‘My autism superpower helped me become the best wrestler in the world’

Will Ospreay has described his autism as a superpower which helped him become one of the best professional wrestlers in the world.

The Essex-born British wrestling standout, who turned down an offer from WWE earlier this year to instead sign for rivals AEW, has been open about his journey, as well as his lifelong struggles with ADHD and dyslexia.

Discussing life as an autistic wrestler, Ospreay exclusively told Metro.co.uk: ‘I feel like it’s excelled my abilities to the point where I do think I’m at a superhero level, super genius level of pro wrestling now.’

The 31-year-old star, who is set to take to the squared circle at Wembley Stadium for the second year in a row when AEW returns with All In London next month, admitted there’s no easy answer.

‘But I honestly don’t know. The truth is, I take every single day as it comes,’ he explained.

He added: ‘I do feel like this has helped me out so much because it helped me dive into something that I genuinely love, and I think about constantly and I want everyone else to feel the same love that I feel.’

While Ospreay’s candour about his life and struggles is inspiring to fans around the world, he admitted he has never strived to be ‘any type of role model’, and doesn’t really feel like he’s having that impact.

He added: ‘But in the same way, I do understand when people see someone and go, “I’ve got the same thing as you do and you’re on this stage”.

‘So like I do get it. And like, the goal was never gonna be an electrician or a good one anyway, I’ve blown up about four or five kitchens. [laughs] But like I was just obsessed and like I had like a fixation on wrestling.

‘If anyone is struggling with that and is struggling to find their joy and their happiness, because they feel like this is holding you back – don’t let it hold you back. Look straight ahead at where you want to get to and then you’ll find a way of getting there.’

Of course, it’s not always easy for the current AEW International Champion, who gets nervous cutting promos on live television – or even giving interviews to journalists – as a result of his ADHD and dyslexia.

‘Even talking to you, I hear myself messing up parts of my speech pattern. And that’s because with my dyslexia, I struggle – and my ADHD, I think ahead to what I want to say, like my brain is running too quick that my mouth can’t keep up,’ he said.

‘It’s just something that it’s always been a part of me. But I feel like I’m getting all right, because I’m studying and I’m writing down lines and I do my best with it. But I’m still nervous doing it,’ he admitted.

‘Still, I don’t feel 100% confident but maybe not feeling confident and showing that vulnerability is the thing that people are enjoying the most.’

Despite those tough moments, including mental health struggles over the years, Ospreay is in a much better place in his personal life as he focuses on being a partner and parent, and he’s grateful for who he’s become in and out of the ring.

‘It’s been a rough road. But in the end, now, I have been on the other side of it,’ he said. ‘Like, you can’t see it when you’re in it. But that was the moment that you’re out of it. You’re like, so proud of yourself for sticking with it.

‘And just accepting that this is who you are – this is you, and this is not wrong. It’s not bad, it’s just this is you. And if you can harness this and use it for your advantage, then you’re going to become something big one day.’

Ospreay is already highly regarded as one of the best wrestlers in the world, but he has a different idea about how he’d like to be remembered.

‘I just want to know that like I gave everything I had, I didn’t want to leave anything on the table,’ he pondered.

‘Did I do the best that I could have done on every match, on every promo, on every time being a dad. Or backstage, was I the best to my coaches, was I a good person to talk to.

Like, people can say I was an idiot but at the very least I’d like for people to say,”But he has a good heart.”‘

AEW All In London 2024 heads to Wembley Stadium on August 25. For tickets, head here.

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