We were lucky to catch up with Jake Omen recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Jake , thanks for joining us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.
My entire career has been taking risks, ranging from inconsequential to life-endangering. I started my journey as a professional wrestler at 17 years old, jumping into the ring with fully-grown, bitter, and dangerous individuals, trusting them with my body and trying to not to let them warp my mind. After ten years of grinding away throughout the United States, my biggest risk came with the unexpected opportunity to fly half-way around the world to Japan, to essentially start over, with a group of much more dangerous and serious human beings than I had encountered in my life up to that point.
My mentor had been trying his best for years to prepare me both mentally and physically in case this chance ever came to be. Even during that time, he let me know that no matter how much pain I endured physically and no matter how much I had to sacrifice and suffer mentally, that the reality would be far worse. He was correct.
February 1, 2016, my chance finally came. After 22 hours travel, I arrived in Tokyo and stepped into another world entirely. I endured new levels of physical and mental testing over the next month. I did bodyweight squats for upwards of 90 minutes with zero breaks. Sometimes immediately following squats, with legs so numb I could have sworn they fell off, I would get thrown into the ring to tango with some of the most dangerous martial artists and grapplers in the game. They would twist and torture the new guys for as long as they found entertaining. This was made worse by the fact that I tore the labrum in my right shoulder half way through the trip, but said nothing and worked through the pain for the remainder of my stay.. Our day revolved primarily around our two workouts, usually totaling five hours with the only off days being the several days during the month that we held live events, where I would be assigned ring crew duty, if I was allowed to go to the show.
Despite the physical challenges, the mental challenges also mounted quickly as I had been warned. My dirty, basement accommodations left a bit to be desired and my lack of cell service and building wi-fi prevented most communication with friends and family back home. The wrestlers also living in the same dojo had their dorm rooms two floors above mine, but none of those wrestlers were allowed or encouraged to talk to us. We were to be essentially isolated and ignored until we earned the respect of the company. The Japanese people in general are polite, however it doesn’t mean they feel like trying to go out of their way to make friends with or communicate with strangers, let alone large tattooed ones like myself. This month seemed like a year.
My tryout month passed, and I returned home, unsure of my stance with the company. Six weeks later, the powers that be contacted me to offer me a contract and return to Japan as soon as possible. Thrilled, I accepted without asking too many follow-up questions. A few months later, I re-entered Japan and the WRESTLE-1 Dojo. I was welcomed with smiles and open arms. It was not long before I felt at home and a part of a very special and elite team. I passed the tests with flying colors. I made dear friends and was given the opportunity to learn from some of the best. I got the opportunity to perform in the legendary Korakuen Hall, one of the world’s most historic venues, as well as regularly on nationwide television.
A good part of my next year and a half was spent in Japan, building my repertoire, my physique, and my resume. I was able to be recognized as one of the top professionals in our unique sport/art. My work in Japan led to tryouts with the biggest professional wrestling companies in the world and set the stage for my successes following. In the years since, I have been able to travel the world as both a wrestler and a coach, recently hitting my 34th country. I have also been able to open my own wrestling school near Indianapolis, Indiana, where I can help aspiring young wrestlers learn the craft and pass along the knowledge I have accumulated.
I’ve taken a great many risks, but none bigger than the risk to travel to Japan to try to earn that specific job in 2016. Despite how scared I was, or how broke I was, I knew it was something I had to do. I worked more double shifts and donated more plasma than I ever wanted to just to get the plane ticket. During the month I waited anxiously for the other guys to turn in for the night so I could go get a few scoops of the company protein and a few bowls of rice, hoping that the young guys had made more food than the veterans could eat for the day. At night I felt both accomplished and exhausted as I fell onto my thin, uncomfortable bed and in the morning I would grit my teeth as I rolled off of bed and had to fire up my absolutely obliterated leg muscles, ready to do it all over again. Nowadays, I look back fondly at that time and that decision, knowing that it shaped me into the person I am today and changed my entire outlook on life.
Jake , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I am Jake Omen, an American professional wrestler and coach. Beyond that, I am a storyteller, writer, and world traveler, relaying stories of humanity, ranging from hilarious to heartbreaking. I have worked nonstop for 20 years in most facets of my business and been fortunate enough to visit 34 countries so far as a result. My knowledge of, and ability to work with and through cultural and language barriers has provided me a unique outlook and skill set.
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
“Get in the Van” by Henry Rollins has shaped me more than any other writings I have read in my life. The story of a tumultuous five year run as the singer in the legendary punk rock band Black Flag, Henry details his journey of taking crazy risks and working like hell towards seemingly unknown goals inspired me as a youth, and still to this day. He jumped into a van with strangers, ended up all over the world and had his eyes opened and scope widened to an insane perspective. I never wanted to stay in my home town, seemingly living under a rock as I had seen so many from small Midwest towns do. I wanted a real understanding of humans all over the world.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
I want to travel to every country and meet people of every culture, I want to try their coffee. I want to ask them about their priorities and insecurities, their fears and their faith. I want confirmation that we are all generally very similar, loving and empathetic, resilient and brave. Then I want to continue spreading that word to the people that have not had the same opportunity to meet all those people, and change their minds if their viewpoints would infringe on the happiness and safety of other humans.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jakeafterdark.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jakeomen2012/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jakeomen2012
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jakeomen2012
Image Credits
Daniel Tijerina, Pete Senefeld, WRESTLE-1