Show: Wrestling Epicenter
Guest: "Desperado" Joe Gomez
Date: 06/11/2026
Your Host: "Arizona" James Walsh

"Desperado" Joe Gomez got the video vignette treatment that "Blood Runs Cold" got for Glacier a little bit before Glacier. A talented, good looking, young athlete with a world of potential who later was a part of the "Hot Boys of Summer" vignette with Jim Powers, Alex Wright, and The Renegade to showcase WCW's youthful talent to take over in the next generation. Now a successful businessman, we discuss life both in and out of pro wrestling with the great "Desperado" Joe Gomez in this brand new interview!

A few days ago, we posted the blurbs of "Desperado" Joe Gomez discussing his life-threatening stroke from September of 2025. We've included those quotes in this write up. But, this one looks at his days in pro wrestling a lot closer with stories about Hulk Hogan, The Iron Sheik, Ric Flair, Steve "Mongo" McMichael, Missy Hyatt, The Renegade, and beyond.

Some guys are full of excuses for why they never were the Hulk Hogan or John Cena of their generation. That is not who Joe Gomez is. A very real, very honest, and very cool guy who's business acumen might only be surpassed by his taste in music which we also discuss in detail. 80's hair band fans, like Joe and myself, might enjoy that aspect of the interview as well!

Don't forget to check out www.WrestlingEpicenter.com for our catalog of interviews from the last 25 years! And, check out our store and buy somethin', will ya?

YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/5KrJOjgpXgc

JOE GOMEZ:

On what happened to him in September of 2025:
"Well, James, you know, like so many of my friends and colleagues and guys you've interviewed over the years - The years of wrestling and I used to power lift... It all caught up to me. My knees were really, really bad... They still are. But, I've had nerve abrasions done where they burn away the nerves so you don't feel the pain. That has helped quite a bit. I let my weight get up to over 400 pounds... 406 pounds! I guess I carried it pretty well. But, I was real big and just too heavy. But, business is good. I've got a funding company. And, I've got a new IV therapy that I'm starting up at the Hard Rock here in Tampa (on June 18th). My phone was on 24 hours a day. I'd have 2, 3 business lunches every day... And, my weight escalated. So, two weeks prior (to my stroke) I was in Cleaveland for Real American Freestyle. My friend Chad Bronstein owns it and my old boss, Eric Bischoff runs it. I had a great time. Then, I was the best-man of my friend Fandango's wedding a week before it happened. That was a wonderful time. Ironically, myself and Mike Rotunda were both there. We came home and he had a massive heart attack And, I had a stroke. Mike's on the mend and he's doing really, really well. He was in the same rehab facility I was."

On what resulted in his stroke:
"I just ignored it. I ignored my high blood pressure and hypertension because i thought I was invincible. I had never really been sick. I had a few surgeries on my shoulders and my knees. But, I never was a party guy. Never smoked. Never really drank that much. But, I ignored the warning signs. The weight and the high blood pressure... And, I had a stroke. A Schemic stroke which impacted the entire left side of my body. Thankfully, I am back on my feet. I'm walking again. In fact, I was just at the Hard Rock last night for a business meeting. I was probably there too late playing. But, I'm getting better. But, James. The most important thing is to keep the weight down, watch the blood pressure, and never stop excercising!"

On what happened:
"Thank God my daughter was home from school that day. I have a 16 year old daughter. If she wasn't home sick that day, I'd be dead. I was in the bathroom and I passed out."

On how he got into pro wrestling:
"I loved it. Growing up, I was a huge fan. "The American Dream" Dusty Rhdoes, Steve Keirn. They ended up helping train me. I was a Florida kid. So, they were my guys. Getting to work under them was so cool. It was the PWF. Al Greene, DDP, a lot of us were there that later went on to WCW."

On being in tight with Ole Anderson and befriending the Iron Sheik:
"I wrestled the Iron Sheik my first night in the company. Ole Anderson loved me for some reason. That is why my name was Allen Iron Eagle. That was his real name. He gave me part of his name because I was his pet project or whatever. So, anyway, I see Al Greene who was in Florida Championship Wrestling with me. He was tagging with Kevin Nash as part of the "Master Blasters", this was 1990. So, Kevin Nash and I really broke in together. Kevin Nash, by the way, brilliant mind. And, so funny. Great guy. Anyway, so I was going against the Iron Sheik and I was going over. I was so nervous. I mean, here I was, this super green guy and I was going to go over on a former World Champion and a legitimate shooter - Pan American games. I'm thinking, "This guy is going to kill me!" But, he was a sweetheart of a guy. Couldn't have gone better. So, after the match I go and there's Kevin Nash and Al Greene. And, Sheik goes, "We ride together." So, I'm driving. And, Iron Sheik is in the back with a towel around his neck spraying cologne on himself. "I like you, JJ!" "Oh, but my name is Joe." "No! You're Jay Jabroni!" (laughs) We get there, this was in Myrtle Beach, and it is like 40 degrees. I'm a Florida guy. I'm freezing. Well, we get in the room and he strips naked, of course. And, he takes the cot. I say, "No, sir. I'll take the cot." "Oh, no, no, no, I'll take the cot." He positions it halfway in and halfway out of the room to the balcony, the wind and the cold blowing in, and he goes to sleep and starts snoring like a cartoon character. He was a hilarious guy!"

On how he got in close with Ric Flair & Arn Anderson:
"Well, I barely slept and I looked like Hell. Ric Flair sees me and says, "What's the matter, kid?" So, i told him the (Iron Sheik) story and he spilled his orange juice all over his front seat. He said, "You'll ride with us, kid." So, I was kind of their carrot for a while there. I got to be real friendly with them. And, when my mom and dad subsequently both passed away from cancer, my mom in 1990 and my dad in 1995, I spent 5 or 6 Christmases in the houses of Ric Flair or Arn Anderson. That meant a lot. It was Ric Flair, rn Anderson, "The Devil" himself Kevin Sullivan who I miss tremendously... "Pee-Wee" Randy Anderson, the referee, who we lost way too soon - God rest his soul. "Beautiful" Bobby Eaton, Paul Orndorff... It was great. Like maxx Payne said to you, you broke into families. The only thing was, when I came back in 1995 and was working out at the Power Plant trying to regain my steps and practice, I'd get calls from Kevin Sullivan. "GuhMez, we're at CNN Towah! Come pick us up!" "I can't, I'm at the Power Plant." "God damn it, GuhMez!" (doing a perfect impression of Kevin Sullivan and his Boston accent).. But, that was my fault. I didn't put the work in that I should have. Nobody else to blame but myself."

On the heat Paul Roma got as a member of the Horsemen and if he thought he could have filled that role instead:
"Oh God, no. Pau Roman was a special athlete. He had been around a while and had success in the WWF with Jim Powers and then with Power and Glory. He was a good fit. Good guy. I was no where near ready to fill that kind of a role. I appreciate the question. But, no, I wasn't right for that role."

On the "Hot Boys of Summer" vignette WCW ran for weeks:
"(laughs) That was myself, Jim Powers, Alex Wright, and Renegade. That was all Jimmy Hart's idea. He was my biggest proponent. He deserves all the credit for that. He's a great guy. I still am close with him. He was a big believer in the sight test and seeing how people react to how you look. That is a good test. But, at some point, you've got to back it up in the ring. And, I just couldn't apply myself the way that I should have. I was a good athlete. I played football in college and baseball in high school. But, I didn't apply myself. I was hanging out with "Natch" and carrying on until 4 in the morning. I couldn't get up like Flair and get up at 6 in the norming and hit the stair master. I would sleep in line "Double A!" But, again, that was my own fault. I should have applied myself. That said, it was absolutely amazing getting to have dinner with Ted Turner and "Natch", Shaquille O'Neal, getting to know Dominique Wilkins. Ric Flair was at the height of his powers. And, it was almost like if he imagined something, it would happen. I've seen it. It was amazing."

On the passing of the Renegade:
"I'll be on the upcoming Dark Side of the Ring talking about Rick. He was my tag team partner and we were both green as goose shit. (laughs) We both were green in the business. Rick (Renegade) was a part of a male dancing group in Florida along with Mark Consuelos, from Kelly and Mark, who is a good friend of mine. I'm going to go see him next month in New York. They were a part of different troops. When I signed with WCW, Rick was being pushed and I mean hard. Then, he wasn't prepared when the pulled the rug out from under him... I was always prepared for life after wrestling. He was not prepared. I was blessed that I was prepared for life after wrestling."

On if the Ultimate Warrior-like character hurt Renegade:
"How do you fill the role of someone as big as the Ultimate Warrior? Those are huge boots to try and fill. His character was supposed to be a lot like Warrior. And, Rick was a low key country boy. So, when you have a push, and then the rug gets pulled out from under you... And, you are going through a bad break up... And, you just don't know how to break the glass ceiling. I mean, you have guys like Hall, Nash, Flair, Hogan all above you and you don't know how to break through... It is really tough if you don't live it and breathe it the way that DDP did. God bless Page. At 36, to have come on as strong as he did. Unbelievable, truly unbelievable. But, it was a blessing and a curse that I didn't throw myself into wrestling the way I should have. I took wrestling for granted. But, the determination that I didn't have in wrestling, I did have in the business world and that has helped me tremendously."

On his relationship with Missy Hyatt who also has a Dark Side of the Ring episode this season:
"When I was a young boy, she had a place right next to Kennesaw College and she let me crash on her couch. I was young in the business and she was very, very nice. Nothing ever happened between she and I. She was dating Bill Fralic from the Atlanta Falcons. He was a good guy and a big wrestling fan. But, he was also a monster! I wasn't about to go up against Bill Fralic! (laughs) She was so nice to the young boys. She would loan me the keys to her Toyota Supra, "Oh, use it while I'm out of town, Joey!" (Pretty dead on impression again) She was sweet. I crashed on her couch for a while."

On Ric Flair's social media behaviors:
"You know, James, I try to tell him. But, he's 77 years old. And, he's Ric Flair. He's going to do what he wants. But, you know, I was there at Reid's funeral. And, I know how much that broke Ric's heart. Ric found him and Reid was purple... I think Ric thought, because it had happened a few times before, that Reid was going to kick out again. But, he had been in Japan for a year prior and his tolerance had changed. And, he passed. And, it breaks me up talking about it. Reid was like a nephew to me. And, after he passed, I truly believe Ric tried to drink himself to death. He was so heartbroken. He tried to be a good dad. He really did. He was out there on the road 350, 360 days a year being Ric Flair. And, he wanted to be a good dad. And, Reid had "it." He really did. He was a national amateur champion. And, he had such a big personality. He would have definitely been something. No doubt about it."

On Ric Flair's relationship with Hulk Hogan:
"They were great friends. They had their ups and downs over the years, of course. But, Ric was a big part of Hulk going to WCW. Ric helped recruit him. I was at Hulk's house with Ric and Eric Bischoff when they were talking to him (about coming to WCW). And, I was with Ric at Hulk's funeral... Hulk was a really great guy. He really was. The last few years of his life, when he rediscovered Christ, he was really at peace. That is the best way I could describe it. he was at peace. He loved being at home. He loved being with his wife. Loved being on the water on Clearwater Beach on his boat. He had a beautiful home. But, the 10,000 matches he had really took its toll on him. If you saw him away from public life, away from the cameras, he was suffering. He had 10 back surgeries, maybe more. He almost died from a shoulder surgery to repair his rotator. They left something in there. If you saw him, it was horrible. The man left pieces of himself all over the world to entertain people. And, he did over 400 Make0-A-Wish... And, when he found God again, he was really at peace. He was. I just wish he didn't push so hard. I was a part of Real American Beer. He was so intent on getting it (Real American Beer and the Real American brand) over. I mean, he stole the show at the Republican Convention. He stole the show! Who does that? (laughs) The guy was absolutey amazing. To see him turn it on, I'd see him at Hogan's Hangout and he'd do it for the crowd... He was an amazing showman. And, a good man!"

On his match with Steve "Mongo" McMichael at Bash at the Beach 1996:
"Whew, that was a night in pro wrestling history... Not for my match with "Mongo" but with Hulk turning heel. What a night. But, "Mongo", I miss him. I miss him a whole lot. Me and Ric, we would visit him... You've never seen a place embrace a person the way the Chicago people embraced Mongo. We went to the Cubs game and they honored him... The Chicago Fire Department changed their call sign to 76 which was his number. And, the love and the support the McCaskey family gave him, donating a vehicle to him so he could get around. And he left beyhind his little daughter.. (Breaks up into tears) That is the most horrible disease in the world. That was a man. You know when you lock up with someone like Scott Norton or Mongo, they're a real strong man. He was a 500 pound bencher... And, a real bad son of a gun! And, we became good friends. He moved here. He moved to St. Pete. Subsequently, he moved back to Chicago. But, we were really good friends. And, oh God, the stories Ric Flair could tell you about the Christmas parties, Mongo dressed as Santa drinking a 5th of Jack Daniels with a huge cigar. He was a wild man!"

On WWE not letting Mongo attend William Perry's induction:
"I didn't know that. That's pretty sad, man. Why? Because he worked for the opposing company? Come on, man. But, what a horrible disease. The worst disease there is. It was such a rapid decline. Such a rapid decline.... And, he left behind his daughter Macy.... (Crying) I miss him a lot."

On getting out of wrestling full time:
"Well, in 1998, I don't want to pat myself on the back but I was ahead of the Rock and Suchi craze. I opened up this beautiful 5,000 square foot sushi bar that had a cigar bar upstairs. It was a beautiful place. We would show the big pay per views on this video wall we had and the boys would be in for the pay per views, the boys that lived in town anyway. That was in 1998. Before that, I opened a bar called Cherry's in 1994, 1995. Right when I wasstill wrestling and coming back to WCW with the help of my dad in his later days. That was a hot spot for a long time and we had a 20 year run with that. I did still wrestle. I did the independents a little and I did international tours. I did a tour for Steve Keirn and unfortunately that was one where Lex Levitt, a guy I got into the business, died in my hands."

On who killed WCW:
"Turner executives killed WCW. If they wanted it to succeed, it would still be around today. I saw Eric Bischoff give his all to it. I saw him have a few meltdowns too. He cared and tried very hard. But, Turner executives, too many hands in the cookie jar, resulted in WCW's death."

On modern wrestling:
"God bless 'em. They are amazing athletes. But, i do want to give Tony Khan credit for what he has done for some of the guys and is doing right now for Rebel. The worst disease on the planet. And, he's taking care of her. I have nothing bad to say about someone that will do that."