Ryan Smile is a star of the UK independent wrestling scene, competing for companies all over the country and creating a reputation as one of the best high flyers in the British Isles. Born in 1989 and debuting as a professional wrestler in 2006, he was still in the relatively early stages of what promises to be an exciting and eventful career when he announced at the beginning of the year that he intends to step away from active competition at the end of 2015. This may or may not be a permanent move and is for a combination of reasons, but will mainly free up Smile's time to concentrate on his other talents and career as a designer. He is the owner and operator of Smile Designs Studios and Loudmouth Clothing, two companies where he utilises his impressive design skills in various media, and brands which are increasingly growing. While Smile Designs specialises in posters, DVD & Blu-Ray sleeves, promo pics and website designs etc, Loudmouth Clothing is a new brand where Smile is branching out into a brash but stylish fashion market. He is also the promoter of Pro Wrestling Kingdom, operating around Birmingham and the West Midlands, and is renowned for promoting successful and well-recieved shows which are suitable for the whole family and regularly showcase some of the UK's other amazing homegrown talents.
What made you want to become a wrestler & how did you find a training school?
I was always athletic and sporty as a child, I loved football and always played keeper for the school team. Inside however I spent a lot of time studying performing arts, and dance. When I was first introduced to wrestling I realised this was a great combination of sports, athleticism and performance, and was sucked in. I sourced a training school online which was actually across the road from my school.
How can an aspiring student differentiate between what will be a good school and what would be a waste of their time and money?
Always look for reputable owners/trainers. For example someone like Johnny Moss is a no brainer, as he has wrestled all over, and has so many years and matches under his belt, his wealth of knowledge speaks for itself. However don't assume that if the person isn't known, they don't know their stuff. My advice would be to ask around, post a status and you'll find (British Wrestling is good for this) that everyone will gravitate to help, and it's always good advice/recommendations 90% of the time. There are so many great schools and training facilities around, just like with anything, you gotta research and find the right one.
How did it feel to walk out in front of a crowd for the first time, and how long before your confidence grew to a point of feeling comfortable in front of an audience?
That feeling when your music hits (and all of a sudden you feel like you need to piss haha) is quite uncomparable to anything else, for me anyways. I love the buzz of a crowd, and was a very confident person from a young age. However that being said it took me at least 2 years to be completely comfortable and confident in front of a crowd.
Which British wrestlers do you feel have made the biggest impact on the sport (either from World Of Sport, or those who have gained international fame)?
I think if we're talking UK and Ireland, like our 'island' if you will, Fergal Devitt, Sheamus to name just a couple, I mean a lot of UK and Irish talent have gone places but I guess if you're talking about impact and exposure screen wise It would be Sheamus non? - However all around, I think Fergal has done some great stuff. I'd also throw Zack Sabre Jr in there too. Doug Williams is another guy who carried our flag well during his time in the states, although he is back on English soil now.
What has British wrestling contributed to the wider wrestling world?
Variety...........spice!! - Anyone can make a chicken breast edible, but UK talent, especially in the upper tier of talent, know how to spice their meat so well, so to speak. I think we have great variety, we offer a varied and more eclectic approach, and as you've seen from so many people who have made their craft a living overseas no matter where it is, UK talent adapt well, I'm not 100% sure why that is, but we (they, us) do.
Do you think that British wrestling could ever be a strong territory like Japan and Mexico again, and get back to the level of the old World Of Sport Days?
Unfortunately not, we do not have enough exposure at current in this country for that. That's not to say NEVER, but with so much competition here and all over the world, you look at what dominated the mainstream now and way back in the WOS days, it wasn't so difficult. Albeit probably far off from happening, I'd love to see it happen, as we have so much to give to wrestling fans all over the world,
I had first seen Smile work at a Pro Wrestling Pride event, where he stole the show and brought the crowd to its feet several times. Shortly after the event, Ryan made some comments about Depression and suicide via social media in response to criticisms of Robin Williams' recent death. His openness and honesty gave me a whole new level of respect for him & it inspired me to share my story via a blog entry (which was later shared by several Depression-related pages and sites). The piece recieved some favourable responses and I was encouraged to do a follow-up piece about depression within the wrestling industry, so it only seemed natural to contact Ryan Smile to do an interview to help with the follow-up. This was the primary reason for first conducting this interview back in August 201, and Ryan's openness and honesty on the subject was impressive and touching.
How long have you suffered from depression, and how long did you struggle before seeking help?
I've suffered with depression since the age of 15, and 10 years later I'm still a sufferer of depression. Sometimes it's worse than others, but my childhood has played a major part on why I' still not completely over the illness. I sought help many times, took me till I was 19 to realise I was severely depressed and I did seek help. However I am completely straight edge and that includes prescription drugs (if i'm hospitalized and have to take something, I will, granted) so I have to find other mediums to control my anxiety and depression, and I have some techniques I employ for that.
Do you feel that as a male, and especially being in the business, made it harder to accept or talk about depression openly?
I was never open about depression until maybe 3 years ago when I was 22. I realised after I attempted to take my own life, that I was low, I cried daily, I struggled to eat, lost weight, I was in a bad place, and I've never called out for help, no matter how weak, but whenever I saw someone debating the illness of depression, It gave me an unbelievable strength, and I would always fight the nay sayers and skeptics, who clearly haven't come across hard enough time to understand, and I hope they don't. I'd never wish half of my life on my worst enemy. I've suffered a lot.
Has being in the wrestling business helped you to combat depression?
Being in wrestling in my honest and frank opinion hasn't helped with my depression at all, I guess having a few colleagues who have sent me great words of encouragement could go down as help, right? But wrestling in general actually sometimes has made it worse. There's a very dark room at the back of the spectacle that is Professional Wrestling, and sometimes you end up in there, and it isn't great. I nearly died from Septacemia when I was 20, which I actually caught when I accidentally cut my finger putting a ring up. It got infected and I was hospitalized, so in that case that was NOT a helping hand at all hahah ( I can laugh about it now, as I am completely over that).
What steps do you take when you experience the triggers of your depression to ensure it doesn't get out of hand?
Unfortunately I'm never really aware that I'm having a downer, until it blocks my hip toss and clotheslines me haha. My clouds creep up on my pretty quickly, and some morning I just wake up not feeling as great as I did when I went to sleep. It may graduate and get worse, or die out, depends.
What advice would you give to people, both in and outside the business who are struggling with depression?
Get help, talk to people, don't be ashamed and tackle your demons. Some of us like myself have suffered great tragedy in our lives that means we cannot get over the illness, if EVER, however for most people, if you accept and tackle it with all the great support out there, you will find that there is always a sun in the sky, and happiness can be the most beautiful thing ever.
I feel like a hypocrite writing this as, as I do write it, my eyes are sore and puffy as I woke up in tears this morning and I am currently having a bad turn, however it goes to show that sometimes talking about your experience can help.
Don't fear the dark, because there's always a light........somewhere. You just got to find the switch.
What made you want to become a wrestler & how did you find a training school?
I was always athletic and sporty as a child, I loved football and always played keeper for the school team. Inside however I spent a lot of time studying performing arts, and dance. When I was first introduced to wrestling I realised this was a great combination of sports, athleticism and performance, and was sucked in. I sourced a training school online which was actually across the road from my school.
How can an aspiring student differentiate between what will be a good school and what would be a waste of their time and money?
Always look for reputable owners/trainers. For example someone like Johnny Moss is a no brainer, as he has wrestled all over, and has so many years and matches under his belt, his wealth of knowledge speaks for itself. However don't assume that if the person isn't known, they don't know their stuff. My advice would be to ask around, post a status and you'll find (British Wrestling is good for this) that everyone will gravitate to help, and it's always good advice/recommendations 90% of the time. There are so many great schools and training facilities around, just like with anything, you gotta research and find the right one.
How did it feel to walk out in front of a crowd for the first time, and how long before your confidence grew to a point of feeling comfortable in front of an audience?
That feeling when your music hits (and all of a sudden you feel like you need to piss haha) is quite uncomparable to anything else, for me anyways. I love the buzz of a crowd, and was a very confident person from a young age. However that being said it took me at least 2 years to be completely comfortable and confident in front of a crowd.
Which British wrestlers do you feel have made the biggest impact on the sport (either from World Of Sport, or those who have gained international fame)?
I think if we're talking UK and Ireland, like our 'island' if you will, Fergal Devitt, Sheamus to name just a couple, I mean a lot of UK and Irish talent have gone places but I guess if you're talking about impact and exposure screen wise It would be Sheamus non? - However all around, I think Fergal has done some great stuff. I'd also throw Zack Sabre Jr in there too. Doug Williams is another guy who carried our flag well during his time in the states, although he is back on English soil now.
What has British wrestling contributed to the wider wrestling world?
Variety...........spice!! - Anyone can make a chicken breast edible, but UK talent, especially in the upper tier of talent, know how to spice their meat so well, so to speak. I think we have great variety, we offer a varied and more eclectic approach, and as you've seen from so many people who have made their craft a living overseas no matter where it is, UK talent adapt well, I'm not 100% sure why that is, but we (they, us) do.
Do you think that British wrestling could ever be a strong territory like Japan and Mexico again, and get back to the level of the old World Of Sport Days?
Unfortunately not, we do not have enough exposure at current in this country for that. That's not to say NEVER, but with so much competition here and all over the world, you look at what dominated the mainstream now and way back in the WOS days, it wasn't so difficult. Albeit probably far off from happening, I'd love to see it happen, as we have so much to give to wrestling fans all over the world,
I had first seen Smile work at a Pro Wrestling Pride event, where he stole the show and brought the crowd to its feet several times. Shortly after the event, Ryan made some comments about Depression and suicide via social media in response to criticisms of Robin Williams' recent death. His openness and honesty gave me a whole new level of respect for him & it inspired me to share my story via a blog entry (which was later shared by several Depression-related pages and sites). The piece recieved some favourable responses and I was encouraged to do a follow-up piece about depression within the wrestling industry, so it only seemed natural to contact Ryan Smile to do an interview to help with the follow-up. This was the primary reason for first conducting this interview back in August 201, and Ryan's openness and honesty on the subject was impressive and touching.
How long have you suffered from depression, and how long did you struggle before seeking help?
I've suffered with depression since the age of 15, and 10 years later I'm still a sufferer of depression. Sometimes it's worse than others, but my childhood has played a major part on why I' still not completely over the illness. I sought help many times, took me till I was 19 to realise I was severely depressed and I did seek help. However I am completely straight edge and that includes prescription drugs (if i'm hospitalized and have to take something, I will, granted) so I have to find other mediums to control my anxiety and depression, and I have some techniques I employ for that.
Do you feel that as a male, and especially being in the business, made it harder to accept or talk about depression openly?
I was never open about depression until maybe 3 years ago when I was 22. I realised after I attempted to take my own life, that I was low, I cried daily, I struggled to eat, lost weight, I was in a bad place, and I've never called out for help, no matter how weak, but whenever I saw someone debating the illness of depression, It gave me an unbelievable strength, and I would always fight the nay sayers and skeptics, who clearly haven't come across hard enough time to understand, and I hope they don't. I'd never wish half of my life on my worst enemy. I've suffered a lot.
Has being in the wrestling business helped you to combat depression?
Being in wrestling in my honest and frank opinion hasn't helped with my depression at all, I guess having a few colleagues who have sent me great words of encouragement could go down as help, right? But wrestling in general actually sometimes has made it worse. There's a very dark room at the back of the spectacle that is Professional Wrestling, and sometimes you end up in there, and it isn't great. I nearly died from Septacemia when I was 20, which I actually caught when I accidentally cut my finger putting a ring up. It got infected and I was hospitalized, so in that case that was NOT a helping hand at all hahah ( I can laugh about it now, as I am completely over that).
What steps do you take when you experience the triggers of your depression to ensure it doesn't get out of hand?
Unfortunately I'm never really aware that I'm having a downer, until it blocks my hip toss and clotheslines me haha. My clouds creep up on my pretty quickly, and some morning I just wake up not feeling as great as I did when I went to sleep. It may graduate and get worse, or die out, depends.
What advice would you give to people, both in and outside the business who are struggling with depression?
Get help, talk to people, don't be ashamed and tackle your demons. Some of us like myself have suffered great tragedy in our lives that means we cannot get over the illness, if EVER, however for most people, if you accept and tackle it with all the great support out there, you will find that there is always a sun in the sky, and happiness can be the most beautiful thing ever.
I feel like a hypocrite writing this as, as I do write it, my eyes are sore and puffy as I woke up in tears this morning and I am currently having a bad turn, however it goes to show that sometimes talking about your experience can help.
Don't fear the dark, because there's always a light........somewhere. You just got to find the switch.
Ryan Smile will certainly be missed when he steps away from in-ring competition at the end of this year. For anyone who has not seen him work in person, it is strongly recommended at any show you can find. For those who have seen Ryan perform, you will need no further encouragement. As the window starts to close on your opportunity either way, make sure you get to a show as soon as possible to make the most of one of our brightest homegrown talents while you still can. Smile's stamp on the industry will not be removed completely, as he has promised anxious fans that Pro Wrestling Kingdom will not be going anywhere and his design work will still be seen on show posters, promo pics, DVD & Blu-Ray sleeves etc for companies around the country. Even so, his performances and presence on the road will be missed by fans and his peers alike as he is not only beloved by the people who pay to watch him, but also respected and popular amongst his peers. I am sure the fans and the industry as a whole, while selfishly missing his work between the ropes, will wish him all the best as he fully explores the other options available to him by utilising his other talents.
To find out more about Ryan Smile & Pro Wrestling Kingdom, please visit the links below:
Visit Ryan Smile's official website, like his Facebook page or follow him on Twitter (@ADSRyanSmile) and subscribe to his YouTube Channel.
Please also check out Pro Wrestling Kingdom's official website, as well as their Facebook page or follow them on Twitter (@PWKingdom).
Visit Ryan Smile's official website, like his Facebook page or follow him on Twitter (@ADSRyanSmile) and subscribe to his YouTube Channel.
Please also check out Pro Wrestling Kingdom's official website, as well as their Facebook page or follow them on Twitter (@PWKingdom).
Ryan Smile's design work can also be found online at Loudmouth Clothing's website and Facebook Page, as well as the Smile Designs Studio Facebook Page.
Massive thanks again to Ryan for his openness and honesty. My hope is that this interview and the articles I have written on the subject of Depression can raise some awareness both inside and outside of the industry and/or can offer a little bit of hope to anyone who may be struggling.
(All photos used here are courtesy of Darren Potts - please see his other work and contact him via his Facebook account here)
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