SouthernWorldwide.com – Pro wrestler Vinny Pacifico has carved out a significant presence in the independent wrestling circuit, with his success opening doors to unexpected opportunities.
Pacifico recalled a pivotal moment in his youth. “At one point, I was playing football in high school and I told my father, listen, I love football, I love this, I was following in his footsteps and all these things, but I said I want to try professional wrestling. I want to go for this. I have to do it,” he shared.
He felt an undeniable urge to pursue this dream. “I just felt this need, this fire burning inside of me that I just needed to chase this dream,” Pacifico explained. His inspiration grew after attending a John Cena talk show, where he sought advice from the wrestling icon.
Cena’s words were highly encouraging. “He was very, very motivating, very, very inspiring,” Pacifico noted. Shortly after, he met Daniel Bryan, another of his favorite wrestlers, at a meet-and-greet. He also asked Bryan for his guidance.
Bryan offered similar encouragement. “He was the same way – motivating, inspiring, just a great conversation we had,” Pacifico said. These encounters solidified his resolve.
“Once those two things happened, I knew this was what I was meant to be doing,” he stated. His wrestling journey began at the young age of 13.
“So, yeah, I got my start at 13 and 12 years later, I’ve traveled to 15-plus countries, wrestled all over the world, doing things I couldn’t even imagine I’d be doing,” Pacifico reflected. His career has expanded beyond the ring.
“Now, over the last year, spanning into a lot of films and TV, it’s been just an amazing experience,” he added. He expressed deep gratitude for his journey.
“I’m thankful for everything because, at the end of the day, I’m just a kid who started this dream and turned it into something I never could have imagined,” Pacifico concluded.
His father has been a steadfast supporter of his career choice. “Pacifico said his father was nothing but supportive of his decision and still shows up for his matches to this day,” the article states.
The world of professional wrestling elicits strong reactions. “Pro wrestling has an overwhelming effect on everyone – either you really love it or you really hate it,” the article observes.
For Pacifico, his passion for wrestling was ignited by watching it on television. “For Pacifico, he knew from watching on television that he really wanted to give it a try and be as malleable as possible,” it reads.
Transitioning into the wrestling world presented challenges. “When I started, it was very hard to transition because, you have to think when you’re wrestling, ‘What do the fans want to see?’ How do we get these fans to emotionally invest in us?” Pacifico explained.
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He adopted a fan-centric approach. “And that’s the thing, I said, ‘OK, as a fan, for me, I liked these things.’ Nowadays, I watch the first match of the show and I just try to imagine, OK, the fans liked this, the fans liked this, and I try to figure out what crowds like,” he said.
Pacifico recognizes the diversity of wrestling audiences globally. “All over the world, there’s different types of fans. In Japan, they like what they like. In Europe, they like what they like. There’s all different types of styles and ways to go about things in the ring,” he observed.
His training has equipped him for versatility. “So, I try to always establish, OK, tonight, I’m doing to be doing this. I can adapt to any style. I was trained by Ring of Honor so they taught me to be able to do any style and I’m phenomenally grateful for that,” Pacifico stated.
Pacifico has competed in numerous promotions. These include All Elite Wrestling (AEW), Ring of Honor, WWE, Coastal Championship Wrestling, and Awesome Championship Wrestling, among others.
However, one particular match stands out in his memory. “But one match stands out for him above the rest – his bout against Paul London,” the article highlights.
The encounter took place at Pro Wrestling Magic in 2024 for the PWM Junior Heavyweight Championship. “London, a standout veteran wrestler in his own right, squared off with Pacifico at Pro Wrestling Magic in 2024 for the PWM Junior Heavyweight Championship. Pacifico won the match,” it details.
Pacifico described the match with great enthusiasm. “I would say it’s me vs. Paul London,” he said. “That one was one of the most electric matches I’ve had in my career, character work, technical wrestling – like a grand finale at the fireworks. You watch it and everything went down in that match.”
Now, Pacifico is venturing into a new arena: acting. “Now, Pacifico is up for a new challenge – the silver screen,” the article announces.
His acting debut involved portraying his wrestling persona. “I got to play myself, my wrestling character,” he said of “Mr. Reset and the Society of Turnbuckle and Bone.” “So, it was very simple for me to do both.”
He found the experience rewarding. “That was the first one I ever did. I absolutely loved being on set, filming and having my character be tested in different ways,” Pacifico shared.
Acting allowed for deeper character exploration. “You know, how would Vinny Pacifico react to this thing or other emotional things that you wouldn’t always get in a wrestling event,” he explained. “So, it was really cool to dive deep into the character of who I am and really just play with it.”
Pacifico expressed his satisfaction with pursuing both wrestling and acting. “Pacifico added that he enjoys being able to pursue a pro wrestling career and a career in acting,” the article concludes.
