HWA Message Board: Sit-Down Interview

Location: The HWA Academy
Present Day

Sean Parker was sitting down in the media suite of the Academy when the scene opened up. It had been several days after Havoc. The new card had been posted. A stacked one at that. Several promos had already been aired, setting the tone for what was certainly building up to be quite an interesting Havoc come September 2nd. Sean had also been introduced to HWA’s newest acquisition, the incomparable Starlight Kid during her personal tour of the Academy.

As the production crew in the media suite moved with practiced precision, the final off-camera preparations began. A sound technician approached Sean, adjusting the microphone clipped to his lapel and double-checking the audio levels through a set of headphones. Another crew member quickly straightened his chair, ensuring it was positioned perfectly within the frame, while the lighting crew made minor tweaks to eliminate any harsh shadows on his face.

Meanwhile, the director called for a quick rehearsal of the opening lines, making sure both Sean and Roderick were comfortable with the flow of the interview. Roderick took a deep breath, giving his notes one last glance as a makeup artist dabbed at his forehead, ensuring he looked camera-ready under the bright lights.

The floor manager signaled the countdown, holding up five fingers and then slowly counting down to one. The set fell into a hushed silence, and the cameras zoomed in, ready to capture every word and expression. With everything in place, the director gave a final nod from behind the monitor, and the interview began.

(Roderick): Good afternoon, HWA Fanverse! I’m Roderick Strong and welcome to an exclusive HWA dot com interview with a very special guest. One of the most exciting and arguably one of the popular and technically-gifted professional wrestlers on the planet right now, it’s my privilege to welcome The Sky Assassin himself, Sean Parker. Welcome, Sean.

Sean nodded his head in acknowledging fashion towards Roderick.

(Sean): Thanks, Roddy, happy to be here.

(Roderick): Now, Sean, I know it’s been an exceptionally tough few months for you. Your knee injury, a very risky surgery that we had a real fly-on-the-wall insight of, a very painful rehabilitation, all just so you could compete at Ring Master. I don’t mean to reopen old wounds but I know Ring Master itself didn’t go as you had planned. In hindsight, do you think taking the risk with your surgery was the right move for you? Do you think that trying to replicate what Butch so famously achieved back in 2004 got in your head a bit?

Sean clicked his tongue, prodding against the inside of his cheek before answering. It was a question he had asked himself a hundred times since the final bell had gonged after his and Stu-E’s hellacious match.

(Sean): A good question, Roddy. You know, I’ve asked myself that same question I don’t know how many times since Ring Master. It’s no secret that my dream, since my uncle and aunt relaunched their own vision for this great company, was to be the first World Champion of the new era, to win Ring Master. Not just to, as you say, emulate what Butch himself achieved all those years ago, but to prove to the world that someone like me could be the one to carry the company, to officially put it on my back and be the standard bearer.

Sean stopped for a moment. For a brief moment, he saw Stu-E Price in his mind’s eye holding the HWA Championship belt aloft in the immediate aftermath of the final. For a split-second, he felt an immediate pang of heartbreak. The same kind he felt when he had turned up, delirious, at Michelle’s doorstep hours after. In that split-second moment, he felt that ever-so-familiar rising anger and just as quickly, a wave of calm washed over him. A phantom hand touched his shoulder. Sean knew what it was, smiled subtly before taking a deep breath before he continued.

(Sean): Did I get tunnel-visioned in my quest for that goal? Did I lose sight of what went on around me, of perspective? I think, if you saw how it affected me afterwards, how I reacted, how I’ve been, I think you already have your answer.

(Roderick): Well, you seem to be in a much calmer frame of mind, even since what happened at Havoc. I understand Red Dragon has been working with you on your anger issues?

Roderick’s last statement threw Sean slightly, causing him to involuntarily screw his face up in confusion.

(Sean): Um…I’m not sure anger issues is how I’d describe it but yes, Sensei Kiriyama has been helping me re-centre myself. Aside from Butch, he knows me better than anyone, he’s been my teacher since I was five years old and always knows the right lesson to teach to help me and this has been no different.

(Roderick): My apologies, I mean no offense, Sean. However, I would say it’s safe to say you’re not the only one that’s had somewhat of a heated temper lately. Your good friend Jeremy Branson has certainly been catching a lot of flak lately for his attitude towards Maniac who has seemingly turned a new leaf in his quest to stop Erica Martinez and-

Sean suddenly and abruptly cuts Roderick off mid-sentence, raising his hand up.

(Sean): Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold up, Roddy. Did you say Maniac has turned over a new leaf?

Roderick looks a little taken aback by Sean’s interruption. This wasn’t on his prompts he had written down in his notes.

(Roderick): Well, I-I mean he’s trying to get rid of the demon that has possessed Erica, Dream Master, the same one that he too has been possessed by bef-

(Sean): -Yeah, yeah, the same Dream Master he conveniently blames for his attitude and violent actions from the moment he arrived back in HWA, for ending Matt’s career and acting like he’s heartbroken by it? That same shitty attitude he still conveniently happens to exude every time he still opens his damn mouth.

Sean sardonically smirks and shakes his head in a disparaging manner.

(Sean): If you seriously think Maniac has turned a new leaf, Roddy, you’re more gullible than I took you for. The guy can’t decide if he’s a babyface or if he’s a heel, and tries to make out he’s a changed guy when in reality he’s been the same piece of shit since day one. He claims to be a good guy one minute but talks about Jeremy, Matt and I in the same exact vein he did when we all rebuffed his advances of wanting to be our teacher. He likes to accuse me of having a temper when his entire tirade against Matt was literally one giant tantrum because he refused a back-alley handshake from him…

Another shake of the head from Sean was coupled with a tired roll of his eyes. He didn’t want the interview to become all about Maniac and he was afraid that if he was brought up, this is exactly what would’ve happened. He took a moment to compose himself, realizing the volume of his voice was getting louder the more he talked. He took a deep breath in through his nose, closing his eyes for a few seconds before he continued.

(Sean): Look, I really didn’t want this interview to turn into a rant about a guy who sounds like he’s just eaten a homemade special brownie and then had a stroke right after but f*ck it, we’re down the rabbit hole now. Maniac’s entire career has been predicated on fanning the flames of chaos. About disrupting balance. He’s never shied away from it, in fact, he’s embraced it, he’s enjoyed it. When Dream Master first appeared as part of his persona in 2004, do you think he regretted it? Do you think Antonio Romano hated it? Go back and watch any pay-per-view or Havoc back on the HWA archives, Roddy. Watch any promo, any match, any backstage segment he was in. You won’t see one ounce of regret, any semblance of a man fighting an internal war with himself. No, you’ll see a man who welcomed the anarchy Dream Master brought him and he reveled in it.

Sean leaned forward in his chair, his elbows resting on his thighs, his fingers interlocked.

(Sean): So yeah, do I agree with Jeremy’s attitude and him wanting to end Maniac’s career? The hypocrite in me says no. From my experience the adage “an eye for an eye” never really ends well, Roddy. But do I understand it?

Sean held his hands out in a questioning manner.

(Sean): You better your f*cking arse I do. Again, the hypocrite in me would be screaming if I disagreed. I know first-hand what it’s like to want revenge on someone who has hurt someone I love. So I can’t, in good grace, sit here all holier than thou and condemn Jeremy for his heart ruling his head when it comes to Maniac. And for what it’s worth, I don’t buy him wanting to band together with Butch and Hans as these so-called pillars to help him with whatever B-movie Back To The Future parodies he’s partaking in.

(Roderick): Are you saying you don’t Dream Master to be vanquished from HWA? Even after what happened to Michelle?

(Sean): You think what happened to Michelle was Dream Master and Dream Master alone? Come on, Roddy, surely you’re not that naive? Erica was already a rabid, mad dog that Maniac decided to let off the leash. You think she wouldn’t have done that irrespective of whether or not she had been possessed by some… some demon? Even with whatever is inside of her, Erica isn’t unbeatable. Matt was able to beat it, my Uncle Butch was able to beat it. If you ask me, that demon has just made Erica into a bigger bully than she already was, nothing more, nothing less.

(Roderick): So, would you want Butch and Hans helping Maniac out?

Sean smirked. He knew exactly what Roderick was up to with his questioning. The kid was good.

(Sean): To be honest, I couldn’t care less. Butch and Hans are their own men, they don’t need me advising on what they should or shouldn’t be doing. But I do think both are smart enough to know that when Maniac asks for help, it’s only to save his own skin and not anyone else’s I will say this though, if I were planning on doing something like this, getting revenge etcetera, the last thing I’d be doing is broadcasting it on public radio for the whole world to hear, just saying. But back to your initial question about Jeremy, Roddy…

Sean extended his index finger of his left hand, wagging it lightly.

(Sean): … Calling out the fans? The hard-working people who spend their hard-earned money to come and see us? The same fans without whom we wouldn’t likely have a product to air?

Sean tilted his head to the side, shaking his finger from side-to-side.

(Sean): I’m not sure I’d be doing that.

(Roderick): So, you’re saying if the fans started booing you just by being associated with Jeremy, you wouldn’t care?

(Sean): I wouldn’t say I wouldn’t care, Roddy, of course I’d care. But I certainly wouldn’t be losing sleep over it. The fans pay their money to buy whatever merch they want, to chant whatever they want, to cheer for who they want. And when we start judging and condemning them for questioning whatever it is we’re doing, then I’d say it’s a slippery road that’s not going to be an easy one to walk back down.

(Roderick): Whilst we’re on the subject, Sean, you and Wolfy…

An audible grunt of exasperation emanated from Sean interrupted Roddy as Sean threw his head back in frustration at the mention of Wolfy’s name.

(Roderick): … have had a little bit of an up-and-down relationship recently which all seemed to start when Michelle was first attacked whilst you were recovering from your surgery. Wolfy is one of the most popular stars in HWA right now, he was even seen last Havoc sharing his zoological knowledge with your little cousins.

(Sean): So that means I need to like the guy? Roddy, this isn't the WWE. The popular guys don’t always have to get along with each other.

(Roderick): I mean, it’s no secret he feels guilty about what happened to Michelle but his gripe seems to be that you keep making him feel guilty about that and that you can’t and won’t let this go. Would you agree with that?

(Sean): Roddy, I’m not sure if you heard my promo last week, I know Wolfy certainly did. I told him to stop mentioning me, to stop mentioning Michelle and I’d happily move on from… whatever this is. He could’ve taken the high road and just moved on. But no. He has to go on the radio and passive-aggressively call me out in a way I guarantee he’d never do to my face.

(Roderick): Are you worried that maybe picking a fight with Wolfy might be bad for your image?

(Sean): My image?

Sean scoffed, an incredulous look on his face.

(Sean): What image do I have exactly, Roddy? The smiling, happy-go-lucky high-flyer? The brooding bad boy? Lad, I don’t have an image. I am who I am and picking or ending a fight with Wolfy is certainly not going to change that.

(Roderick): But are you not at all worried about how this might affect Michelle? She gets on well with Wolfy and seems to like him.

(Sean): Okay, Roddy, I’m gonna stop you right there, buddy. I know you’re just doing your job, you’ve gotta ask the tough questions, but please don’t presume to give me relationship advice on what I should or shouldn’t be doing when it comes to Michelle. And for the record, I love Michelle to death but she likes everyone. She tipped the waiter fifty bucks at the restaurant we went to for lunch yesterday because he brought her extra spicy lobster rolls.

(Roderick): I’m sorry, Sean, I didn’t mean to offend you. My point still stands though. Are you worried that picking fights with people may affect your relationship with Michelle?

Sean couldn’t help but smile. He was tenacious, gotta give him that.

(Sean): You’re like a dog with a bone, aren’t you, Roddy? To answer your question, no. Michelle doesn’t judge me for who I have my fights with or how they come about. And if I had to pick my fights based on who my girlfriend liked, I’d have no one to fight, Roddy! That being said, if I knew it was going to upset Michelle, I would definitely look to take the high ground, which I have already tried to do with Wolfy. And I’ll say it one more time so that there’s no confusion. If Wolfy keeps his mouth shut about me and Michelle, there won’t be any problems. But…. If he wants to continue to act the way he is at the moment, I promise you I won’t hesitate to introduce my knee to his face.

(Roderick): Are you saying this may have to be settled in the ring?

Sean offered a non-committal shrug of his shoulders.

(Sean): You tell me, Roddy, or better yet, ask Wolfy. As far as I’m concerned, this all comes down to his actions, not mine. All I’ll say is that if he chooses to walk down a certain path, he better be sure he’s all packed and ready to go because I really don’t think he’ll be prepared for what’s down it.

Roddy took a moment to look down at his notes, trying to see what he could still cover.

(Roderick): Do you have anything to say on the rumors circulating backstage that, after his accidental headbutt on Michelle, you and Hans von Richtoven had a physical altercation in the locker room area?

A snort-like chuckle shot from Sean’s nostrils along with a light shake of his head.

(Sean): They’re not rumors if they actually happened, are they, Roddy?

Roderick’s face was awash with surprise which Sean found amusing.

(Sean): Come on, Roddy, don’t look so surprised. To clear things up, yes, Hans and I got into a… scuffle, for lack of a better word. I went to speak to him in his locker room after Havoc, to clear the air after what happened. There was a misunderstanding and we got into a little brawl. Nothing more than that. So you can report back to Mandy, who I know is just dying to make a mountain out of a molehill with this, that that is the extent of what happened between Hans and I.

(Roderick): Moving on then, there have been a couple of new faces on the horizon here in HWA. We saw Starlight Kid debut and officially sign with HWA. The veteran Ace Sky appeared at the end of Havoc last week and he faces Maniac in his debut next week. Rob Sharpe makes his debut against Jeremy as well. Plus, we’ve seen teases of another incoming debutant in Travis Levitt. What are your thoughts on the sudden influx of talent here in HWA?

(Sean): I welcome it. Anyone who watches Japanese wrestling or is a fan of Joshi knows just how good Starlight Kid is, so to see her in a HWA ring is just nuts. You saw just how good she is against Erica and I know Michelle is absolutely buzzing to be getting back into the ring and doing what she loves with no ulterior motives. So yeah, with Alexis coming back from injury soon, Sarah coming back from the Olympics shortly, I’m thrilled to see the women’s division potentially returning to its former glory. As for the others, I’ll be honest, I’m not familiar but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Both Ace Sky and Rob Sharpe come with bags of experience and I’m sure they’ll make fantastic additions to the roster and have some stellar matches down the line. This Travis guy? Again, I’m not familiar but I do know that my aunt and uncle know talent and they don’t just sign any Tom, Dick or Harry without doing their own research. So if any of these guys have been deemed good enough to be offered contracts here in HWA, then that’s good enough for me.

(Roderick): And this upcoming Havoc, you’ll find yourself across the ring from another returning veteran in Lunatik. What’s your mindset like going into this match? Especially after he and Lunatik took the win over you and Jeremy last week in the main event.

(Sean): Lunatik and Maniac took advantage of a lapse in judgment. Last week’s match has absolutely no bearing or influence on what’s going to happen when Lunatik and I face-off next Monday, I guarantee it. So my mindset is like what it’s always like, focused on the opponent in front of me. Lunatik’s no joke, I know that, I’ve been in the ring with him. But I’m no joke either, Roddy. Lunatik likes to think just because he’s got experience and that he ran with Maniac back in the day, that gives him some sort of aura, a common theme amongst some of the so-called veterans who have decided to grace us with their presence again since HWA returned to the big leagues. But as far as I’m concerned, Lunatik is a dime-a-dozen copycat of every other mid-card HWA wrestler from the 2000s. Just like guys like Bryan Deas, Imitator, Nick Shaw, Lucas Valentine, Medos, Seth, Psymon, Gino Battisti, Deathscythe, Logan Neilson, Riddler, James McLeod. All of them bounced around the roster once-upon-a-time trying to make waves that turned out to be nothing more than light ripples.

(Roderick): Sounds like you’re not very impressed by Lunatik?

(Sean): Don’t get me wrong, Roddy, Lunatik was the first-ever Spotlight Champion. That’s an achievement no one can take away from him. But I refuse to be impressed or intimidated by another veteran who didn’t amount to anything in the grand scheme of things but thinks he can swan back in, make a big comeback and pick up where he left off. He and Maniac think they’re going to take over this era of HWA when they could barely take over the tag division in HWA twenty years ago. So, yeah, I’m going into this match at Havoc to make a statement, you can be damn sure of that.

(Roderick): One last line of questioning, Sean, if you will. It’s no secret that you’ve had your eyes on Stu-E Price’s World Championship. He was the special guest referee last week during the main event and on a couple of occasions, things looked like they were getting heated between the two of you. Are you going to challenge for the HWA World Championship? And what do you think of Stu-E’s reign so far as champion?

Sean smiled subtly, clicking his tongue again.

(Sean): Do I want to challenge for the HWA World Championship? Of course I do. If you’re on the roster for HWA and you don’t want to challenge for the top title, then what the hell are you even doing here? But wanting to doesn’t automatically merit a shot and I’m not ignorant to that. I’m not going to sit here or go out at Havoc, mic-in-hand and demand a shot at the title because that’s not how things work. It’s not for me to decide and certainly not Stu-E to decide, it’s for Butch. I know there’s an announcement coming up for Road To Ruin about Price’s first title defense and if I can get a win over Lunatik then hopefully that puts me into the conversation. But there’s a lot of talent on this roster who will also be thinking they deserve and want a shot too. So we’ll see what Butch has to say at Havoc. As for what I think about his reign so far, it’s hard to break it down when he’s been champion for what? A month or so? But from what I gather, the only things he’s seemingly interested in are the number of zeros at the end of his paycheck and spending time in the company of former World Champions who like to berate innocent restaurant staff. Not exactly the best first impressions from the first World Champion the company has had since Butch last held the title back in 2016...

Sean held up his hands.

(Sean): …But hey, who am I to judge?

(Roderick): Well, I’m sure it won’t be long before you get a shot at the title, Sean. Thank you very much for joining me today and good luck at Havoc.

(Sean): Thank you, Roddy, I appreciate you giving me the time today.

Roddy shook Sean’s hand and turned to face the camera.

(Roderick): Thank you for joining us today, ladies and gentlemen, be sure to check back on the HWA website and YouTube channel for all the latest goings-on, promos, interviews and other segments featuring your favorite HWA superstars. I’m Roderick Sterling, we’ll see you at Havoc!

As the interview drew to a close, the atmosphere in the media suite began to shift. The tension that had filled the room earlier slowly dissipated, replaced by a sense of accomplishment. Roderick offered Sean a grateful smile as the camera lights dimmed slightly, and the director signaled a cut, prompting the crew to move in quickly.

The sound technician stepped forward to unclip Sean’s microphone while another assistant handed him a bottle of water. Roderick leaned back in his chair, visibly relieved that the interview had gone mostly smoothly, jotting down a few last notes in his notepad. The crew began breaking down the equipment, the room buzzing with quiet conversations as everyone started to unwind. Sean stood up, exchanging a few more words with Roderick off-camera, offering him some encouraging advice before making his way off the set as the scene faded to black.