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by
Les Honig
You’ll see him often running from behind the curtains screaming
and taunting fans in a manner that few would believe could
possibly demonstrate anything other than pure passion spilling
forth, but for the otherwise mild-mannered Jason “Under Pressure”
Sanders it’s all part of living the performing dream that took him
from the streets of South Central L.A. to the top arenas of
Southern California.
“It’s funny. When I hit that curtain Jason Sanders sits down and
‘Under Pressure’ stands up. And when I exit through that same
curtain after the match ends, ‘Under Pressure’ sits down and Jason
stands up.”
Although growing up in the non-affluent neighborhoods of Los
Angeles, Sanders seems an otherwise well-adjusted guy, about to
turn 31, but with a whole exciting local ring career behind him
and the hope for future broader successes still ahead, (as a gang
intelligence officer in a nearby high school while he also trains
at a near-to-home police academy for future law enforcement work).
Remembering himself as a well-adjusted kid who loved to play
sports and was quite outgoing, he began to excel in a variety of
team pursuits as he entered high school. When the coach said he
was a little too small for competing against the bigger bruisers
on his high school football team, he turned to amateur wrestling
which he excelled at; being taller, leaner and more agile than
many of the other 145-pounders he competed against.
Still, joining the team was no accident, for as with many other
successful pro grapplers, he displayed a love of the professional
side of the sport from nearly as far back as he can remember. It
was indeed a chance turning on to the Saturday array of early 80s
wrestling shows that attracted his first attention, when at the
age of six he saw a WWF episode where famed athletes Tony Atlas
and Rocky Johnson were capturing the tag titles. “Seeing two black
men winning it really excited me”, and from that moment on, he was
hopelessly hooked.
The fan addiction was made even more undeniable when his dad and
his uncle Ray, who he claims to be the main man who really helped
develop his love of the sport, took him to an L.A. Sports Arena
show and saw some tremendous action capped by the $10,000
challenge issued by Big John Studd manager Bobby Heenan for anyone
who could slam his protégé.
Sander’s excitement level reached a fever pitch when Andre the
Giant actually accomplished the feat and Heenan started throwing
cash out to the crowd. A young Jason caught a $5 bill and later
treasured that momento of his first wrestling show and through the
mid and late 80s would never miss an additional possible moment of
the tons of squared circle action available then on the tube.
Still, in-ring events and the declining quality of the coming
years’ mat action cooled Sanders love of the sport and he didn’t
actually revive his deep interest until after his high school
graduation when he enlisted in the Navy to train as a medic. It
wasn’t too long there before he found a bunch of buddies who were
turned on irresistibly to the then hot rebirth of the field.
The year was 1998 and the world was deeply smitten by the ring
wars between Raw and Nitro, and like many others, Jason and his
Navy pals would hold Monday night parties to enjoy the shows. His
rekindling love was only made deeper when he took a side job
working security at the San Diego Sports Arena and he not only was
able to work backstage regularly accompanying a variety of musical
stars appearing but also get to speak with a host of WWE’s top
talents who were on cards held there too.
Already developing a real interest in trying out the sport
himself, he was encouraged by Titan legend Mick Foley who told him
to check out a top local facility of the time, the School of Hard
Knocks in San Bernadino, run by Bill Anderson and Jesse Hernandez.
“On my 24th birthday, December 12, 1998, I jumped into the ring
for the first time and immediately loved everything about it,” he
remembers now. Deeply immersing himself in watching tapes and
reading everything he could find about the field, he grew and grew
in talent at an impressive rate, but it was the development of his
unique persona that would help define him and make his mat action
most memorable.
“From the first time he saw me, Jesse told me I should be a heel,
and that was absolutely natural for me. I loved to get into the
ring and trash talk and see just how much I could get away with.”
Appearing soon on that fed’s shows, his name was found in a unique
fashion, actually quite by accident. “We were sitting around and
trying to think of a good name for me. Well people started coming
with ideas but none really seemed right. Then Jesse looked at the
tee shirt I was wearing and he saw the words “under pressure” on
it, not together but as part of what was written. Immediately he
called out, “Under Pressure!” and everybody looked up and smiled,
in one of those “Ah hah!” moments you often see in the movies.”
Coming to Kane’s in San Diego to watch a UPW card a few years
later, Jason ran across fellow San Bernadino trainee/performer
Ricky Reyes, (then part of the classic tag tandem The Cubanitos),
who introduced him to promoter Rick Bassman and soon he was headed
to Ultimate Pro Wrestling’s famed Saturday afternoon light shows
to perform.
He remembers one of his first matches there against then rookie
John Cena, who immediately impressed Sanders by his total
dedication and willingness to take instructions and to learn. “He
told me to call the match since I was the more experienced and
later Rick Bassman complimented us on a great performance. That
really meant a lot to me.”
Joining with fellow San Bernadino trainee John Black to form the
tag tandem, The Cash Money Bruthas, which now featured two
loathsome guys who loved to taunt the audience, his notoriety
continued to grow.
“It’s funny, though,” comments Sanders. “My greatest satisfaction
comes from agitating the fans, but it’s all part of the show. The
more they yell at me, the more I love it and the better I perform.
And now after I’ve been appearing here at UPW for a while, I
actually have this chemistry with some of the people where we feed
off of each other. I remember one fan telling me, ‘I love to hate
you!’ and that’s actually the biggest compliment you could give
me. But it’s all part of sports entertainment. After the matches
are all over, the same people are taking pictures with me and I’m
signing autographs for them.”
Appearing now in an unaccustomed role as a face alongside teammate
Big Babbi Slymm as part of the Southside Gs, Sanders says his
wrestling dream is already being fulfilled and if the future
brings even greater things, so be it. If not, he has already lived
out many wonderful moments already.
“When I look ahead I have nothing but hope. My attitude is to work
hard but to take whatever comes. If there was a song to describe
my feelings it would be the Commodore’s ‘Easy Like A Sunday
Morning.’ I have already had a blast, met great people and learned
a lot already about many different aspects of the business and
whether the future holds a bigger career in the ring or even one
behind the scenes, as long as I can stay active in some aspect of
sports entertainment I will be extremely happy.”
We wish that man “you love to hate”, Jason “Under Pressure”
Sanders, a uniquely creative and awesome young talent, only the
best as he continues to carve out for himself his unique niche
both here in So Cal’s leading fed and beyond.
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