We recently connected with Manny Lemons and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Manny, thanks for joining us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

Taking a risk. I’ve been wrestling over 10 years. Debuted in 2012 and haven’t stopped. Obviously at first it’s not a full time gig so I still had to work a regular job. In July 2018 I was fired from my full time job (being a branch manager for a local credit union). I’ve taken a risk to purse Professional wrestling as my full time gig. Since then I have appeared at the top of the industry working for AEW and Impact Wrestling. In Dec 2018 I started started my own Wrestling promotion in Salt Lake City called Devotion Championship Wrestling. We now run monthly shows in Salt Lake City. Our shows are recorded for weekly episodes airing on fite Tv and YouTube. As well train the future stars of tomorrow.

Manny, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I was a fan of professional wrestling growing up. Watching it with my Dad as a young boy. After I graduate high school football went away I needed something to fill that void. I ended up looking up a local school in salt lake and started training in May 2012. A huge challenge we have for wrestling is everyone protrays it as being fake or think anyone can do it. That’s definitely not the case! I train every day as a professional athlete. It takes a special person to pursue wrestling because nothing we do is fake. The end may be predetermine but the bumps, hits and falls are all very real. You have to teach your body to take the pain and allow it to get use to the bumps.

My company in Salt Lake City Utah is Devotion Championship Wrestling. We run monthly shows in Salt Lake City as well train the future stars of tomorrow.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

For me to further my career I ended up moving to Georgia to train out the nightmare factory. Which is the unofficial training center for aew. Wanna be the best in the world? You have to train with the best in the world. The experience allowed me to better my craft and come back to utah to branch out my knowledge and experience of the game to my students. It also allowed me to create real life connections with the biggest companies in the world.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

My goal is to reach the top of this industry. My goal is to be the face of professional wrestling. I live for professional wrestling and I would die for professional wrestling, and I wont stop till I achieve my dreams.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @mannylemons
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mannylemons
• Linkedin: Manny Smith
• Twitter: @mannylemons
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCsMz-ewJygszxl7zJMYiIVA
• Other: https://www.facebook.com/Devotionchampionshipwrestling https://www.facebook.com/aswautah https://youtube.com/c/DevotionWrestling

Image Credits
Rick Dykhuizen