Rising Star Devin Reno talks PCWAZ, Learning from Veterans, Jerry Lynn, The Rock/Hulk Hogan Influence, more

Show: Wrestling Epicenter
Guest: Devin Reno
Date: 09/24/2024
Your Host: James Walsh

Devin Reno is one-half of the 2023 Independent Wrestling Tag Team of the Year of 2023. With impressive size, a look, and the ability to connect to the live audience, both he and CLAS have "future superstar" written all of them. On Saturday, September 28th, Devin will be in one of the feature bouts at PCWAZ's Live on Broadway from the Skyline High School in Mesa, Arizona as he takes on Dom Vitalli in a Street Fight. The show will be the largest Independent wrestling event in the 112 year history of the state of Arizona with 1,500 fans in attendance!

We sat down with Devin Reno to talk about his journey into the business, his 18 month plan, and his big match on Saturday night. Check out some highlights below!

PCWAZ presents Live on Broadway from the Skyline High School in Mesa, Arizona on September 28th. The venue holds 1,500 fans and we're told 1,300 tickets have already been sold and a sell out is expected. So, if you're in the Arizona area and want to see the best local pro wrestling with stars that will be sure to become superstars soon enough, hop on over to PCWAZ's Facebook page or at www.PCWAZ.com and purchase your tickets right now. As Gene Okerlund used to say, don't wait until the 11th hour! Get your tickets now!

If you use this interview on your site, please link back to www.WrestlingEpicenter.com. That is all we ask! Enjoy. And, thank you for helping promote Arizona wrestling!

DEVIN RENO:

On PCWAZ's Live on Broadway event on Saturday night:
"It is exciting! This is a new arena for us and it is going to be, probably, the biggest independent wrestling show in the history of Arizona. It is kind of a shame that I am going to be involved in a street fight because I'd love to showcase my wrestling. But, Dom Vitalli kind of turned the other way on a lot of the teachings that he gave me. Emotions boiled over a couple of shows ago and that is how we got to where we are with a street fight being necessary."

On defeating Dom & Jon Wolfgang with CLAS on July 13th:
"I could say it felt good to win but at this point, it is expected. Especially against a mix mosh team like them. We are a team. We know we're good. So, for us, it is like, what is next? Ok, we met the standard. That brings us to September. We're going to sell out that show and, once again, we're going to walk out winners!"

On finding CLAS as a tag team partner:
"It is kind of funny. My first match was against him. I was still a trainee at that point. I was the newbie and he was the established vet. He beat me fair and square. But, afterwards, I went up to him and said, "Hey, man. You're really good at this. I want to get better. You're on your way to being the best." And, he kind of took me under his wing. I'm the oldest of my siblings but he kind of became like a wrestling big brother to me. That is a different dynamic to me. But, he will tell me, "If you want to get better, you've got to do this." As I was making those changes, he got hurt... While he was out, I kept working, I got bigger and in better shape, and as I started to gain traction in other places, everyone would come up to me and say, "Dude, you remind me of CLAS!" I would be like, "That's my big brother!" "Oh, really? We've got to do something with you two!" I literally heard that every promotion I went to! So, I was like, "Hey CLAS, when you get back, you might not be a singles guy anymore!" (laughs) It worked out for the best. I've never had as much momentum as I've had in pro wrestling as I do right now. And, I don't think he has either. So, really, the sky is the limit!"

On having a partner to navigate the industry with:
"We (he and CLAS) are not just a tag team in the ring. We travel together, we stay in hotels together, we work out together. It really has become, "Ok, how are "we" going to do this." For a business as selfish as wrestling is, to have a partner like CLAS, I'm grateful. I'm blessed. Also, I have a tendency to downplay myself. And, he has accomplished so much, he's like, "No, no, no. I'm going to do better. So, you have to do better!" And, I'm like, "God damn, man! Ok! Lets do it!" So, when I said about a 2 year plan, he said, "18 months!" (laughs) But, I share his vision. And, it is a solid prediction!"

On his connection with the live crowd making the kids angry:
"(laughs) It is funny because I have so many pictures of kids flipping me off. I've seen signs where the kids wrote "Boo Devin Reno." And, you can do all the moves, you can have all the crazy matches that you can. If you don't connect with the audience nobody cares! So, I find the best way to connect with the audience is, number one, remember that they're there. But, also, be yourself. Like, I don't think, "Ok now I've got to interact with a kid." I just react as I would and I'm a firm believer that if you're true to the craft and you give it your all, the people will sense that energy and give it right back."

On how he fell in love with pro wrestling:
"You know, I don't remember the first match I ever saw. But, I do remember the first story I saw and that was The Rock versus Hulk Hogan going into (WWE) WrestleMania 18. And, that is why I was never a big Hogan guy! He was a bad guy! He beat up my hero! He spraypainted his back! I don't trust this guy, you know? But, that story, that is what I connected with. It is funny. It is like I told my girlfriend - I literally cannot imagine my life without wrestling. Everything from school to work... It all somehow connected to wrestling. And, I'd be there and I'd be like, "This reminds me of this moment in wrestling." It has always been a part of me. And in the ring, it isn't new for me. Obviously, it is new for me actually doing it. But, in my head, I've been wrestling in front of 80,000 people! (laughs)"

On the Rock/Hogan match being Cody Rhodes' favorite match of all time:
"That is interesting. As a kid, 4 year old Devin was sold on the story. But, looking at it now, that was a collective effort of years of work to be that over. They could do whatever they wanted. But, they had years of being the masters of theircraft going in that had the audience, "I don't know man! I'm just excited to be in the same room as you!""

On his referencing Hogan/Rock as his infancy in wrestling making James Walsh feel old:
"(laughs) I think that is just the cycle. Like, when I was in high school, I would see something and I hated it because I was just so smart, too smart. And, I hated what they did there. Now, a new guy will come in to the training school and he'll reference that as what hooked him and I'm like, "I HATED THAT!" But, i guess that's just the cycle. That is what makes this beautiful. As different stories are told, everyone has different viewpoints. But, everyone has this collective passion about it."

On where he hopes to sign in the business:
"We are able to adapt to anything. But, the thing is, we grew up watching WWE. So that is always going to be the goal. I know there are a lot of places to work. I'm very grateful for that. Wrestling has never been hotter. I know the Attitude Era was very hot too. But, it is a different kind of popularity now. It is an unconcentrated popularity. It is everywhere! But, for us, it is WWE."

On learning from Jerry Lynn this past July:
"First of all, Jerry Lynn is one of the smoothest wrestlers ever. I dare anybody to go back and watch his matches, especially in ECW with Lance Storm and Rob Van Dam and see what a technical masterpiece they are with footwork, everything. He actually did a seminar the day before the show and there, I was able to introduce myself to him and get a feel for how he views wrestling. And then, after the match, he pulled myself and CLAS aside and told us to sit down. We talked to him for a good 10 minutes about the match. He told us, "Your plan worked here, it didn't work here." I'm very appreciative of perspective. And, I know that there is a problem not just in the independents but also to wrestlers who are signed who have access to minds like Jerry Lynn and he takes 15 minutes to sit down and critique you... And, I know it because he told me, There are people who will go, "Yeah, but, that doesn't work for me." If you can sit there and say that to someone as respected as Jerry Lynn, if you can go, "There is nothing you can offer me" You're a lunatic and you don't belong in the business! For him to take us, and we're not anybody yet, we will be, for him to still care about the business and take the time to talk to us and give us advice, it proves that once you've got the itch, you can't get rid of it!"

On being in a street fight on Saturday:
"Well, Dom recently did an interview and he said I have a lot of fatal flaws. I don't think I have a lot. But, I do have one. I'm a very emotional person. And, that could one day be my downfall. With that relating to this question, no, I don't want this to be a wrestling match. I wanted to wrestle and show my craft in front of this large of a crowd. But, he wanted it to be a fight and he took that from me. So, if you take away the rules, there is no reason for me not to get mad and show that emotion. So, I want to fight! And, it is going to get violent!"