is my family, and as long as that’s all good, my demons don’t really creep in anymore,’ he said. ‘I’ve found a real big balance.’
The 30-year-old star has been candid about his battle with depression and anxiety for a long time now, and he urged anyone in a similar state to ‘find something to get you out of bed’.
‘You gotta keep moving forward. If you don’t, you’re just gonna sit in that pit of sadness, and that’s when it creeps in,’ he said. ‘Go out, keep walking, keep doing what you’re doing. The moment you sit still, that’s when you’re done.’
For Will, his family and professional wrestling are that boost, while he’s excited to be in there with Zack with a healthy amount of pressure on their shoulders.
‘It’s now a huge responsibility to get New Japan back to where it was before covid hit,’ he said. ‘This is about promoting New Japan on a global stage, and there’s no better two wrestlers to main event.’
NJPW presents Royal Quest III at the Copper Box Arena on October 14. Click here for more details.
Need support?
For emotional support you can call the Samaritans 24-hour helpline on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org, visit a Samaritans branch in person or go to the Samaritans website.
If you're a young person, or concerned about a young person, you can also contact PAPYRUS Prevention of Young Suicide UK. Their HOPELINK digital support platform is open 24/7, or you can call 0800 068 4141, text 07860039967 or email: pat@papyrus-uk.org between the hours of 9am and midnight.
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