We had the good fortune of connecting with Giancarlos Hernandez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Giancarlos, why did you pursue a creative career?
It was always a dream of mine to pursue martial arts and professional wrestling. Even though it was a short stint, I don’t regret my time performing in a professional wrestling ring. I’ve realized the martial arts lifestyle was more for me.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m a martial artist, and even though not many people view it as an art, it really is one. It’s the process of expressing yourself through combat. You learn a lot about yourself through techniques that fits best for your move sets.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My favorite coffee spots are Catalyst Coffee, Iconik, and Heroes Cafe. When it comes to my favorite pizza spot in ABQ, I would have to go with Mario’s Pizzeria. I’m a huge foodie, so I would just Mighty Mike’s meats for BBQ and The Shop for everything else.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to give a shout out to Nate Harris and Ruben Rivera. I met Ruben while I was commentating for an event in Las Vegas, and as soon as he found out that I was living in New Mexico, he told me to try out Nate’s classes in Albuquerque. I was already a blue belt by then, but decided to start at white belt all over again, because I didn’t feel confident in my techniques. Best decision I’ve ever made, and I grew a lot because of them.

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