TNA star Sgt. Chris Melendez interview on wrestling trianing, military,

TNA Wrestler and War Hero Chris Melendez joined Doug Mortman and Dave Lagreca on Busted Open. You can hear Busted Open on SiriusXM 92 and on the SiriusXM app. Also go to Busted OpenNation.com for all the details.

Take us back as a 17 year old and after 9/11 happened what was the thought process through in your head what got you to jump in and becoming a sergeant?

"The two dreams I had was to be in professional wrestling and serve my country. My father was a Vietnam vet, he had a huge influence on me and 9/11 just added fuel to fire. The military was where I was going to go, that was my goal. I could remember I was in high school at the time my father was working in downtown Manhattan, were the World Trade Centers were and couldn’t get into contact with him for several hours, and we eventually met back at the house, and all I could remember was him covered head to toe in white debris and that image really burned into my mind, and just looking at him standing in the door way and it infuriated me because they brought the fight over here, and I am like I am going to bring it back over to you. It just added fuel to the fire more for me to get into the military."

How did you fall in love with pro wrestling?

"It felt natural to me as long I as can remember and I know everyone says it, but it’s the truth. I always watched it and I use to watch it with my grandmother when I was a toddler. I grew up on Curt Hennig and Big Boss Man ,idolizing guys like that. The small things I use to pay attention to like how to walk, how to move, how to carry yourself, how to interact with the audience stuff like that."

What was it like being trained by someone like Bully Ray and Devon?

"It was really awesome. There were a lot of parallels between there at Team 3D Academy and the military. The military can be tough paying attention to detail but you are properly trained and you are ready to go into combat and you are ready to do what to do to perform your task. Going from there to the Team 3D academy you expect no less, there is a lot of parallels like I said it’s paying attention to detail its rough and it’s tough you know “Old School Rules, New School Tudes” that’s the motto of the school. It’s just a great place to train and I tell anybody. if there looking for somewhere to go and don’t waste your time somewhere else. Go to some place with reputable trainers like Team 3D Academy. It was the best place I gone to from day 1 I felt connected to everything that was going on in there."

Did you feel any pressure getting into the ring and having your 1st match?

"I think leading up to it that was the worse; everything was building up the pressure and anticipation. Once I went out there I was received in such an amazing way and everybody was behind me and it was an overwhelming feeling I was comfortable and confident once I was out there."

Honestly whatever you want to share with us because it’s an amazing and compelling story and uplifting story for the people listening.

"I was in Baghdad, Iraq in Sounder City in the most hostile hot zones you can go too. We were on patrol in a Humvee. I was the gunner of the vehicle and we were struck with a roadside bomb, an “IED” and I had a driver and a passenger which is the truck commander. The driver got injured bi-lateral above the knee and I had my left leg amputated and I didn’t know at the time because being a man overseas in combat, this is almost a daily occurrence. IED’s we’re always accounting them and so I did the patdown and made sure all the parts were there and I said I am okay. I didn’t feel anything because my adrenaline was pumping. Then I started to feel tired and feeling exhausted and I heard some of my fellow soldier’s sound of pain and yelling and screaming. I tried to get to his aid but I felt so tired and exhausted, the more I tried the harder it got. When the smoke cleared and I see someone lying down and I see the boot and the uniform over the boot. Then the smoke cleared and I saw there was no one attached to the leg and I realized that was somebody’s leg, and I felt around and it clicked that it was mine. I have a very vivid memory of it down to the metallic particles in the air with the smoke and everything."

What is the toughest piece to the puzzle of the total package of being in professional wrestling?

"I’d say promos is the most important thing. People cannot connect with you if you’re not able to express yourself and your not able to state who you are, what you’re doing, why you’re hear and how can the audience connect with that emotionally, they have to have some way to connect with you."