Today we’d like to introduce you to Rico González.
Hi Rico, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
As a young Rico, I was introduced to professional wrestling by my middle school friends which would talk about it all the time on the bus and would leave from playing outside on Friday nights to watch Smackdown. I wasn’t convinced since all I wanted to do was play outside at the time, until I gave in and decided to sit down and see what all the talk was about. It wasn’t until seeing the Undertaker make an entrance, that I was intrigued by the arena reaction to this one person walking down to the ring and it immediately caught my interest. From there, I was hooked and always had wrestling around me in some capacity. One day, after coming out as gay to everyone I knew and everyone in the family after only coming out to a select few, I felt free and almost with more power over my life. I decided to do something for myself and in the moment, wrestling came to mind. I joined the WWA4 Wrestling school in Atlanta after going to various free Thursday shows. I initially joined as a referee being that I didn’t think I could make it far as a wrestler, given my size and the fact that I felt that I joined late in life at 27. During the following months, I would train with the wrestlers and do everything they did. The movement aspect of it came fairly easy to me. Then one day, I was approached to be a part of a match in the following big show, which was our first show back with fans at the WWA4 training school, to which I agreed to. It would end up being my debut in a 5 way ladder match for the WWA4 Internet Title and I had a great showing and the time of my life! Following that show, I worked towards a proper graduation match with AR Fox (the trainer at the wrestling school, and and independent wrestling veteran) which was also a blast! This lead into wrestling more and more for different promotions and I have been blessed to be a part of various notable companies in my “rookie” year.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
In the grand scheme of things, the journey has been fairly smooth to date. I strongly believe that God has always protected me and has always taken care of me with anything I choose to do in life. Professional Wrestling has been no different, with that being said, there has definitely been some challenges. The most notable hardship has been almost falling into depression after developing anxiety before every match and it carrying on into everyday life. I began to doubt my every decision and question if this was for me. I was putting too much pressure on myself to the point of not being able to enjoy what I was doing. Not being the most sociable person, I had to quickly learn that building relationships with people you work with and share locker rooms and car rides, and become major part of your life is very important.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work? What does it encompass? What sets you apart?
As a professional wrestler or sports entertainer, I consider this sport an art form of storytelling and creativity. The world or wrestling/sports entertainment is criminally underrated for what is being presented and the amount of versatility and creativity that is a part of this business. My job as a wrestler/entertainer is to captivate the crowd with intriguing performances while catching the attention of people that aren’t necessarily big fans into being able to appreciate or enjoy the work enough to come back continuously to the show being presented. I am Rico Gonzalez and I live by “Positive Vibras Only” which the fans can resonate with on a personal level being that I strive for my vibe and energy to be infectious. I also go by “Mr. Machismo” which adds to the fight aspect of my performance. I pride myself on being smooth but also ready for a fight which encompasses the “Mr. Machismo” name along with adding a little Latin spice and flavor. What sets me apart from others personally is the fact that I’ve been able to experience life a little more than others coming in and very young age. I have gone through hardships and learning experiences that very much are metaphorical to what we do in the ring. I feel emotions in a match that I’ve left before in life and I feel like I can translate that into a very tangible performance.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
Throughout the years, I have come to love and appreciate Atlanta for its diversity and versatility which is evident to anyone that moves to this “city in the woods.” Atlanta has grown into a major player that hosts so many different people and their respective cultures, being that it has something for everyone economically and socially. In my eyes, that is directly correlated into how quickly the city has grown in the last decade. On the other hand, something I dislike about Atlanta is the fact that so much diversity exists in a very divided manner and everything feels so far from each other. I have been to other cities where the layout or areas of the city accommodate different people coming together, whether it’s a park or strip of bars or the main road or even a river walk. I feel like Atlanta is lacking something of that nature and so many people moving in that are not a majority from Atlanta or Georgia for that matter, hurt the sense of pride and unity in our city.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @rico94gonzalez
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ant.villegas46
- Twitter: @rico94gonzalez
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCPOU1A7buO6OoJSDGGm4wpw
Image Credits
@jayleephotographyac @somergphoto @earlwgardner @mouses_wrestling_adventures
