Standing at a daunting 6’2” and weighing in at roughly 295 pounds, Shawn Hernandez is no small guy, which has always worked in his favor as far as his career is concerned. Born in Houston, Texas, Hernandez is an American professional wrestler of Mexican, Puerto-Rican, and white descent who’s best known for his appearances in sports entertainment company Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). When he was an adolescent, Hernandez was prohibited from playing football by his parents, who did not approve of physical sports. Believing in the teenager’s athletic potential, the football coach at Hernandez’s high school stopped by his house one day to convince his parents to let him play the sport. Hernandez’s parents gave in and thus began his sports career. Hernandez played football through college and eventually left it to pursue wrestling.
Since then, Hernandez has built a name for himself. Back in 2000, he worked for World Wrestling Federation, appearing on various episodes of its syndicated show, Jakked. The wrestler has also appeared in independent promotions. He debuted at TNA in 2003 and then left to work on the Texas independent circuit several years later. Some of Hernandez’s past titles include the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) North American Heavyweight Championship in 2003, and the NWA World Tag Team Championship in 2006, which he won with fellow wrestler, Homicide. NocheLatina recently got the chance to chat with Hernandez and he talks to us about his profession, being a dad, and what he perceives to be a lack of superheroes for Latino children.
nocheLatina: I understand you played football in college. What was that experience like?
Shawn Hernandez: The same as high school. I’ve never been exposed to anything racial until I got out of my military environment, with people not expecting much of you. To me, it was a little harder to succeed.
nocheLatina: How did you first get into wrestling?
Shawn Hernandez: I stopped playing football in ‘96 or ‘97, and local WWE came into town. I always wanted to do wrestling, but I never got the chance to even give it a try. My parents were so against physical sports. I wasn’t allowed to play football until 11th grade so it was kind of weird being the biggest kid in the school playing basketball in ninth and tenth. The football coach came to my house and convinced them to let me play. You know how protective mothers are. They baby you a little too much.
nocheLatina: You’re better known as ‘Hernandez’ and ‘Hotstuff Hernandez.’ Where did those names come from?
Shawn Hernandez: When I first started wrestling, but I haven’t used ’Hotstuff Hernandez” since 2003. I was trying to be a cocky superhero for Latinos. I wanted to be outgoing and let everyone know that we’re here too.
nocheLatina: For those unfamiliar with wrestling moves, what is the ‘Border Toss?’
Shawn Hernandez: It’s real simple. I pick someone up in a crucifix position, like how Jesus carried the cross, and I throw them as far as I can backwards, where they can’t see where they’re going. Other wrestlers have used a variation of this move, but none of them throw as far as I do.
nocheLatina: How do you feel while you’re wrestling and all eyes are watching you?
Shawn Hernandez: I go off the energy of the crowd, it only amps up my performance that much higher…I just want to do what they want to see. The vibe from the crowd determines how emotional and aggressive I get in the ring.
nocheLatina: What does your family think of your persona while wrestling?
Shawn Hernandez: They don’t understand. I’m very pro-Hispanic and sometimes, a bit overboard because I don’t think we get enough representation, especially in athletics. My father, he’s retired. My mother passed away, she never saw me wrestle. My sister, she just rolls her eyes. Muscular guys in Speedos don’t appeal to her.
nocheLatina: I understand you had a neck injury. When was this and how did it affect you?
Shawn Hernandez: April 30, 2009. Yes, I mean, everyone wants to be the best in their particular field…I had a partial disk taken off and to think you might not even get a chance to wrestle again, as much as you want to be recovering, you need to think of alternative ways of making a living.
nocheLatina: And did you think about an alternative way to make a living during your recovery?
Shawn Hernandez: Every day. We were crossing our fingers, hoping that the doctors would give me the clearance to start again.
nocheLatina: If you weren’t wrestling, what would you be doing?
Shawn Hernandez: Probably would still be doing some power-lifting or strongman competitions.
nocheLatina: Do you feel you have a role in this business to uphold to, as a Latino?
Shawn Hernandez: Yes, especially when there are very few Latino heavyweights. Every time I wrestle, especially in a lot of pro-Hispanic communities, people say, ‘Win that belt for us.’ It can be very difficult sometimes.
nocheLatina: Do you feel pressure from your Latino audience?
Shawn Hernandez: I think it’s a very good motivation factor for me. When you get down or feel like you’re tired or you’re injured, it’s the people that are expecting you to be on top of your game every time you’re out there. .
nocheLatina: One of your daughters is into power-lifting. How did you feel when she first expressed interest in it?
Shawn Hernandez: Way against it.
nocheLatina: Why?
Shawn Hernandez: I felt just like my parents when the coach came to my house to convince them to let me play football. They want to strap all this weight on her They’ve been trying to get her to do it since ninth grade. Last year, I let her do it and she does the same thing I did when I was a kid- she has the same strength and everything, it’s ridiculous.
nocheLatina: How do you feel about it now?
Shawn Hernandez: I’m very proud. She’s also the cheerleading mascot of her school as well.
nocheLatina: Do you have any highlights in your career thus far?
Shawn Hernandez: Yes, in 2006, my partner- he’s a Puerto-Rican from Brooklyn whose wrestling name is Homicide- and I were the first Latinos to win the NWA Tag Team Championships. It’s probably my biggest moment.
nocheLatina: Do you have any hobbies?
Shawn Hernandez: Weightlifting and X-Box- that’s my whole life.
nocheLatina: Being a Latino in this business, have you had to overcome any obstacles?
Shawn Hernandez: Everyone has stereotypes of different nationalities and when you think of Hispanic wrestlers, you think of the small guys on those television shows…and I’m the very opposite of that.
nocheLatina: What is your ultimate career goal?
Shawn Hernandez: To win the TNA World Heavyweight Championship belt. I would be the first Latino to do that if I accomplish that goal. Besides that championship, I just want to be a bigger role model for Latino children- give them someone positive to look up to.
nocheLatina: Do you feel that there are a lot of role models for Latino children now?
Shawn Hernandez: American kids have Superman and Batman…what superhero or role model do we have that is larger than life? We don’t have one; that’s my goal. That’s what I want to accomplish.
nocheLatina: So you would like to be the superhero for Latino kids?
Shawn Hernandez: Yes, most definitely.
