When he was 5 years old, Rodolfo Roman's dad took him down to the studio of defunct AM
station, Union Radio, where he learned the hard knocks of running
your own radio show. Union Radio was the spot where independent
journalists who emigrated from Central American countries like
Nicaragua, where Roman is from, got to practice their craft. Roman
learned the grueling amount of dedication it took to market and
produce a radio show.
Today, Roman is using his dad's lessons to propel his own career as a journalist and commentator in Miami's local mixed martial arts and professional wrestling scene. "I had my own dreams of becoming a pro wrestler," Roman says. "But at 5'8" and 150 pounds, I knew I wasn't going to cut it, so I decided to focus on covering the sport as a journalist."
A graduate of Florida International University's journalism school, Roman hosts his own program, "The Roman Show," on the blogtalkradio network every Tuesday and Wednesday at 10 p.m.
He's landed some very big names in MMA and pro wrestling as guests, including wrestlers Diamond Dallas Page, Rey Mysterio Jr., Scotty Riggs, Bellator Fighting Championship President Bjorn Rebney and UFC announcer Bruce Buffer. He's even landed the Big Aristotle, Shaquille O'Neal as a guest. Roman also does ringside announcing gigs for local MMA and wrestling shows, which helps him stay connected to the scene.
"What's great about being independent is that these guys can come on my show and speak their minds," he says. "Sometimes I have to cut them off because their emotions run a little high."
To keep MMA and wrestling fans interested, Roman is very active on social media, encouraging his listeners to interact with him via Facebook and Twitter. "Our listeners can interact with our guests by sending us a message on Twitter or calling in live," he says. "We love interacting with the fans, whether it is good or bad."
You can tune into Roman's show on his website, www.rodolforoman.com.
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