Rising Star "Love Gun" Joey Hendrix Talks Pro Wrestling Goals, KISS Fandom, PCWAZ, SLAM U, and more

Show: Wrestling Epicenter
Guest: Joey Hendrix
Date: 10/31/2024
Your Host: James Walsh

I have lived in the great state of Arizona since 2000. I have a Bachelor of Science Degree from Arizona State University. In my 24 years of living here, I have never been so entertained by and excited for the future of independent wrestling in this state. This is especially true when it comes to Phoenix Championship Wrestling, PCWAZ.

At the July 13th show, my first visit to PCWAZ, I saw a handful of guys that I was blown away by. CLAS and Devin Reno, both of whom I've interviewed and shared that content on this site, were two young guys I think are TV ready right now. Jon Wolfgang is one of the owners of the PCWAZ training school Arizona Pro Wrestling Training Center but also is young and fits the bill as the company's top babyface. Gabriel Gallo, a larger man who I've seen previously in action in Arizona, is another guy who has it all. And, of course, Dom Vitalli has a fantastic mind and talent for pro wrestling and is one of the main trainers. But, there was one more young up and comer I really liked the style of and that was our guest today, Joey Hendrix.

Joey Hendrix is a young man who has a lot of Los Angeles flare to his approach. Coming to the ring with a track of KISS' Smashes, Thrashes, and Hits collection,the "Love Gun" Joey Hendrix reminds me of a hybrid combination of Rick "The Model" Martel, Chris Jericho, and a young SHawn Michaels. He's got some work to do before he's as far along as CLAS and Devin Reno but I get the feeling he knows that. And, I have exactly zero doubt you'll be seeing this youngster's face on your TV screen somewhere before too long.

Joey Hendrix will be defending the Slam U Championship at PCWAZ's Live on Broadway spectacular on November 23rd in Mesa, Arizona. The show will be headlined by a steel cage match for the PCWAZ Championship as Jon Wolfgang defends against CLAS! Tickets are on sale but are going fast. Check out the PCWAZ Facebook page to get your tickets and come on down and support local Arizona wrestling!

Don't forget to check out www.WrestlingEpicenter.com for more content like this!

JOEY HENDRIX

On using the somewhat obscure KISS song "*You Make Me) Rock Hard as his theme:
"Yeah, man! KISS was my favorite band as a kid. So, that is why I picked that song. I originally came out to "love Gun" by KISS but that just wasn't fitting as well as "Rock Hard." I remember thinking that if I ever became a wrestler, there was no way I'd not have KISS as my entrance music."

On KISS lending itself to pro wrestling:
"I remember seeing an interview with Paul Stanley on a VHS my Dad got me a long time ago. Paul said something like, "They call me a ham. I don't want to be a ham! I want to be the whole pig!" I remember before school shows, like my grade school would do plays or whatever each year, people would always say to my dad, "He's a ham. He wants to be the whole show." I guess that kind of is where that comes into play."

On using the ring name Joey Hendrix:
"Well music is really a big part of my life. So, of course, Hendrix, Jimi Hendrix, it is a nice nod. Plus, it sounds cool. It kind of makes sense."

On finding his love of pro wrestling:
"It is kind of a funny story. I have a memory that goes back very far - It goes back to when I was like 1 or something. And, I remember sitting there at 1 year old watching wrestling with my father and grandpa. And, from a real young age, I'd try to act out the moves and my dad would get down on the living room floor with me and we'd play wrestle. That is what we did my entire childhood. Like, until I was... I couldn't even tell you how long I was. But, at a young age, we'd flip between WCW Nitro and WWE RAW and watch wrestling and that is what we did on Monday nights for years and years. We'd also watch SmackDown whatever night that would come on. That has changed over the years."

On how his family feels about him entering pro wrestling:
"You know, that is a good question. I've never really asked. But, out of everybody, I have to think my father is my biggest supporter. As I said, we watched wrestling together every week. I know he's my biggest supporter and he's counting on me to make it. But, I've never gone out of my way to ask."

On getting trained in Arizona:
"I moved to Arizona in 2018. I started training in 2020. but, it was about a year and a half after that when i first started going to the Arizona Pro Wrestling Training Center, #TraininAZ. When I started in 2020, it was at the Arizona Wrestling Federation Academy. That was the first school that I knew was around. That is why I started there. The Train in AZ trainers Dom Vitalli and Gabriel Gallo had been there and were maybe just starting to branch out and do their own thing. I knew I needed to do a little more and try to see things a little bit differently. So, i reached out to Dom and we had a great conversation. It was just my 2 year anniversary of starting with the Arizona Pro Wrestling Training Center and fast forward 2 years, I'm now the Slam U Champion!"

On learning from the veterans:
"Dom and Gallo are two guys I appreciate the feedback of. They're not going to pull any punches. They're not going to hold back on saying something. But, they don't just say things, they also go over how we can make it better. I've learned a lot since joining the Arizona Pro Wrestling Center. Dom gets how my brain works. So, I love to pick his brain about stuff. Gallo too, man. Sometimes, when he's in, we work on just one thing and we do it over and over again to get it right. He's a cardio guy too, man! He's big into cardio! And, if he thinks your not tired enough, he'll keep going until you get tired!"

On learning from the Jerry Lynn seminar in July:
"That is a great question. A really interesting funf act is that the first wrestling match I saw live in person was Jerry Lynn wrestling as the WWF Light Heavyweight Champion in Anaheim, I think it was. I couldn't tell you the date or who he was against but I do remember my dad saying, "That's Jerry Lynn!" so for me to go full circle and to have him there and drop knowledge on us was kind of surreal, man. I've always been the type of person to think that if someone has been around a long time and has done it all, they've been where you want to go, you should probably listen! Take their critiques. Take their advice! And, learn!"

On his future plans:
"My immediate future plan is to remain Slam U Champion and perhaps be the longest reigning Slam U Champion in history. Long term goals? I want to get signed by a major company. I think that should be the main goal of any independent wrestler. As for where I'd like to sign, I don't have any spacificts in mind. AEW, TNA, WWE... All of these companies have their advantages and I'd love to work for any of them. It is just a matter of when, I guess."