One of Britain's top wrestling stars has opened up about a humiliating early career moment that left her wanting to disappear from the sport forever.
From Mortifying Start to AEW Stardom
Alex Windsor, now a standout performer in All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and engaged to former world champion Will Ospreay, spoke exclusively to Metro.co.uk ahead of AEW's double-taping at Manchester's Co-op Live arena on December 17. She reflected on a particularly low point from her time on the UK independent circuit around 2012.
The 32-year-old recounted being booked for three matches on a single show with minimal time to prepare. 'We went into the second match thinking, "I don't really know what I'm doing, but we're here now. We haven't got a choice,"' Windsor admitted. The bout was plagued with errors, culminating in a moment where she was badly winded. 'I just remember lying there thinking, "I've had enough of this."'
As she rolled out of the ring to recover, her thoughts turned to escape. 'There was a part of me that thought, "I just want to crawl behind the curtain and never be seen again." I must have just erased the rest of it from my memory,' she said.
An Unconventional Path to the Ring
Windsor's journey into professional wrestling is notably unconventional. Unlike most of her peers, she did not grow up as a fan. 'I never watched wrestling before I started. I knew who Hulk Hogan was, and that was it,' she revealed. Her entry point was the unique blend of sport and drama, which appealed to her artistic side.
She trained with the renowned Knight family, which includes former WWE and AEW star Saraya (fka Paige), and described the experience as tough but formative. 'It's part of who I am now. Everyone starts somewhere, and that's where I started.'
Her perseverance paid off. Windsor honed her craft in Japan and built an impressive resume, becoming a former Pro-Wrestling: EVE Champion, Rev-Pro Undisputed British Women's Champion, and Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling International Princess Champion.
Thriving in AEW and Supporting Ospreay's Recovery
Signing with AEW earlier this year and performing at London's O2 Arena in August was a 'dream come true' for Windsor. 'I feel like I have been thrown in at the deep end. But sometimes that's better because I'm learning everything as I go,' she said.
Her personal life is intertwined with her professional one through her fiancé, Will Ospreay, one of AEW's biggest stars. Ospreay underwent neck surgery in August, just as Windsor was joining the company full-time. Windsor provided a positive update on his recovery: 'Of course, it has been a struggle for him, but he's doing so well. He's absolutely smashing it. I personally think he'll be back better than ever.'
Interestingly, Windsor confessed she feels more anxiety watching Ospreay perform his high-risk style than she does about her own in-ring safety. 'I can't ask him to maybe do something a bit less crazy. I just have to say, "Well, I hope you'd be all right afterwards."'
In AEW, she is seizing opportunities to learn from veterans like Mercedes Mone (formerly Sasha Banks in WWE), praising her willingness to help others. Windsor also highlighted the collaborative spirit in wrestling, citing WWE's Bayley hosting seminars for aspiring talent.
As AEW prepares for its historic first show in Manchester, Alex Windsor urges fans not to miss the chance to see a blend of established stars and future talent live. 'You never know what you might see,' she teased.
