If Butch wasn’t at home either working out or spending time with Wisdom and the kids, more often than not, he was here. Whether it was going over production for a card, plotting in matches, taking training sessions or getting some extra in-ring practice himself, this was Butch’s home away from home. The Academy itself is around 20,000 square feet. It contains four full-size training rings, a strength and conditioning program, edit and production suites as well as on-site medical care.
The actual training room itself is around 8,000 square feet, with three training rings. As soon as the deal with CBS was announced and the extra money from sponsors, TV and new merchandise started rolling in, Butch immediately installed several new additions and expansions to the Academy. One of those was a main “show ring” complete with theatrical lighting and broadcasting capability. Butch knew that most of the roster had little-to-no experience of performing in front of TV cameras, knowing where to look for cutting promos and making their ring entrance. As such, he felt it was prudent to ensure he could help recreate this as much as possible to help his students be the best professional wrestlers they could be in all aspects of it.
In addition to the training room, Butch had a 4,000 square foot state-of-the art strength and conditioning that allowed for daily training sessions for all the athletes. It contained top-of-the-line equipment, a lot which Butch was able to secure himself from his own personal line of gym equipment he had received from his own sponsorship deal. From cardio machines, medical rehab equipment and floor space for stretching and plyometric equipment, Butch was adamant anyone wanting to build a career with HWA would have access to the very best equipment.
On the walls throughout the Academy were framed pictures and championship belts celebrating the successes of HWA superstars through all the different eras, even before his own tenure started in the company nearly 20 years ago. It was important to Butch that all aspects of HWA’s history, from those who ran before even the likes of Butch could walk, to the exciting new superstars will launch HWA once again into the stratosphere.
The camera pans 360 around the training area of the Academy. In several of the rings some basic drills are being down with new recruits, orchestrated by some of the coaches. In the main show ring is HWA Head Coach Matthew Kiriyama, formerly known as Craig Barker and former HWA superstar and US Champion, Red Dragon. Dragon is talking some stuff over with Matt Miller and Sean Parker. Although the former are now fairly experienced professional wrestlers, they’re not above learning something new and the two youngsters are can be seen leaning on the ropes, nodding their heads as they take in whatever wisdom that Dragon is imparting on to them.
Stood at ringside, leaning on the apron, is HWA co-CEO, Butch Parker. Despite everything going on, the hustle and bustle of running a massive wrestling organisation on an epic scale, he always made time for his students and those who chose to put the hard work and extra hours in to hone their craft. It made him burst with pride at the sight of his nephew Sean as well as Matt Miller, two of the HWA’s established and consistent performers, choosing to spend their downtime learning and striving to improve.
Truth be told, this was a place of zen for Butch. He had a million different things he needed to worry about. Who was going to be facing who at the Reunion Show. Which former HWA superstars were going to be turning up. Who had RSPVD? Had the set designers for the stage came back with their proposals for both what Butch had envisioned for the Reunion Show and for the future Havoc episodes?
As Butch watches his old friend coach his nephew and one of his brightest stars, he can’t help himself but interject. Dragon is attempting to show Sean and Matt how to quickly take an opponent’s back and hit a move from a rear waist lock. Butch slides under the bottom rope and into the ring.
(Butch): See that works to a degree but you gotta really nail that stepdown to duck out of the way and grab that waistlock.
Dragon looks at Butch with an ironic smile. He knows his old friend far too well to interrupt him. He knows Butch is going to ask him to demonstrate and whilst he was the Head Coach, he knows Butch likes to have a say in what gets taught.
Butch): So like this…
Butch motions Matthew to come at him.
(Butch): Coach Matthew is going to come at me, it could be a clothesline, a shoulder block, a collar-and-elbow tie-up, it could be anything. Watch your opponent’s feet. The feet give it away every time what someone is going to do before you see anything happen with the arms.
Dragon quickly comes at Butch, arms extended as if to initiate a traditional lock-up. Even quicker though, Butch drops down to one knee, ducking under Matthew’s outstretched arms and in one swift moment, he grabs him around the waist.
(Butch): and the trick is to get the next move in as quick as possible. Whether it’s a German suplex, a snap dragon. Or you Matt, if you’re feeling daring enough, hop onto the shoulders, hit a poison rana. The key is to get the waist lock in and hit that next move as quick and as hard as possible. Make sense?
Both Matt and Sean nod in agreement. Butch pats Matthew on the shoulder thankfully as he releases his waistlock grip. He smiles wryly.
(Matthew): Can I get back to teaching now please, Butch-San?
Butch smirks ironically as he holds his hands up in acknowledgment.
(Butch): I know, I know, I’m sorry. You know I can’t help it.
Matthew looks at Matt and Sean.
(Matthew): Take five, guys.
The two youngsters get the message and slide out of the ring, chatting amongst themselves as they take a jog around the circuit.
(Butch): You guys are looking great! Keep it up! Proud of you both!
(Sean): Thanks, Butch!
Matthew turns back to face Butch.
(Matthew): Butch-San, I got this. You’ve got your hands full enough with everything else that’s going on. The Academy isn’t going to go to hell just because you’re not here for a few days.
Butch): You know I trust you, Matthew-San. You’re my Head Coach for a reason. There’s no one better I’d rather have teaching these guys.
(Matthew): And that means the world to me. But seriously, you’ve got more important things to be worrying about than whether or not Sean and Matt can hit a snap dragon suplex after ducking out of the way of a clothesline.
(Butch): Come to think of it, I’ve been putting off a lot of admin stuff. I don’t know. Running things was a lot simpler when all we had to worry about was hits on YouTube. I keep getting all these messages about calls to return. I’ve got to make sure the returning guests all have passes for the Garden when we fly to New York for the Reunion Show, I have to settled on the match card, look at the production as well.
(Matthew): Heavy lies the crown, my friend. Go be a CEO for a change. The Academy isn’t going anywhere. I promise there’ll always be students here to learn. But for now, you gotta take a step back and be the big boss. Let me and the other coaches do our thing.
Butch adopts a defeated expression. He knows Matthew is right.
(Butch): Roger that. I’ll be in my office. Buzz me if you need anything.
(Matthew): I won’t now will you just go!
(Butch): I’m going! I’m going!
Butch laughs as he makes his way from the training area and up the stairs to the second floor where his office was based. As he climbs the stairs, he can already hear Matthew calling back to Matt and Sean to get their butts back to the ring and he allows himself another light chuckle. He opens the door to his office, letting out a big breath as he collapses into his chair. He checks his phone. A few messages on a variety of different platforms - WhatsApp, Messenger and Twitter. He notices a voice note from Wisdom. He clicks the play button.
(Wisdom): Hey Mister Parker! You’re not answering your phone so I’m guessing you’re butting your nose into some training session and not letting Matthew do his job. When you get that cute ass of yours back to your desk, remember you need to call the set designers to sign off off on the old school design we agreed on that, that guy drags his feet at the best of times and we need to make sure that design is in the works ASAP. Also, Maniac called for you, he left you a bunch of messages. I don’t know if he wants to talk about coming back or he wants to just turn up for the Reunion Show but it would be good for him to be involved I think. You guys have a lot of history and he’ll be good for the product! Anyways, don’t be getting too stressed, Mister! I want my handsome man nice and relaxed when he gets home! Love you! Mwah!
Butch can’t help but smile just at the sound of Wisdom’s voice. He always felt better whenever he heard her speak and she always found a way to make him feel at ease. He then snaps back to reality and checks his phone. He sees the voicemail from an unknown number and plays it. He hears the familiar tones of Antonio Romano, AKA Maniac. Butch immediately hits call back but the number rings out to voicemail but before he can he reply, an alert comes up his phone from Twitter with his handle being tagged. The headline is from Fightful Select ran by renowned wrestling journalist, Sean Ross Sapp and it reads: Former HWA World Champion and roster alumni, Maniac calls out Butch Parker! Exclusive clip here!”. Butch watches the clip and can’t quite believe what he’s just heard. He takes a moment to think, chewing on his bottom lip and wrapping his fingers off his desk in a rhythmic fashion. He looks up and sees the camera crew still filming him.
(Butch): You guys still rolling?
(Production Crew Worker): Yessir, Mister Parker.
(Butch): Good, here goes nothing.
Butch stands up from his seat and begins to pace back and forth. After about 10 seconds he looks up and faces the camera.
(Butch): It’s been a while since I did one of these and last time I did this, it was under much different circumstances, so you’ll have to bear with me. Adam, sorry, Antonio… I forget you go by your birth name these days. Let me get this straight… you are away from HWA for the better part of 10 years, you leave without so much of a formal goodbye and don’t keep in touch. Then, as soon as HWA’s name is in lights again, you call me out of the blue and the minute you don’t receive a response within a week, you issue some sort of veiled threat?
Butch smirks and shakes his head.
(Butch): You’re not an HWA employee at this point in time, Maniac, so I’m not speaking to you as the CEO of the Hardcore Wrestling Alliance. I’m speaking to you as Butch f***ing Parker. The man you tried to go to war with and, figuratively, almost died trying. This isn’t the Mafia, Antonio and your little lead pipe and maniacal laughter don’t scare me either. If you kept up to date with HWA programming before everything went tits up, you’ll know all the shit I went through with Senester, with Michael James and what they put me and my family through. So if you think that creepy old gimmick is going to put the shits up, you’re even more delusional than I thought you were. CBS probably won’t like me speaking like this because it’s not befitting of the demographic we’re aiming for. But like I said, right now, you’re not my employee, I’m not your boss. We’re just two guys which means I can say whatever the f*** I want. But let’s just take a step back for a moment and breathe.
Butch stops for a moment. He takes a big intake of oxygen through his nose and breathes out through his mouth.
(Butch); Let me ask you something, Antonio. Do you have any idea what it’s like to run a multi-million dollar organisation? To maintain a payroll? Meet creative deadlines? Run a wrestling school? To be responsible for the employment of hundreds of people? All the whilst still maintaining your own wrestling career and balancing a home life? Hmm? I’ll be honest with you, Antonio, it isn’t exactly a walk in the f***ing park. I don’t have enough fingers or toes for the amount of messages I’ve missed in the last few months from people calling me or messaging me asking if they can be part of the new HWA. So you’ll forgive me for being a tad scatterbrained at missing a phone call from someone who hasn’t shown the slightest bit of interest in what HWA has been offering the professional wrestling community until he found out there was some cheddar to be made.
Butch can feel old him coming back out. The rampant lion who would bite back with unbridled ferocity when his cage was poked. He tries to keep his composure as best he can.
(Butch): So let me make one thing perfectly clear, Antonio. You’ve got two options. Option one: You can turn up to Madison Square Garden as an invited guest. As my guest, as a former HWA World Champion, as an icon and fan favourite and you can enjoy the evening. We can talk afterwards, have a beer or two, catch up properly, put the world to rights and discuss what the future may hold and if you genuinely want to be part of the project HWA has been building towards for the last eight years and help to shape, guide and work with some of the best workers in the industry.
Butch holds up two fingers.
(Butch): Option two: you can turn up, uninvited, with your lead pipe in hand, the eyes of the wrestling world on you and you can try and you can overtake CM Punk as the pariah of the pro wrestling world. By all means, shoot your shot but I promise you, it won’t end well and I have no problem putting you in your place on network television in front of millions of people. Believe me, I’d rather not because I’d rather the Reunion Show was remembered for celebrating what made HWA iconic and why it’s the only thing the wrestling world is talking about these days. The choice is yours, Anontio. I’ll have your invite posted out to you.
The scene fades to black as Butch dials Wisdom’s number as he goes to give her a heads-up about what he just did.
Message Thread
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