Will Ospreay is arguably one of the best wrestlers in world along side the likes of Kazuchica Okada, Shingo Tagaki, Kenny Omega and maybe a few others. He is the current Rev Pro UK Undisputed British Heavyweight, the self proclaimed real IWGP World Heavyweight Champion after not being defeated and most recently he won the Warrior Wrestling Championship.
Whilst he has become a world wide star, back in the UK he had taken a young British wrestler Callum Newman under his wings. Callum (19) has since become known as the Protege of Will Ospreay, recently many with the industry having started to compare the young star to his mentor.
Callum has become one of the fastest rising, highest flying stars of the UK scene in 2021, competing for promotions such as Rev Pro UK, British Wrestling Revolution and Fight Nation Wrestling. Callum has started to put together a list of opponents that reads like a who’s who in British Wrestling including Ricky Knight Jr, Chris Ridgeway, Robbie X, and international stars such as Shota Umino as well as his mentor Will Ospreay.
Recently Callum Newman was a guest on the Tea & Tights: A Great British Podcast for one of their Brit Wres Specials. Speaking with Andy More and Daniel Allen of the Tea & Tights Podcast, Newman exclusively discussed how he became Ospreay’s Protege and what it has been like to be compared to one of the best wrestlers in the world.
Callum Newman on how he became Will Ospreay’s Protege;
It was Weird at first because like, I met him (Will) the first time when I was 15 at a Seminar and we were just doing silly moves at that and he kept calling me Eddie Guererro and then I was at another training school, it was me and another guy (Nino Bryant) he kept calling us Eddie and Rey Mysterio because the other guy was quite short and I was at another training school and he messaged my dad “Get Callum to the London School Lucha Libre” I was like 16 and I was like 16 and I was know this person here, I know this person here messaged the guy running it okay you can turn up but you have to have your parents there in case anything goes wrong because Lucha was an over 18 kinda school, and he was like you know these people here so they kinda vouch for you but you need to get written thing from your parents to say that it’s okay to train you and they have to be their to make sue you’re alright and then Will turned up and then from there it was when we started doing the whole training thing and then after that I just started doing his moves I was doing them all anyway but then after a while I started get good with Will teaching me so then I started doing Oz Cutters and trying Robinson Specials and all that kind of stuff and then everyone was like “he is the next Will Ospreay” and the first match I had without a mask my trainer Greg Burridge was ring announcing and he went “He’s the Next Will Ospreay” and then since then everyone’s been like he’s Callum”
Callum Newman on the Tea & Tights: A Great British Wrestling Podcast 26/12/21
Callum discussing a recent match against Will Ospreay and Aussie Open at a Rev Pro UK Show, where the crowd started to chant at Will Ospreay that he was a **** Callum Neman;
He started the match like “look here’s my trainee come over here and we’ll turn into a 4 on 2 handicap come on and as I turned he’s like I’m Will Ospreay come here at that’s how the match started and then like half way through I was speaking to Robbie on the apron and all I hear is “You’re Just a Shit Callum Newman” and then just looking at Will’s face and I’m creasing (laughing) on the apron giving him the fingers the lot and just the looking in his eyes and thinking like you’re going to be Mad at me, I heard apparently they did it again in main event York Hall against Shota Umino.
Callum Newman on the Tea & Tights: A Great British Wrestling Podcast 26/12/21
Callum Newman on Will Ospreay and others telling him that at a comparative age Newman would be ahead of him;
“When he first told me it ages and ages ago when we were training I was really confused by it like what does that mean because I am dumb to most things and usually zone out quite a lot I just didn’t have a clue what he meant and then he said it again a little while ago and I was like Jesus and then everyone else heard it and then everyone was like are you going to pass Will or are you going to get at his level I don’t know I just want to do flips right now and I’m happy not focussing on the future, I don’t really focus on loads of stuff like being big in the future because everyone is like are your going to go to Japan or the WWE and main event or this, that and the other but I’m just really happy main eventing a show here right now but when Will says that everyone says it in my head am I really better than Will at this stage. but then I kinda bring myself back down because I don’t want to start thinking like that and then just end up being shit I’m like that’s not going to help me or anyone.
Callum Newman on the Tea & Tights: A Great British Wrestling Podcast 26/12/21
Despite all the plaudits from people within the British wrestling scene comparing him to one of the best wrestlers in the world he still remains grounded. Newman is just living in the moment for now enjoying doing flips and competing for some of the best promotions in the UK and Europe against some of the best wrestlers the independent scene has to offer. He doesn’t spend much time contemplating the future whether he ends up in Europe, Japan or the United states he just wants to do things one step at time and is not wanting to put to much pressure on himself.
Newman is due to compete at Rev Pro UK’s Seasons Beatings on the 27th of December teaming with JJ Gale against Sunshine Machine, he is scheduled to be part of RCWA’s united show where he will challenge Warren Banks for the RCWA Championship. He is also due to compete at Triumph Pro Wrestling’s Cruise Control show on the 12th February.
You can follow the Tea and Tights team on Twitter Andy @GBOtaku82 and Dan on @BigDaddyDanTT as well as Tea and Tights page @TeaandTightsPod
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