SHOOT PRO WRESTLING BIO ESSAY

I remember Hulk Hogan and the passion he showed in the ring. I remember the addicting sounds of tables breaking and the excitement of Mankind’s undying will to continue. I remember how the Rock inspired me & used to make me laugh or how I used to cringe in fear when the Undertaker would make his way down the ramp. I could never get enough of this.

Ever since I could remember wrestling has always been a part of my life. I was always aware of its existence. Hogan vs Goldberg was the oldest match I could remember & I believe I was 4 years old sitting down on my best friend James’ couch in Kansas City. When I was a kid, wrestling was huge and all the older kids (& adults) were watching it so it was a “cool” thing. Every kid wants to be cool. My father was a huge UFC fan and would rent the tapes & watch them with me every chance he got. His favorite was Ken Shamrock, a true badass gappler. Back then wrestling was very mainstream & when Ken Shamrock debuted in WWF it was a big deal (especially to my father) because in his mind, a real fighter was going to kick all these asses in the WWF. I remember a promo about Shamrock & The Rock at king of the ring in a hotel room with my father and Rocky automatically caught my attention. He was different than everyone else. He had charisma and his energy was through the roof. There was nothing like a Rocky comeback to me. At that moment in my life, I was completely hooked and a faithful weekly fan. I would only play with wrestlers (that’s it), I would spend my money on wrestling toys, ice creams, cassette tapes (to record shows and watch them over & over again). I even made wrestling board games & trading cards. I was obsessed.

When I was 8, my mother bought me a VHS tape about the feud between the Hardys, Dudley’s, & Edge/Christian. That video inspired me to a great degree. I remember being in awe when Jeff Hardy jumped off a huge ladder high above the ground into a table & it made me feel something I never felt before. When I was a kid (like many of us fans) people would always tease me about how wrestling is fake, asking me why I would bother watching it (etc). My family even hoped I would grow out of it sooner or later but at that moment, a seed was planted in my heart. I thought to myself, “man, if I could just make people feel the way I feel right now, they would understand why I love this so much”. It was then when I decided what I wanted to be in my lifetime; a professional wrestler.

Now throughout my adolescence the passion inside me never died, it just was on hold. My father always wanted me to be a fighter since I was a young boy. He had me in boxing at 11 & when I turned 14, I joined Selva Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu & made my high school wrestling team as well. I trained very hard and despite being a juvenile in my teens (switching 3 different schools) I finally settled, got my act together at San Gabriel High (jr yr) and instantly became a leader & my sr year became the captain of my wrestling team. After high school I continued BJJ winning an American National medal & also winning a Bronze medal at IBJJF Worlds in 2011 (Being the youngest & smallest in my division). Now, for the sake of peace I won’t mention why I left my home team at Selva, but I will openly admit it was my fault because I was a dumb kid who felt like he deserved more when he had every thing. In the process of switching gyms to train elsewhere, I took the initiative to try new occupations. It was never my intent to stop, but life sometimes take you in different directions (we all know this)

In 2009, I went to Summer-Slam at the staples center and after the show I was handed a flyer for Santino Bro’s Wrestling. The title said “Keep the dream alive” which caught my attention & is why I kept it for 3 years. I knew if I didn’t try it at some point in my life I would regret it forever but at that time was overwhelmed with other priorities. Now don’t get me wrong I really enjoyed bjj and amateur wrestling but when I look back now, I believe I did all that and worked as hard as I did to make my father proud of me because I felt like I failed being a good son. I remember being unsatisfied and unhappy with my life choices.

It was Wrestlemania 28 & I went to go visit my best friend in Kansas City (James) to watch John Cena wrestle our favorite wrestler & childhood hero THE ROCK. That night was so incredible for us, that we vowed to eachother that we will become pro wrestlers that year! I procrastinated for a few months but eventually found the old flyer and was lucky enough to have the bus stop in front of my house drop me off right in front of the dojo (it was almost like God made it easy for me). So one day after work at age 19 in October 2012, I biked to the facility and immediately saw Robby Phoenix & Hoss Hogg lingering outside. Robby told me I had to make an appointment (pretty much telling me to beat it). I mean I was a scrawny kid no more than 110 lbs 5’2 so I got it. But that didn’t stop me, I wasn’t going to allow them to reject me because of my size. I dealt with that my entire life & would be damned if I would let it stop me from fulfilling my dream. The following week I came back with all the money ready to go, my training gear & I was ready to start. Of course my cash was happily accepted and I was more than ready to start my journey.

Training in pro wrestling was the hardest thing I have ever done in my entire life. I’ve trained in multiple sports, martial arts with Olympians, at world class levels & nothing came close to the obstacles (mental and physical) I had to overcome to make it through the night or even become relevant in my trainers Joey & Robby’s eyes. From being the last remaining 4 of 12 in a beat down day, to 5 hour flyering days 3 times a week to helping out, paying my dues at showcases & even being disciplined for things I didnt do…I would never quit because I wanted it too bad. If hulk hogan came back after a broken leg, I would make sure they broke my neck and then I would possibly consider my options. but quitting never phased me, I knew what I loved and love is more than just a feeling, it’s a sacrifice & I was willing to sacrifice nearly everything I had in me. Whether it was financially or physically, I found a way & made it happen. I remember sleeping at the bus stop on Garfield because class ended too late, my phone died and I missed the last bus. But that’s the passion I had, I was willing to go the extra mile just to call myself a Santino.

The bonds I began develop with the guys I was training with was like nothing I had experienced before. We were more than just a team now, we became Santino Brothers. Unfortunately my best friend James never made his dream a reality as much as I bugged him about it, I figured out that pro wrestling isn’t for everyone. It breaks my heart knowing that we couldn’t be on our journey together but in the long run I would always have my Santino Brothers.

I debuted April 18th 2013 (6 months into training). I believe I was the quickest graduate in the schools history. I guess I just did everything right at the time; was honest, listened, said little & worked hard. One day Joey and Robby told me to take off my shirt and they scoped out my look. Told me to get gear and that I was debuting in a match with my training partner Nick (Ali Hussein) in 2 weeks who had just debut a week before. It was very short notice. I wore lightening basketball sleeves with these running tights I had bought & kickpads. ( I didn’t look too bad ) I remember coming up with names like “Levi Superfly” or “Flyboy” stupid names. It was without me knowing that I was given the name Eli Everfly which was advertised on the Facebook event page. At first I hated it, but I was respectful at the time and was grateful that they even considered having me wrestle so I kept my mouth shut.

The night finally came, I was finally performing for the show instead of laboring. I remember searching for hours on a suitable song and finally chose RockBox by Run DMC. When the music hit, I was so nervous, didn’t even know what I would do as far as entrance motions go. I stepped through the curtain, eyeballs lit, adrenaline flowing. I was moving faster than I could process. I stepped into the ring, jumped on the rope and did this random bow to the audience and the rest is history.

I love this business, I love the art, the people, the fans and especially my Santino Bro’s family. I’ve missed mothers days, fathers days, weddings, birthdays and more just to have the opportunity to do what I love and evolve. As a matter of a fact I’m missing my best friend James’ wedding in March because of my lifestyle. I love him & would love to meet his future wife, but honestly…I love wrestling more & I’m not ashamed to say it. This is my life, my passion & my dream. I’m living it, right now. It’s real & it’s happening. I would never have thought I would experience the things I have in the last 2-3 years. Being awarded rookie of the year (2013), wrestling on tv on 3 different networks, & meeting all these wonderful people. The long road trips traveling and the bonds that were made between one another will always have a place in my heart & is something I don’t think I could ever let go. I’ll never stop, never quit, never take no for an answer. One day when the dusk is settled and we all look back on our lives, I would like to look back and say I did what I loved and I shared it with the world as much as I could…and I believe I’m doing so. Thank you reading.

I remember Hulk Hogan and the passion he showed in the ring. I remember the addicting sounds of tables breaking and the excitement of Mankind’s undying will to continue. I remember how the Rock inspired me & used to make me laugh or how I used to cringe in fear when the Undertaker would make his way down the ramp. I could never get enough of this.

Ever since I could remember wrestling has always been a part of my life. I was always aware of its existence. Hogan vs Goldberg was the oldest match I could remember & I believe I was 4 years old sitting down on my best friend James’ couch in Kansas City. When I was a kid, wrestling was huge and all the older kids (& adults) were watching it so it was a “cool” thing. Every kid wants to be cool. My father was a huge UFC fan and would rent the tapes & watch them with me every chance he got. His favorite was Ken Shamrock, a true badass gappler. Back then wrestling was very mainstream & when Ken Shamrock debuted in WWF it was a big deal (especially to my father) because in his mind, a real fighter was going to kick all these asses in the WWF. I remember a promo about Shamrock & The Rock at king of the ring in a hotel room with my father and Rocky automatically caught my attention. He was different than everyone else. He had charisma and his energy was through the roof. There was nothing like a Rocky comeback to me. At that moment in my life, I was completely hooked and a faithful weekly fan. I would only play with wrestlers (that’s it), I would spend my money on wrestling toys, ice creams, cassette tapes (to record shows and watch them over & over again). I even made wrestling board games & trading cards. I was obsessed.

When I was 8, my mother bought me a VHS tape about the feud between the Hardys, Dudley’s, & Edge/Christian. That video inspired me to a great degree. I remember being in awe when Jeff Hardy jumped off a huge ladder high above the ground into a table & it made me feel something I never felt before. When I was a kid (like many of us fans) people would always tease me about how wrestling is fake, asking me why I would bother watching it (etc). My family even hoped I would grow out of it sooner or later but at that moment, a seed was planted in my heart. I thought to myself, “man, if I could just make people feel the way I feel right now, they would understand why I love this so much”. It was then when I decided what I wanted to be in my lifetime; a professional wrestler.

Now throughout my adolescence the passion inside me never died, it just was on hold. My father always wanted me to be a fighter since I was a young boy. He had me in boxing at 11 & when I turned 14, I joined Selva Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu & made my high school wrestling team as well. I trained very hard and despite being a juvenile in my teens (switching 3 different schools) I finally settled, got my act together at San Gabriel High (jr yr) and instantly became a leader & my sr year became the captain of my wrestling team. After high school I continued BJJ winning an American National medal & also winning a Bronze medal at IBJJF Worlds in 2011 (Being the youngest & smallest in my division). Now, for the sake of peace I won’t mention why I left my home team at Selva, but I will openly admit it was my fault because I was a dumb kid who felt like he deserved more when he had every thing. In the process of switching gyms to train elsewhere, I took the initiative to try new occupations. It was never my intent to stop, but life sometimes take you in different directions (we all know this)

In 2009, I went to Summer-Slam at the staples center and after the show I was handed a flyer for Santino Bro’s Wrestling. The title said “Keep the dream alive” which caught my attention & is why I kept it for 3 years. I knew if I didn’t try it at some point in my life I would regret it forever but at that time was overwhelmed with other priorities. Now don’t get me wrong I really enjoyed bjj and amateur wrestling but when I look back now, I believe I did all that and worked as hard as I did to make my father proud of me because I felt like I failed being a good son. I remember being unsatisfied and unhappy with my life choices.

It was Wrestlemania 28 & I went to go visit my best friend in Kansas City (James) to watch John Cena wrestle our favorite wrestler & childhood hero THE ROCK. That night was so incredible for us, that we vowed to eachother that we will become pro wrestlers that year! I procrastinated for a few months but eventually found the old flyer and was lucky enough to have the bus stop in front of my house drop me off right in front of the dojo (it was almost like God made it easy for me). So one day after work at age 19 in October 2012, I biked to the facility and immediately saw Robby Phoenix & Hoss Hogg lingering outside. Robby told me I had to make an appointment (pretty much telling me to beat it). I mean I was a scrawny kid no more than 110 lbs 5’2 so I got it. But that didn’t stop me, I wasn’t going to allow them to reject me because of my size. I dealt with that my entire life & would be damned if I would let it stop me from fulfilling my dream. The following week I came back with all the money ready to go, my training gear & I was ready to start. Of course my cash was happily accepted and I was more than ready to start my journey.

Training in pro wrestling was the hardest thing I have ever done in my entire life. I’ve trained in multiple sports, martial arts with Olympians, at world class levels & nothing came close to the obstacles (mental and physical) I had to overcome to make it through the night or even become relevant in my trainers Joey & Robby’s eyes. From being the last remaining 4 of 12 in a beat down day, to 5 hour flyering days 3 times a week to helping out, paying my dues at showcases & even being disciplined for things I didnt do…I would never quit because I wanted it too bad. If hulk hogan came back after a broken leg, I would make sure they broke my neck and then I would possibly consider my options. but quitting never phased me, I knew what I loved and love is more than just a feeling, it’s a sacrifice & I was willing to sacrifice nearly everything I had in me. Whether it was financially or physically, I found a way & made it happen. I remember sleeping at the bus stop on Garfield because class ended too late, my phone died and I missed the last bus. But that’s the passion I had, I was willing to go the extra mile just to call myself a Santino.

The bonds I began develop with the guys I was training with was like nothing I had experienced before. We were more than just a team now, we became Santino Brothers. Unfortunately my best friend James never made his dream a reality as much as I bugged him about it, I figured out that pro wrestling isn’t for everyone. It breaks my heart knowing that we couldn’t be on our journey together but in the long run I would always have my Santino Brothers.

I debuted April 18th 2013 (6 months into training). I believe I was the quickest graduate in the schools history. I guess I just did everything right at the time; was honest, listened, said little & worked hard. One day Joey and Robby told me to take off my shirt and they scoped out my look. Told me to get gear and that I was debuting in a match with my training partner Nick (Ali Hussein) in 2 weeks who had just debut a week before. It was very short notice. I wore lightening basketball sleeves with these running tights I had bought & kickpads. ( I didn’t look too bad ) I remember coming up with names like “Levi Superfly” or “Flyboy” stupid names. It was without me knowing that I was given the name Eli Everfly which was advertised on the Facebook event page. At first I hated it, but I was respectful at the time and was grateful that they even considered having me wrestle so I kept my mouth shut.

The night finally came, I was finally performing for the show instead of laboring. I remember searching for hours on a suitable song and finally chose RockBox by Run DMC. When the music hit, I was so nervous, didn’t even know what I would do as far as entrance motions go. I stepped through the curtain, eyeballs lit, adrenaline flowing. I was moving faster than I could process. I stepped into the ring, jumped on the rope and did this random bow to the audience and the rest is history.

I love this business, I love the art, the people, the fans and especially my Santino Bro’s family. I’ve missed mothers days, fathers days, weddings, birthdays and more just to have the opportunity to do what I love and evolve. As a matter of a fact I’m missing my best friend James’ wedding in March because of my lifestyle. I love him & would love to meet his future wife, but honestly…I love wrestling more & I’m not ashamed to say it. This is my life, my passion & my dream. I’m living it, right now. It’s real & it’s happening. I would never have thought I would experience the things I have in the last 2-3 years. Being awarded rookie of the year (2013), wrestling on tv on 3 different networks, & meeting all these wonderful people. The long road trips traveling and the bonds that were made between one another will always have a place in my heart & is something I don’t think I could ever let go. I’ll never stop, never quit, never take no for an answer. One day when the dusk is settled and we all look back on our lives, I would like to look back and say I did what I loved and I shared it with the world as much as I could…and I believe I’m doing so. Thank you reading.