Today we’d like to introduce you to Shawn Hernandez.
Hi Shawn , can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’m Shawn “SuperMex” Hernandez, and I’ve been involved in professional wrestling for nearly 30 years. I began my career in the 1990s and have had the opportunity to wrestle throughout the United States and internationally, including Mexico and Japan.
I’m probably best known for my time with TNA/IMPACT Wrestling as part of the Latin American Xchange, better known as LAX. During my career, I became a multiple-time World Tag Team Champion and have also worked with promotions including AAA, Lucha Underground, Ring of Honor, and the National Wrestling Alliance.
After spending decades traveling, wrestling, and learning the business from every angle, I wanted to take what I’ve learned and pass it on to the next generation. For me, training wrestlers is about more than learning moves. It’s about discipline, respect, confidence, professionalism, and understanding the business behind professional wrestling.
Today, I’m the Head Director and Head Coach of San Antonio Style Wrestling (SASW), where we train and mentor the next generation of professional wrestlers while also using wrestling as a way to give back and make a positive impact in our community.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, it definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. I’ve been in this business for almost 30 years, and wrestling has given me some of the greatest moments of my life, but it’s also taken a lot out of me. I’ve dealt with injuries, setbacks, doors closing, time away from my family, and moments where I had to ask myself what was next for me.
For a long time, my life was about getting to the next show, the next city, the next opportunity. As I got older, my priorities started to change. I started thinking more about what I was going to leave behind and what all those years in the ring actually meant.
That’s a big part of why San Antonio Style Wrestling means so much to me. This isn’t just another wrestling school or another chapter in my career. It’s something I’m building here at home. I get to take everything wrestling taught me, the good and the bad, and pass those lessons on to people who have the same dream I once had.
There are still struggles. We’re still building, still learning, and still fighting to make this vision everything I know it can be. But now the wins feel different. Seeing one of my students grow in confidence, watching somebody finally get something they’ve struggled with, or seeing them step through that curtain and perform, that means something to me personally.
My road wasn’t smooth, but every bump in it taught me something. Now I get to use those lessons to hopefully make the road a little better for the people coming up behind me.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
After almost 30 years in professional wrestling, my work today is really about taking everything this business has given me and using it to build something for the next generation. I’m the Head Director and Head Coach of San Antonio Style Wrestling, or SASW, where we train aspiring professional wrestlers and provide opportunities for people of different ages, backgrounds, and abilities to be part of the wrestling world.
Obviously, I’m known as “SuperMex” Hernandez from my years wrestling with TNA/IMPACT, LAX, AAA, Lucha Underground, and other promotions around the world. But at this point in my career, I’m most proud of what we’re building at home in San Antonio.
At SASW, we specialize in professional wrestling training, live events, youth development, and community outreach. One thing that is especially important to us is creating an environment where people who may not always have access to opportunities like this are welcomed. We’ve worked with kids and young adults with autism and other special needs, and watching them gain confidence, communicate, make friends, and accomplish things they may not have thought they could do has become one of the most rewarding parts of what I do.
What sets SASW apart is that we’re not just trying to produce wrestlers. We’re trying to build people. Wrestling teaches you discipline, accountability, confidence, teamwork, and how to get back up when things don’t go your way. Those lessons matter whether someone eventually wrestles in front of thousands of people or never has another match in their life.
I’ve had championships, traveled the world, and performed on some incredible stages, and I’m proud of all of that. But seeing our students succeed and knowing that my experience can help open a door for someone else has given this part of my career a completely different purpose. That’s probably what I’m most proud of.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
My biggest advice is to show up, listen, and be willing to learn. In wrestling, you meet a lot of people along the way, but the relationships that have meant the most to me were never built by asking someone, “What can you do for me?” They came from working hard, being dependable, showing respect, and letting people see who I was over time.
When it comes to finding a mentor, find someone who has actually done what you’re trying to do and pay attention to how they carry themselves, not just what they’ve accomplished. Be willing to take criticism, ask questions, and understand that sometimes the best advice isn’t necessarily what you want to hear.
Networking has worked the same way for me. Wrestling is a small world, and your reputation travels faster than you do. I’ve always believed that how you treat people matters, whether you’re talking to the person running the company, another wrestler, a fan, or the person helping set up the ring.
Almost 30 years in this business has taught me that talent can get somebody’s attention, but your attitude, work ethic, and reputation are what keep doors open. A lot of the relationships I built years ago are still part of my life today, and some have even created opportunities for the students coming through San Antonio Style Wrestling now. To me, that’s what real networking is about. It’s not collecting contacts. It’s building relationships that last.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.sanantoniostylewrestling.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/210stylewrestling?igsi=dDNzamgyOXJkc2Z2
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1H5QHLNZWe/
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@210_sasw?si=mn_oj1YQswQsjKfX
