Steel City Underground: The career of Jason Hendrix

The development of talent, regardless of the era, is the lifeblood of the pro wrestling business. Quite simply, at any level, the next generation of aspiring performers are critical to the long-term success of the industry. Entire developmental systems, the most famous facility being in Orlando, or the excursion formula of Japan, are designed to find and cultivate the next group of talent that will keep the industry strong in the future. It could be a national corporation or a long-standing independent outfit, the next generation ensures that there will be an industry to build upon. Many of the competitors that end up on your TV screen started on the local level, working for a dedicated fan base to hone their craft.

As an announcer on the Pittsburgh scene for nearly 15 years, I've seen both ends of the spectrum of those that attempt to pursue the sports entertainment glory obtained by their favorite stars. From the clueless dreamer that only had the qualification that they could afford the tuition to attend wrestling lessons, to those that gave the impression almost immediately that they could eventually make a living as a full-time pro wrestler. Somehow, you will find the delusional optimists that think they have a chance at the major leagues, but haven't hit the gym in their entire lives so they are stunned when their tenure in the sport fizzles out rather quickly. On the other hand, from the time I saw Lee Moriarty step into a wrestling ring, I knew he was destined to land a national contract, and many will tell you the same thing.

Part of what makes my role as an announcer such a thrilling experience is to not only get to see talent with potential evolve, but to get a chance to provide the soundtrack to their journey on commentary.

An example of this, particularly within the past year, was my work at Ryse Pro Wrestling, the blue collar league that hosts its home base in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, at the mall that was converted into a wrestling arena just south of Pittsburgh. Founded by 25-year pro, Brandon K, who also works as the head training for the academy that runs in conjunction with wrestling league, Ryse provides aspiring hopefuls with the opportunity to sharpen their skills and pursue a career in the sport.

At any given Ryse live event, a substantial portion of the card is comprised of graduates from the promotion's training academy, an example of not only the quality training that is provided, but also the talent and dedication of the students.

One such is example is "The Poster Boy" Jason Hendrix, a brash youngster that had his first pro match for Ryse in September of 2022, but completed his first full calendar year in the sport in 2023, already zigzagging multiple states to get as much exposure as possible.

"My first match was in Baldwin, PA for Ryse in September and it was very last minute. I was simply there to help out with the ring and work security, as I had only been at Ryse for a few weeks at that point. However, a spot needed to be filled on a six man tag match," Hendrix explained.

Showing wisdom beyond his years, Jason had his gear bag in the trunk and had a brief in-ring debut on a preliminary bout on that night's card. He recalled nervous energy, but cites it being an important lesson of always being prepared in the sport.

When he burst through the curtain a few months later for his official Ryse debut at the beginning of last year, "The Poster Boy" persona was finally revealed to the audience. Complete with feather boa, a flare of glamour, and a trademark mustache, Hendrix showed a level of poise in front of the paying fans that not many rookies display.

Ironically, the moment that brought him to wearing spandex and a boa was when he was a member of the audience several years earlier. When he was just 13 years old, long before he could grow the trademark facial hair, Hendrix sat on the edge of his seat at a WWE live event in his hometown of Wild Wood, New Jersey when the spectacle of it all assured him that pro wrestling was the path that he wanted to pursue.

"I remember sitting there watching Ziggler vs. Del Rio for the big gold belt and just thinking to myself, this is what I’m meant to do. It just made sense to me," he explained.

An amateur wrestler in high school and a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under Karel Pravec, "The Poster Boy" already had the background that prepared him for an endeavor into sports entertainment, but after a false start with his wrestling training in his hometown, it was actually higher education that unintentionally brought Hendrix to the doors of The Stronghold, the Ryse's training academy A student at West Virginia University, Jason wanted to find a training school that allowed him to hit the mat when he wasn't dropping an elbow on exams.

"I reached out to a few Pittsburgh area schools and Ryse was the only one who got back to me, and the closest to Morgantown at that. I realized once I started training with Brandon and Dean that this school was on another level. If this is what I truly wanted to pursue, I needed to move out to the Pittsburgh area upon graduation and stick with this program so I did," Jason commented.

"From day one when Hendrix walked in to the Stronghold training center, I immediately saw something special. If the ring is open, Hendrix is in it. He’s always been open to feedback, good and bad. I’m hard on everyone because, honestly, at training I don’t care about what you do right, it’s about what can we fix and what can we make better. Hendrix has a great presence when he walks through the curtain, it reminds me of a little early Brian Pillman. When he walks back through the curtain, I’m one of the first people he finds to ask my thoughts. At the end of the day, he’s very eager and willing to learn and sponge everything he can to make it in this business," added Dean Radford, a veteran grappler of more than two decades and a co-head trainer for Ryse.

So, it's not surprising that within just the first calendar year of his in-ring career, Jason Hendrix has sacrificed sleep, energy, and any time to unwind from being a college student at the same time to get the chance to hone his craft in front of different audiences. Hendrix has found his way throughout Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and even as far away as Chicago to try to expand his foot print in the business. It wasn't uncommon for him to arrive back home exhausted just after midnight on a Saturday, with plans to study the rest of the weekend for an exam at WVU on Monday. However, the tedious hours crammed into the car with gear bags next to him, and late-night gas station food were just a part of the process for Hendrix.

"I was taught very early on that if you want to make it in this business, you need to be willing to sacrifice and be a road warrior. It was an adjustment at first, but traveling has become second nature. I’ve been fortunate enough to have a lot of my time on the road pay off, and it’s allowed me to do some pretty cool stuff so far. Long nights on the road can be tough, but being able to do what I’m passionate about makes it all so worth it for me," Hendrix remarked.

As much as professional wrestling has taken him across several states and the chance to work with competitors that he admired, it was a performance close to home that Jason considers a career highlight when he had a chance to wrestle in a 10-man tag match in mid-2023 for the main event spot of a Ryse event, with many of his college friends in attendance that night. That same rowdy bunch supported his journey into the sport before he ever owned a pair of wrestling books.

"It was awesome to wrestle in front of so many of my friends. It’s also been an honor and a privilege to perform at some larger independent promotions this year, and I would consider that a highlight for me as well," Jason said.

Around that same time the spring semester was at its conclusion at WVU and just days prior to that main event exhibition at Ryse, Jason Hendrix traded his boa for a cap and gown, graduating with a degree in Multidisciplinary Studies with minors in Marketing, Advertising and Communications.

With the back up plan of his education secured and the degree in his back pocket, Jason Hendrix wants to make a push to take his journey in professional wrestling as far as possible.

Ultimately, if I can get signed anywhere I’d be happy. Just being able to do this with as large a platform as possible would be the goal. I’ve already wrestled internationally in Canada, but I would like to extend to some other countries as well. Germany, Mexico, Japan and England are definitely all on the list. I want to take this thing as far as it will allow me to go," Hendrix concluded.

It goes without saying that professional wrestling is a tough business, the harsh reality is that they aren't any guarantees, but Jason Hendrix's rookie year showed a tremendous amount of potential for his career.

Steel City Underground

Tuesday, January 9, 2024

The career of Jason Hendrix

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