Khoa Truong Interview

Since 2022, Vietnam Pro Wrestling has continued to rise and break every record they set. More than a few of the unforgettable, instagrammable moments have involved "The Undead Spirit" Khoa Truong. SEA Wrestling sat down with the young VPW veteran to talk his origins, defining moments and future goals.

SW: Can you give us some background on when you first fell in love with wrestling. Who were your favourite wrestlers and what inspired you to join VPW

KT: You could say I discovered wrestling a bit later than most people my age. The boom period for wrestling in Vietnam was around 2004–2005, when cable TV started becoming popular. Back then, you’d see groups of students sitting together outside the school gates after class, copying the “You can’t see me” taunt from John Cena, or kids wearing T-shirts of Batista or Triple H. To be honest, at that time I had no idea what my friends were talking about. It felt like some kind of alien language because my family didn’t have cable TV or internet yet. It wasn’t until around 2007 that we finally got cable.

Out of pure curiosity, I gave it a try—and I got hooked instantly. It was just a regular episode of WWE Raw, and the match on screen was CM Punk vs Bobby Lashley. Of course, I didn’t know who they were at the time, but I still remember that image of the two of them vividly. After watching for a while, I eventually learned their names.

Back then, every wrestler had their own unique personality, their own moveset, and their own entrance. I memorized everything—every move, every theme song. At school, my friends and I would compete to see who could imitate them the best.

Lunchtime was when we “practiced” what we saw on TV (definitely don’t try this). So if you ask me who my favorite wrestler is, it’s honestly hard to choose. But if I had to pick, I’d go with Jeff Hardy, The Undertaker, and Shawn Michaels.

With that level of passion for wrestling, there was no way I could ignore Vietnam Pro Wrestling.

I attended their very first mattress-ring show, Saturday Showdown, back when they were still called Saigon Pro Wrestling Club. The techniques were honestly a bit rough and amateur at the time, but the energy of the crowd and the performers’ dedication made me forget everything else—I truly enjoyed that show.

I didn’t miss a single SPWC event after that. However, due to personal reasons, I couldn’t start training right away. About a year later, when they announced tryouts, I grabbed the opportunity and jumped in immediately.

SW: What was your inspiration for the undead spirit character? Were there musical influences?

KT: Like I mentioned on the podcast, my old character is truly dead. I needed a complete transformation. But even though that body is gone, the "fighting spirit" still remains—so I define my character as “The Undead Spirit.”

Yeah, it seems like you already picked up on that (musical influences). When I was brainstorming the name and character, my playlist randomly played Undead by Hollywood Undead—one of my favorite tracks from about 10 years ago. After listening to it again, I realized the style and lyrics matched perfectly with everything I had in mind for this new persona. I tried every way possible to incorporate the word “Undead” into my character so I could use that song as my entrance theme. I texted Xpat about the name “The Undead Spirit,” and he said he loved it—and I’ve been using it ever since.

SW:You were part of two of the most iconic feuds in VPWs post COVID rise. Can you share your thoughts on the hair Vs hair match and the Devils playground matches. Do you think the matches left a scar on your character's personality?

KT: The Hair vs. Hair match was the moment that marked the end of my old character. Beyond being a turning point in my career, it also had a powerful impact on the relationships around me outside of wrestling.

My friends and family learned that I donated my hair to cancer patients—I became a real source of inspiration to them. They started asking me where and how they could donate their hair (Even Aurélien the VPW photographer decided to do it as well). That’s what made me truly truly happy—because through wrestling, I was able to create an impact beyond the ring.

Wrestling fans followed my lead and donated their hair. Friends who don’t even watch wrestling learned about it through me. It became like an invisible connection that I created. I hope that in the future, I can continue to do something meaningful—something that helps and connects the community through wrestling, just like this.

The Devil’s Playground match truly shaped who I am today—both inside and outside the ring. In the ring, it pushed me to be more fearless. I started taking risks, trying out new moves, and stepping into every match with a whole new level of confidence. That’s when my character really had its true “Undead Spirit” moments. Outside the ring, it changed me too. I became more confident in conversations with friends. A lot of them used to say things like, “Isn’t wrestling fake? Isn’t it all props?”—and instead of just explaining, I showed them. I showed them the aftermath of British Horror after I smashed a keyboard across his back, and the video of scaffold fall. Then I’d break it down for them—helping them understand the different sides of wrestling, beyond what they see on the surface. Because at the end of the day, this isn’t just a performance. It’s a passion. And it’s something real that I’m willing to go through pain for, just to make people believe.

SW: Despite your differences now (on screen), did you learn a lot from your team with The British Horror?

KT: He taught me a lot—not just about wrestling experience, but also how to use objects safely in matches. On top of that, I’ve learned a great deal from him about nutrition and fitness as well.

You mentioned when you spoke to Phuong Nam on Outside The Ring that the audience for wrestling in Vietnam is still mostly foreign. Wrestling seems like a perfect fit for Vietnamese culture - action, comedy, loud, bright colors, why do you think it's never been popular until recently (with the emergence of VPW)?

Like I mentioned, Vietnam was exposed to wrestling around 2005 or even earlier through cable TV. That means there are actually a lot of wrestling fans here. But the shadow of WWE is so big that most people still don’t fully understand what “pro wrestling” really is.

Even to this day, many people still call the entire sport “WWE” instead of “pro wrestling.” And when they think of WWE, the image in their minds is big monsters with massive, muscular physiques. So when they see us on media platforms, they don’t always respond positively to the smaller builds of Vietnamese and Southeast Asian wrestlers. Some haters even call us “a replica's version of WWE” and expect us to have a physique like Batista within just a few months—or a year or two. If you’ve ever actually trained in a gym, you’d know that’s impossible… unless you’re injecting something like Captain America’s super soldier serum, haha.

The reality is, beyond our passion for wrestling, we started from nothing and still have everyday lives, jobs to sustain ourselves. It’s incredibly difficult to balance training, nutrition, and a full-time job. That’s why I’m truly grateful for the Vietnamese fans who genuinely understand and have supported Vietnam Pro Wrestling—both in the past and now—by attending events and backing us. Their support means everything. I believe it will take time for the general audience to truly understand and appreciate what pro wrestling is all about.

SW: We've seen your hardcore brawls and more standard sports entertainment style matches. What kind of wrestling do you prefer doing?

KT: As a performer, I’m drawn to the challenge of storytelling. Technically, hardcore matches are actually the easiest—most of the time, all you have to do is grab an object and swing it. That’s really what it comes down to. I’m confident in my ability in that style. But when it comes to storyline-driven matches with deep, dramatic narratives—that’s where things get more demanding. You have to use your mind a lot more. You’re not just thinking about moves—you’re thinking about emotions, selling, timing, and how every expression is going to come across. There are key moments in a match that absolutely have to happen. If you miss them, you mess everything up—because the storyline doesn’t end with just one match.

It carries on across multiple shows, sometimes even becoming the foundation for a whole series of content on media platforms. And that’s what really draws the audience in—often even more than what happens inside the ring. So I prefer matches that tell a story—matches where every moment means something.

SW: How would you describe the changes in your character from the original 2022/23 Undead Spirit to the more fun loving babyface Khoa we see today?

KT: Haha, it actually started as a out scripted moment in the ring when I did that kissing spot with Henry. The booker saw the entertainment potential in it—combined with what I’ve been doing on social media—and decided to develop it further. I won’t give too much away… you’ll just have to stay tuned.

SW: You've wrestled in Thailand (PSE) and Singapore for ROR. What was the experience like? How did that experience influence your wrestling?

KT: At ROR, I was really fortunate to step into the ring with one of the best—Nyc. I also had a tag team match with Damien against Big Bad Boys (The Eurasian Dragon & BGJ). Up to this point, my single match with NYC is the most technically strong match of my career—I learned a lot from it.

PSE was a great opportunity for me to connect with many international wrestlers. There were even Vietnam Pro Wrestling fans who came to support. I also got to reunite with an old friend, Wam Bam Bellows, whom I met during the ROR trip. Sunny Z puts together shows featuring wrestlers from all over the world. I truly enjoyed the experience and learned so much from everyone—every single person there was talented.

SW: What are your next goals in professional wrestling?

KT: I really want to compete in other promotions across Southeast Asia, and I’ll be making my debut in more of them very soon—so stay tuned.

I haven’t won any titles in Vietnam Pro Wrestling yet. My goal is to become Tag Team Champion with my beloved partner Henry. With the chemistry we have right now, I truly believe it’s only a matter of time before we take down Rocky Horror Show and claim those titles in the future.

SW: Speaking of, you've been partnered with Slugshot Henry for a while now. Have you been a mentor to him?

KT: No haha, he didn't listen any of my words.

SW: Things seem a bit difficult between you two now though? Why do you think he is so angry?

KT: I think he's angry because I made a few mistakes everytime we wrestling together, or maybe he hates me personally for some other reason. I don’t really know.

SW: What drives you to wrestle, what or who are you thinking of every time you step into the ring?

KT: Every time I step out for my entrance, I think about the audience waiting out there. I think about what I’m about to deliver for them—the cheers, the boos—and that energy fuels me.

And in the end, I think about everything I’ve been through to become who I am today. It reminds me where I started… and pushes me to never stop grinding.

SW: Who would be your dream opponent?

KT: I would say

• In VPW - Hy Draco

• In Southeast Asia - JDL

• Worldwide fantasy dream opponent - Okada

SW: Best advice - what was it and who gave it?

KT: Never stop. You’ll never know how far you can go if you don’t have the courage to start. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes—if you mess up, fix it. Because if you never try, how will you ever know what needs to be improved… and how to become better?

This goes out to everyone who dreams of becoming a wrestler one day and for everyone who read this interview.

Khoa Truong faces Dokuga in a blindfold match at Vietnam Pro Wrestling Saigon Slam Jam this Sunday. You can get your tickets here.

You can follow Khoa on Instagram here

With thanks to

Vietnam Pro Wresting, Aurelien Foucault, Khoa Truong and Ring of Rebirth for photos and permissions.