Beside Butch, sat his nephew, Sean Parker and Matt Miller, who looks a little worse for wear for lack of a better term but he’s more upbeat than he did in the early days after the Asylum Match at Art of War. He has various stitches across his forehead and his arms but his eyes don’t look as puffy as they did in the immediate aftermath and the bruising that had been abundant around his eyes and cheeks has died down significantly. As for Sean, his lip still looks a little busted from the injury he endured during his match with Jeremy but aside from that, he looks in good spirits.
Butch cranes his neck to the side, covering up the mics as he addresses both Sean and Matt.
(Butch): I know it’s been a while since you both did one of these, lads, but just take each question at face value.
Sean and Matt both exchange agreeing nods before giving Butch a nod and a thumbs-up respectively. Butch nods and winks before slapping Sean on the shoulder before he looks back to the gathered media and press, removing his hand from the microphones. He clears his throat and begins to speak.
(Butch): Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, and thank you for coming today. I know we normally conduct these Q&As immediately after the event but I wanted Matt to be here to talk to you and, as you can imagine, he wasn’t in any state to be addressing anyone. So, without further adieu, let’s get started, shall we?
He looks around the room for any raised hands. One young female reporter stands up.
(Denise Salcedo): Hi Butch, this is your second successive pay-per-view event in charge of HWA and from what we’ve been seeing, the numbers are looking good. How are you feeling about the matches that you booked and how they turned out on the night?
(Butch): I’m very happy, Denise. Helloween Harvest was a standout event in years past in HWA, associated with some of the biggest matches of the calendar year. I myself was very fortunate to be part of its storied history so I’m very happy with how the event turned out.
(Denise Salcedo): You’ve mentioned before about how you wanted to bring the pure wrestling essence back to the company, to honor what the likes of Sean Parker, Matt Miller and Jeremy Branson brought to the company during the now-called “YouTube era”. But the main events of both Art of War and Helloween Harvest both involved highly-controversial and bloody matches between Maniac and Matt Miller. Do you see these sort of “marquee” matches continuing to be an ever-present part of the HWA’s DNA moving forward in the events to come or is this the last we’ve seen of the “hardcore” side of HWA?
Butch allows himself a light smile, closing his eyes for a second. He composes himself before replying.
(Butch): In the business of professional wrestling, lots of things are said and lots of things change. Sometimes you have to take certain less-traveled roads in spite of what you feel or think is right, even if that contradicts what you’ve said or thought in the past. I feel in the months since we’ve become a much more prominent organization again within our industry, my roster has done a tremendous job of showcasing the types of matches that kept a cult-following online. If you’ve watched any of the matches Sean or Jeremy have had. Sean versus Stu-E Price from Havoc last month, hell pretty much every match from Art of War…
Butch holds his hand up, pointing to his extended fingers as he runs off the matches.
Jeremy versus Hans, Sean versus Fallen, Red Dragon versus Nakamura, the Blackthornes versus Sarah Callahan and Alexis Rose. Sean versus Jeremy from tonight was an absolute banger. Each one of those matches could easily be match of the year. But sometimes rivalries transcend what a normal match allows in terms of catharsis and also what the fans want. The Asylum Match is something that’s only been seen a handful of times in the company’s history and so it wasn’t booked on a whim as you all know. As for the match tonight, we felt we owed Matt this. He’s been for years when others weren’t. He’s never once complained, he turned down numerous high-end offers from organizations that he would have easily been main-eventing and competing for championships in. So, with this seemingly being the final chapter of his and Maniac’s violent saga, Wisdom and I felt it was only right.
(Denise Salcedo): And Matt, for you, do you feel like this is the end of the road for you and Maniac? He seems to think this was the end of this rivalry between the two of you.
Matt doesn’t respond for a moment. He thinks on the question and adjusts his position in his seat before leaning forward into the mic.
(Matt): It’s no secret Maniac and I haven’t exactly been on speaking terms since the Reunion Show. We’ve beaten the shite out of each other for the past eight months, so we have. He’s beaten me, I’ve beaten him, I’m not sure what else we can possibly do to each other that we haven’t done already. Do I like the fella? No. Do I respect him? Despite what we’ve been through together in the ring, the jury’s still out. Some of his actions and behavior I’ll never be able to look past. But as far this...
Matt uses his index finger, prodding it on the table to emphasize his point.
(Matt): …chapter is concerned, in my opinion? The door is closed and I’m ready to walk through the next one.
A man with a well-trimmed beard and short brown hair stands up.
(Sean Ross Sapp): Matt, you speak of walking through new doors. At the Havoc Supershow that’s not long been announced, it was confirmed you’ll be facing Stu-E Price for the first time. Obviously you’ll be well-acquainted with him given his trilogy of matches with Sean Parker but what’s your thoughts going into that match? Do you feel you’ll be match-fit as it were?
Matt smiles lightly.
(Matt): Come the 20th, I’ll be fightin’ fit, so I will. These wounds, these cuts and bruises?
Matt looks down at himself, gesturing to the wounded parts of his body before looking back up.
(Matt): These are all superficial. I have a strong constitution so I do, so yeah, next week, I’ll be fine. As for Price, I’ve been in this business long enough to know a troll when I see one. As an in-ring talent, Stu-E has my utmost respect, so he does. He goes in, gets the job done and gets out again. But outside the ring, he likes to run his mouth, make his little jokes, be the proverbial wind-up merchant. I saw his little digs at Sean online the other night for example, so I did. Tagging him in stuff and then laughing when he replied, I mean…
Matt offers a shrug, an ironic smile on his face as he shakes his head disparagingly.
(Matt): Come on, fella, yer in yer forties so ye are and yer trying acting like that? But ye know what, if that’s how he wants to live his life, that’s his business. But all that aside, I’m ready for a new challenge and Stu-E will certainly provide that, so he will and I’m looking forward to it.
As Matt finishes talking, he catches Butch glancing at him out of the corner of his eye and gives him a subtle wink and a thumbs up underneath the table, letting him know he handled the questions well.
(Sean Ross Sapp): And Sean, you and Jeremy had quite the match which some are already calling a five-star classic. You’re now the one who will give Red Dragon his last-ever match of his career. Has that sunk in yet? How are you feeling?
(Sean): Jeremy is more than a friend to me, he’s like a brother. No one really knows the type of camaraderie he, Matt, myself, Sarah, Michelle, hell even Erica once upon a time, developed during those early years. And I would have loved for Matt to have been involved in that match. He deserved to be part of it but I understand his reasons and I respect him all the more for it and I’m sure Jeremy does too. This match with Sensei though, it transcends any championship, any main event, any dream opponent I could possibly face. Sensei was there for me when I came out of surgery, he was beside me when I took my first steps again, when I took my first bump, he presented me with my karate belt…so to have earned the right to be the one that stands across the ring from him one last time… it will be emotionally-charged and probably the most poignant, most important match, from a personal standpoint, that I’ll likely ever have.
(Sean Ross Sapp): And you now have a huge match, literally, with William Draconis coming up at the Havoc supershow. Another first for the both of you. You’re no stranger to competing against guys bigger than you, do you have any thoughts on how you’re going to approach this?
Sean smirks.
(Sean): None that I’ll be sharing in a public forum, that’s for sure.
A ripple of light laughter trickles throughout the room before Sean continues.
(Sean): No but in all seriousness, I’ve had my misgivings about Draconis given his previous affiliation and such. But he’s shown his true character over the last few months and I don’t know if it's because he wants to set a better example for Jesse, Kratos and Luna with them now being in HWA now, or whatever it is. But he’s certainly got my respect. Like you said, I’m no stranger to competing against bigger guys, hell anyone I face these days is technically a…
Sean makes air quotes with his hands to emphasize his next two words.
(Sean):... bigger guy but a good wrestler knows how to maximize his own strengths and turn his opponent’s against him. That’s what brought me to this dance from day one and, more often than not, it’s served me pretty well so far, so if it’s not broken, I’m not going to fix it.
Another reporter stands up, older.
(Denzel Porter): And Butch, how proud are you of Sean given how far he’s come?
Butch, like Sean before him, doesn’t answer immediately. He takes a drink from a bottle of water in front of him. He looks to Sean and over to Matt before facing the throng of people in front of him.
(Butch): I’m not just proud of Sean. Every single week I get asked if I’m proud of this young man right here…
Butch wraps an arm around Sean’s shoulder.
(Butch):... and the answer is of course I am. I see him in the Academy every week training, helping his peers, helping the next generation when he’s still finding his place in the world himself and goes out and has banger after banger and if you ask me, biased or not, Sean is the only one who deserves to be facing Sensei Matthew in his last match. But in the grand scheme of things, everyone is working hard, everyone is having great matches… Matt is putting his body on the line, so is Jeremy, so is Price, Draconis, even Maniac. Every single man and woman on this roster busts their arse whether you love them or loathe them. Don’t get me wrong, I am proud of Sean, as his uncle, and as his boss. But I look at my entire roster objectively.
(Denzel Porter): And what are your thoughts on the scene that played out between Hans von Richtoven and Erica Martinez? The situation has developed significantly since the pay-per-view with confirmation that Ms Martinez is and never was pregnant to begin with. Some have hinted that you had something to do with Hans being able to get in touch with Ms Martinez’s mother and allowing the situation to play out how it did. And do you plan on honoring Hans’ request for a match with her?
Butch takes a deep exhalation through his nose before he answers.
(Butch): All I’ll say is I’m glad things have finally come out into the open. It’s a shame Hans had to go to such lengths in order to prove his innocence and it still baffles me how such accusations stuck so much. It didn’t help that people like Maniac felt the need to fan the flames of discontent in what was a very difficult situation for both Erica given her mental state and Hans and his wife, Vanessa to navigate. As for the potential of a match, I think it has credibility. We’re in a new age of professional wrestling where intergender matches are the norm. There are female competitors on my roster that I feel could easily go toe-to-toe with any man. If Hans wants it, and Erica is in a fit-enough mental state to do so as well, I see no reason why we can’t accommodate and open the doors for more potential interesting match-ups in the future.
The press conference continues to play out as Butch, Matt and Sean answer various different questions around Helloween Harvest, the upcoming Havoc supershow as the scene fades to black.
Message Thread
« Back to index