Interview with Chico Navarro of Big Time Wrestling
Interviewed by Ben Tatar of CriticalBench.com - March 2009

Critical Bench: Critical Bench is here with pro wrestler Chico Navarro. Chico, before we get started, tell us who you are.

I'm known in the Independent world of wrestling as Chico Navarro, from Miami, Florida, and I work for Big Time Wrestling in California. And I'm a mean guy too (laughs)

Critical Bench: What pro wrestling federation do you compete in?

Currently I'm scheduled to make a comeback with Big Time Wrestling and I will work a couple of shows for them. I've been out of action for almost 6 months now and sometimes when you don't feel the spark anymore you have to step down and re think things. I had some personal things going on in my life but I can focus on wrestling a little more now, so we'll see how that works. I'm excited about coming back, I've been training hard for about 4 weeks now and I forgot how bad it hurts when you first get in the ring. My body is finally getting used to the bumps again.

Critical Bench: What got you into pro wrestling?

Watching Bret Hart when I was younger. Here's a guy who's not a huge monster type of wrestler, which I really admired (and still do), and I would always tune in just to watch him wrestle as a single or in a tag team match as the Hart Foundation. Later in life I came across a guy by the name of Mike Modest who I worked with and he was an independent pro wrestler. He talked to me about the business and invited me to my first independent wrestling show and it just went from there.

Critical Bench: What do you love about pro wrestling?

The adrenaline, the fans, going out there and have people cheer for you or boo you, it's an awesome feeling.

Critical Bench: What was your childhood like?

It was pretty cool, I grew up with 5 sisters and my mother took good care of all of us. I never did any drugs because I was always afraid my mom would kill me if I tried anything like that. I grew up with the best kids a child could have for friends.

Critical Bench: What is the best part about being a pro wrestler and what is the hardest part?

The best part is meeting new people all the time. Especially having people come up to you at the end of a show and tell you what a great match you had. The hardest part is staying committed to it, especially if you have a family and a full time job.

Critical Bench: What drives you to be a pro wrestler year round?

It has to be in your heart. There comes a time when you no longer feel the spark like you used to and you have to take a break and figure out what you would like to do.

Critical Bench: So far in your Pro Wrestling journey, what has been your favorite, funniest, craziest, and most powerful moment?

• Favorite: My first match has to be up there. I came out to a crowd that didn't know who I was and was able to get instant heat from them and they didn't like me very much.



• Funniest: There are too many of them. The one that always makes me laugh was during a tag team match in Newark, Ca. and one of the fans took a picture of me wrestling Kimo Kanaloa and the shot makes us look like we were doing some kind of weird dance move.



• Craziest: Some fan trying to get in a fight with me at the Sonoma State University. I'm not sure what was wrong with him but he got me pretty hot and I wanted to beat his ass so bad but had to hold myself.



• Most Powerful: By far when I dropped Kimo Kanaloa on his head and thought I broke his neck. It was one of those moments where the show needs to go on and I couldn't stop to see how he was doing. I went to the locker room after the match and thank God he was fine, but I felt terrible the whole night.

Critical Bench: Any stories that you would like to share?

We were going to a show in Stockton, Ca. Mike Silva was driving the ring truck, Jason Styles, Ryan Von Kool and Wild Storm were in one car and I was driving with Kimo behind them. On the freeway we could see Ryan mooning Mike and Mike giving him the finger... so when we came up next to the truck Kimo mooned him again... poor Mike it was pretty funny.

Critical Bench: What is your favorite thing about yourself? What makes you happy and what makes you tick?

I just like being me and my daughter makes me happy. I have the best kid in the world and I also have the best girlfriend in the world. But I also suffer from IBS (Irritable Brain Syndrome) so I lose my temper really quick when something irritates me (laughs)

Critical Bench: What do you enjoy doing away from pro wrestling?

I spend a lot of time working so I like to stay home for the most part. I also enjoy cooking and watching TV. I spend as much time as I can with my daughter and girlfriend since I don't see them too often.

Critical Bench: What adversities have you had to overcome?

Two major surgeries in which I was told I was not going to be able to wrestle again. My parent's divorce was also pretty tough to overcome considering I was only 5 or 6 when they split.

Critical Bench: What makes you different from everyone else?

I think we're all different and that's what makes us unique. It doesn't mean we're better than everybody else, we're just different.

Critical Bench: What are your 5 biggest pointers for anyone who would like to become a pro wrestler?

• Listen and respect the person teaching you the ropes


• Be patient, you don't become a wrestler overnight


• Do it only if you have the passion for it


• Don't let anybody tell you that you can't


• Always watch the veterans and learn from them

Critical Bench: What is the best and worst advice you were ever told?

The best advice was "If you don't feel like you can do it, don't do it, is better to be safe and to keep your opponent safe than to get hurt in the ring". The worst advice was from some fat promoter telling me to watch what I eat

Critical Bench: What supplements do you take?

I love Universal products and the Gourmet Protein from Max Muscle.

Critical Bench: Who do you think are the 5 best pro wrestlers ever and why?

• Bret Hart: Talented, smart and very entertaining. The guy had the whole package.



• Hulk Hogan: Not the best wrestler but he was good enough to make you believe he was the best and made tons of money doing it.



• Owen Hart: Very skilled and really underrated (R.I.P. Owen)



• The Undertaker: Smart character, still works after all these years.



• Triple H: He's just a mastermind.

Critical Bench: If you could face any man in the world in a main event, who would you pick and why? Who would be your second choice?

I've always thought about coming to the ring and talked so much trash to the crowd and have Hulk Hogan come out and beat me up in 2 minutes, I think that would be pretty cool, not exactly a main event but it would be fun.

As a second choice maybe a tag team with Bret Hart against a good solid old school team like the Killer Bees or Demolition.

Critical Bench: How do you see the future of wrestling? Do you like the direction that it is going?

I don't like it one bit, but we'll always have independent wrestling. I don't see any guys that can carry wrestling 5 years from now like Triple H, Shawn Michaels have for the past 10 or 15 years.

Critical Bench: When you are finished with your wrestling journey how would you like to be remembered?

I don't know, it would be cool if someone sees me at a grocery store and says "Hey man are you Chico Navarro? I remember taking my kids to see you wrestle"

Critical Bench: Do you like the role that you are given in pro wrestling? If you could change it in anyway, how would you change it?

I wouldn't change anything. Big Time Wrestling gave me a lot of freedom to come up with my own name and character.

Critical Bench: Do you enjoy being a good guy more or heel?

I like being a heel better. I've been a good guy before and good guys take a lot of beating (laughs).

Critical Bench: Any comments to the people who support you? What about the people who boo you?

Just keep supporting Independent wrestling and don't chant "you f**ed up" when someone misses a spot. We train hard to entertain you and it's not an easy gig. Make sure you keep checking www.btwrestling.com for upcoming shows.

Critical Bench: It has been a pleasure. In closing who would you like to thank?

Big Time Wrestling for the opportunity, Jason Styles for the training, Mike Modest for the words of advice, all my friends in the locker room and the fans that support us every time we wrestle. My daughter who's my biggest fan, my girlfriend for her unconditional support and love and my family. And thank you guys for this opportunity. You can add me on myspace: www.myspace.com/chicobamf

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