By his own admission, Homicide had an extremely tough upbringing in Brooklyn, New York. That included hanging out with the wrong crowds and even being shot during a drive-by.

Homicide talked about those experiences and how he was able to transition into wrestling when he spoke to Wrestling Inc. on our WINCLY podcast.

"I've loved pro wrestling since I was five years old. The first match I ever saw was the British Bulldogs vs. the Hart Foundation; it was amazing," said Homicide. "As a New Yorker I grew up watching the WWF. We never watched the NWA, WCCW or AWA. So, one time I saw the NWA at Halloween Havoc 1989 and the main event was Ric Flair and Sting vs. The Great Muta and Terry Funk. Something about Funk I really loved. His style and image, just everything."

Homicide said he hated Flair when he was growing up because he represented the rich and he hated the rich. But he loved Funk because he was poor and identified more so with him. After seeing a promo battle between Flair and Funk, Homicide then became hooked on the NWA and as his love for wrestling continued to grow, he started thinking about a future in the sport.

"I was hanging out with gangsters and pimps and realizing that the older I get, I need a future. I wanna have kids and get married and grow up. Wrestling took me to another life," revealed Homicide.

"I loved baseball and wanted to become a baseball player but I got hit with a bullet from a drive-by and that gave me the left turn. I was still wrestling and went to a wrestling school in Brooklyn. I gave them my fees and after that it was history."

Homicide then went into more detail about getting shot during a drive-by.

"It was my third match and I was in love with pro wrestling. It was an accident drive-by shooting and I got shot in the leg. I told my friends that I can't go to the police because they know my record and history," said Homicide. "My friend said, 'Don't worry. We're gonna go to the show and I got you covered.'

"Basically, he duct-taped my leg because I got shot in my calf. I noticed people during my match laughing. I looked down my leg and there was a string of cotton. When I took it out, it was a tampon!

"So, it was my first rib planted on me because it was my third match. After that I got stitched up and I'm still here now."

He then told a story of wrestling in Hawaii recently and breaking his cheek bone and nose. But he'll be in the ring and wrestling this weekend with a nose guard just like the one Kobe Bryant used to wear.

With everything he's suffered both in and outside of the ring, Homicide was asked if he has health insurance.

"I'm a very luck man and I have health insurance. I saved money in my youth and have health insurance with this company that took care of me in Hawaii from my broken nose," Homicide said before adding that pro wrestling promotions should offer their talent health insurance.

"Pro wrestling is very dangerous. People probably think we're like a bunch of stunt doubles in Hollywood or think wrestling is fake. I believe pro wrestling is very aggressive and yes, we should have health insurance because we go through a lot of injuries.

"I had two concussions, over 200 stitches on my face, shoulder surgery, calf injuries I wish someone would come out with a union and do insurance for pro wrestling because we need it."

Homicide then delved further into the idea of a union in pro wrestling.

"Absolutely [there should be a union], but it's all political. I know in Japan they tried to have a union but the government didn't like it because they wanted taxes," stated Homicide.

He then talked about how hard it is to get the government on board in the United States as well due to suspicions of fraud and wrestlers exaggerating their injuries.

"But I think there should be a union and everybody's gotta stick together," said Homicide.

Next month Homicide will be a part of Synergy Wrestling's Garden State Tournament in New Jersey and he revealed why this event is so important to him.

"It means a lot to me because when I started pro wrestling it was back in NYC in 1994. The first long trip ever was in New Jersey  it's like my second home. I travel all over New Jersey so to me this tournament is really big for me," stated Homicide.

"I'm very confident I'm the best whether I've been wrestling for five years or 25 years. The best competitors are coming to this tournament and I'm gonna show the world that Homicide is No. 1."

Homicide will be competing in Synergy Wrestling's 2019 Garden State Invitational. Synergy will hold a live press conference this Friday, June 21st at the Fit Body Boot Camp inside Bridgewater Commons Mall in Bridgewater Twp. NJ, at 8:30 p.m. EST. Those who cannot attend the live event are invited to view the conference streaming via Facebook Live on Synergy Pro Wrestling's official Facebook page (Facebook.com/SynergyWrestle) or streaming via Twitch on the Nerd Port Network (twitch.tv/TheNerdPort).

Wrestling Inc's full interview with Homicide was included on Wednesday's episode of our WINCLY podcast. It can be listened to via the embedded player at the bottom of this post. During the interview Homicide discusses Synergy Wrestling's upcoming Garden State Invitational, his desire to become an NXT trainer, Orange Cassidy, being shot in a drive-by and wrestling that night, ROH's current product, which WCW cruiserweight Jonathan Gresham reminds him of, hating Ric Flair as a kid, GCW's upcoming tribute show to him and more.

You can check out past episodes of the WINCLY here. Subscribe to Wrestling Inc. Audio on iTunes or Google Play. Listen to the show via Spotify here or through TuneIn here.