A Few Days Later….

The camera flickers on. William stands in front of the HWA backdrop, arms crossed, a slow grin spreading across his face.

(Dragon): So I’m sitting at home, checking out all the madness going on up in Minnesota, when this little pop‑up from the HWA app jumps onto my screen. Tobias Clarke. Your name. Your face. Your highlight reel. And I think, ‘Alright, let’s see what the kid’s bragging about today.

I click it, and what do I find? Dave Miltzer gives your match with Hans 3 1⁄2 stars. Not bad. Not great. Just… fine. But then I see the part that really made me laugh. The part where he calls you ‘Mr. I’m better than any of these old wrestlers.

William shakes his head, chuckling.

See, Tobias, that’s your whole problem. You’ve convinced yourself that swagger is the same thing as skill. You think a couple flips, a few fancy holds, and a whole lot of trash talk make you the future of this company. But every time you step in the ring with one of us ‘old wrestlers,’ your win rate drops faster than your confidence after the first lock‑up.

He leans closer to the camera, voice dropping into a growl.

You can talk about being in a new era. You can talk about being the next big thing. But the truth is simple: you can’t beat the people who built this place. You can’t beat the men who bled for these ropes before you even learned how to lace your boots.

William straightens up, rolling his shoulders.

You want to prove you’re better than us? Then step into the ring with me. Not Hans. Not some mid‑card warm‑up. Me. The guy who’s been through wars you’ve only watched on replay. The guy who’s still standing while half the roster you idolize is retired or broken.

He points directly at the lens.

Tobias Clarke, you’re talented. I’ll give you that. But talent without respect is just noise. And I’m about to silence you. When that bell rings, you’re going to learn exactly why your win rate against veterans is so low. You’re going to learn why experience beats ego every single time. And you’re going to learn that calling us ‘old wrestlers’ doesn’t make you the future, it just makes you the next lesson.

A slow, confident smirk.

Class is in session, kid. And I’m the one grading your performance.

He steps back, cracks his neck, and finishes with a final warning.

Bring everything you’ve got, Tobias. Because I promise you this… I’m bringing everything you can’t handle.

The camera fades out.