I started watching wrestling when I was about 4 or 5 years old. I was like any other kid in my age got up early and watching Saturday morning cartoons. While I was flipping through the channels, something caught my eye. It was the WWF (or WWE today). First thing I saw was Ted Dibiase doing a promo. I was so into the promo in which I suddenly became a fan of “The Million Dollar Man.” When the promo was done, his music begins to play, and I saw the Ted Dibiase walking down to the ring with his million dollar belt and full body suit. Watching him got me hooked as every Saturday morning I would always go back to the same channel, watch Ted Dibiase as well as Yokozuna, Big Boss Man, and Bret Hart wrestle. Then after a while I started to lose my love for wrestling as the years went by. Then one day it got me hooked again and for good.
I was at a party celebrating my cousin’s birthday, and my other cousins were flipping through the channels. Like a brat I snatch the control away and was flipping through the channels like crazy. My other cousins were trying to take away the control from me. I didn’t want to make them mad so I press the channel up button one more time before I handled the control back to them. My older cousin was about to change the channel before he look on what was on and he yelled, “Everyone shut up, wrestling is on!” Everyone look at the T.V. and like my older cousin our eyes were stuck to T.V. because WWF was on. I can remember clearly that Mick Foley was on T.V. and that like Ted Dibiase I became of Foley. While everyone was cheering for Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, or The Undertaker, I was the only one cheering for Mankind. For a while I was looking for ways to watch wrestling because I didn’t have cable in my house. So I would go to my uncle’s house and watch wrestling with my cousin. Then after watching WWF, my other cousins introduce me to other promotions like ECW, WCW, Japanese pro-wrestling, and Lucha Libre. As the years went by my cousins grew out of wrestling and begin to do other things. I and my younger cousins were the only ones left watching wrestling.
At first I didn’t wanted to be a wrestler, I wanted to be a writer but I figure that it was going to take a lot of work in order to become a great writer. One day in my final year in middle school, while I was at the dean’s office for finally standing up for myself and punching someone in the face, the dean asked me, “Jesse what do you want to do when you grow up.” I said to him, “I don’t know.” He said, “Well what is it doing want to be when you’re older?” “Wrestling,” I said. He looks at me and made a weird looks, then he suddenly change his look and said, “Oh you mean the wwf thing right?” I took that as an insult but I didn’t wanted to get into more trouble so I said, “Yeah…I want to be a pro-wrestler when I’m older.” The dean would then laugh a bit and said, “Son that’s not a career, you need to think of something much more serious…” After I was sent home with a warning, I said to myself while taking the bus ride home, “I prove to asshole wrong, and I will become a pro-wrestler.” Well even though I wanted to be a wrestler I didn’t had the body for it. I was never active; I was always the fat chubby friend that everyone wants to poke fun of. That didn’t stop me from dreaming and hoping to become a wrestler. In high school everyone who I knew was the wrestling guy. Hell I was the only student who actually try to wrestle a sumo wrestler when some of them came to our school. Even though I lost the match, I can hear everyone chanting my name.
After graduating from high school, dropping out of college, and finding security guard job, I knew that it was time for to look for a school. Looking high and low, I begin my search until I found a place that was in Norwalk. It was called Santino Bros. Wrestling Academy. It was a brand new school that was nearby, and I could afford it. I gave them a call and I was told to be there on a Saturday. I went there on a hot summer day. I nervously walk there and there was other students getting ready. I was then introducing to Kaos, Mongol, and Supreme. I could never forget that day because we did pushups, squats, running the ropes, other cardio workouts, and that was before we actually went into the wrestling basics. When I came home I was so tired and worn out that I went straight to bed and fell asleep. They kept on pushing me and pushing me until I couldn’t get up anymore, but they would scream at me more to get up. Even though I still didn’t got the body for it I kept on pushing myself even more. A year had pasted and I knew the stuff already but still didn’t have the body or cardio. I was one of guys in SBWA, it was like a family, and we always watch each other’s back and would help each other out. Then something came up that i don’t want go into detail but because of it I had to miss training sessions. Then when I was come back from an overnight shift, I check on my computer and I had a message. It was from Kaos telling me to call him ASAP. I got my phone and try to call him but no answer. I did it again and again until I told myself I will do it later on. I went to sleep and woke up later on. As I was getting ready for work I called Kaos one more time, he answered, and told me that I was getting pulled out of the coming show. I became so angry at him I begin to argue with him to the point where I hung up on him. That was the day I walked out of SBWA. It was so bitter and hurtful to walk out but I knew that I had to do it even if it was for the wrong reason.
I would find a new home with a couple of former SBWA students as they would introduce me to Bart and the AWS. I would a new as I begin training under Johnny Paradise. I would be introducing to new people and a new location. I would help out Bart in any way possible at AWS but for a while I was alone because I didn’t had no one to really talk to other than my brothers. I however had that bitter attitude with SBWA. One day while getting a ride to AWS I was talking to my Brother Mike (Mr. Impact) about what happen and said I was still bitter at what happen. He told me that don’t hold onto grudges because you will not go forward in life. It took me a while to completely understand. Meanwhile I was getting to know people and I found some of them that are down to earth cool.
While I was getting ready for my AWS debut, some from the back told me, “Kid I love you, you got talent but you gotta think of another name besides Jok.” I did my match having what he said in the back of my head and then I approach him. He told me that it’s okay to keep Jok but you have to have a full name otherwise people will not take you seriously. Even though there are some things about the guy that talk to me that people don’t like about him, I do give him credit for telling me this without sugar coating it. So I went by my name Jesse “Jok” Nahara, I told him about and he said he likes it. That how I go by now, Jesse “Jok” Nahara or at times Jok.
Outside the AWS I was introduce by to Vic Luna and the IWL. After doing the Sicko Sircus battle Royale, Vic wanted to use me after that. I was introducing to more people and I was learning more about the business. While I was doing promos and shows for IWL, I was still at AWS helping out paying my dues, and training. While my brothers left AWS, I stayed because I thought at the time I had nowhere to go. While at AWS, I begin to realize that in order to become good; I would have to lose a lot of weight. So I went into diets, went to the gym, and train harder. The results were showing and I was becoming much better at what I was doing. Everyone begins to notice this, they would tell me to keep it up, and work harder. When I heard that AWS was closing down I was heartbroken because that was my home away from home. It was the place where I became much more mature, and wise while being there. I was learning a lot from the place while meeting good people. Everyone was telling where are you going after AWS closes down? I really didn’t know what or where to go. Then I heard that SBWA was moving to a new location in Bell Gardens, CA. I thought about going back there but I thought how they would treat me if I go back. So I hit up Kaos and ask him if I can go back. He told me that I can but with a good attitude and passion. On the last AWS show I talk to the SBWA crew and they said they can’t wait for me to come back. They also told me that I look great. Weeks after AWS went down I went back to SBWA, after getting baptized again I felt that everyone in SBWA has finally welcome me back.
Throughout the two years I have been in this business I have learn a lot from almost everyone I have encounter. From SBWA, AWS, IWL, Lucha, etc., it has been a journey for me. Its feels great to come back to SBWA and learn new things that I thought I would never do. I still got a lot to learn before I can reach my goal, to work at Japan, and become a star there. There is always also the dream to work at the WWE, Mexico as well. With hark work and determination the skies the limit for me. I’m in the best shape in my life and will continue to work harder and push myself harder to keep the dream alive! “Believe in yourself…create your own destiny…don’t fear failure”
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