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by Les
Honig
For the guy who has delighted and excited mat audiences here in UPW for five years now, (he is one of the original fed veterans), it is now time to make crucial decisions. Scarcely 23 years old and already a legendary local and charismatic superstar, who has already put a decade into the business, there is a new clarity and positive attitude about his future.
Like a few of his Ultimate Pro comrades-in-arms, Mikey Henderson has often stood on the brink of national recognition but to this moment, due to a combination of personal issues and elusive opportunities, national fame has yet to come his way, (although many have long felt he would be a natural for the top sports entertainment companies). Still he remains confident about his ultimate success; saying, “If I really focused on the pro business I am certain I could make a really big name for myself.”
Growing up in small town Hesperia, California and raised primarily by his dad who runs a large lumber yard, Henderson early on turned to pro wrestling as a fascination and obsession when not accompanying his father on company truck delivery runs. Coming into contact with pro wrestling promoter extraordinaire Jesse Hernandez, who he feels was like a surrogate “wrestling” dad, he soon was being featured in many of the San Bernadino-based company’s shows under various identities from Suicide Mikey Adams to Suicide Kid; even as Malibu Mikey Henderson.
It was in the earliest days of UPW that he was scouted by Tom Howard and Hank Hill,(the original Big Time tag team) and by Rick Bassman who saw something special in this young 17 year-old kid and decided to bring him on board his on-the-rise company.
What followed were a combination of near opportunities to be picked up by WWF; which led to some of his dark match opponents actually being signed to development deals, but this seemingly natural future pathway for Henderson did not come about…at least not yet.
“I must admit that I became quite bitter,” admits Mike, and that unhappiness led him to not be the friendliest soul when appearing on venue supershows. “I would tend to stick by myself; not shake other guys’ hands backstage. It was really hard for me.”
But life changes were in the wind for the amazing Henderson, deciding soon to leave his rather wild behind-the-scenes partying lifestyle and commit to one special person. Getting married around this time, he now has two kids; a five year-old boy; and a one year-old girl.
“This has changed my life so much,” Mikey says with his usual honesty. “I now realize what a tremendous responsibility having kids is, and I want to dedicate myself to them and my wife and always be there for them.”
A reconciliation having occurred with his dad, Mikey decided to leave the active wrestling business for a while and focus on what he now considered important; working to support his family.
As a result, he went into partnership with his dad; with the two starting a nursery; and beginning his own Hesperia-based small training fed, SOT; “Superstars of Tomorrow.”
“I kept the roster small, five or six guys; but it was still great to help out these people who might not have had a chance to become part of the business without a local school like this.”
Mikey has extended that commitment to frequent training fill-in sessions lately at Ultimate University, where he also really loves the interplay with new students as well as the super-dedicated elite group, who he finds inspiring. Particularly singled out is L’il Nate, who Mike describes as “awesome” and who he feels possesses what it takes to make it big in the wrestling biz. (After all, Nate, himself, started training at the tender age of only 14; but Mikey can lay claim to even starting one year earlier!)
For now, however, Mikey admits that he’s not really where he wants to be. Feeling the need to commit to something solid that will bring his wife and kids comfort and stability, he stands at a crossroads where he says this is a do-or-die time for him: Commit totally to the world of pro wrestling and see if he can finally make those dreams come true (his definite preference)…or face, having to turn to the business world to provide for them.
Realizing that his current weight of 225 might put him out of cruiserweight contention, he is hitting the gym to start trimming down a bit; and hopes to be given the chance to travel to Japan again, where he has already been a big hit, or even better, finally get that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join the WWE, America’s premiere wrestling federation.
Still, however, delighting UPW fans as he always had, Mikey Henderson, has already proven that in So Cal, he is one of our greatest talent-packed packages, and for that reason it is only natural to look for sensational things in the not too distant future and beyond for this truly incredible athlete.
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