- Event: War Games
“I could have been more angry at the fact that I didn’t end up on a War Games team…I easily could have. It was always apparent which people Mike Best would chose. There was literal no spoiler on that fact. Then you have the other side with Lee Best’s War Games team. There could have been hope of a selection…but I had always known which ones would be chosen for his side respectively, as well. It was an event that saw no inclusion of Brian Hollywood. This would have infuriated me in the past….but for some reason…this year would be different. I’m not even mad I didn’t get selected. I know I didn’t make it into the pool for potential selection, so again, I have no reason to be angry. But had I won…had I ended up qualifying for a shot…and not being selected…I wouldn’t have been angry. Believe it or not…War Games doesn’t involve Brian Hollywood and I was perfectly content with that. For the first time in my HOW career…I was perfectly content with that. However, the real honesty is I would have had no fucking business in that match and I’m not angry about it. No…I’m actually at PEACE with it because I sure as fuck don’t belong. With all the changes that I’ve made trying to reform myself and actually try to approach it from an honest approach for a change, it makes no sense for Brian Hollywood to be in War Games because I never EARNED that honor! Again…I’m NOT even mad about it! No…something is strange about the way it feels because it doesn’t piss me off. I look at it from an emotional standpoint and I can honestly say if circumstances would have been different, then maybe I could have gotten there…but that had to SOLELY depend on my changing for the better…for the good. I did not achieve that, so therefore, I do not belong. And again…I’m perfectly content with that. In all honesty…FUCK this years War Games main event…because it does not depict how it should be represented. And that’s all I’m going to say on the matter…because there is something else that is keeping me up at night…and this was definitely far more of greater importance to me…it had to be and boy did it ever! Who would have ever guessed, though, that it would have ended the way I thought it would….”
—Brian Hollywood…shortly after the events prior…
Chicago, Illinois
Six Time Academy
June 10, 2020
Brian Hollywood: “What the fuck am I even doing here?”
Hollywood merely sits on one of the benches off against the wall, yes the ones that Mike Best doesn’t seem to know he endorses but what do we know, as Hollywood looks towards the action going on in one of the squared circles obviously looking disturbed like something is obviously bugging him. It was only a months long burning curiosity that plagued Hollywood from his core. Even Hollywood questioned it sometimes when it got too distracting questioning his own sub conscious thoughts. As Hollywood looks at probably two jobbers who think they will get somewhere but obviously don’t know who Mike Best truly is and what he’s capable of, Hollywood immediately scoffs and he can no longer bare to put any more effort into this cheesy facade he once thought would pay dividends into attempting to better himself. If he were to better himself, it obviously wasn’t here…not at a place like Six Time Academy where they spend more time breaking you down into a nobody and trying to kill any creative momentum you actually try to produce for yourself to make yourself better for a change. Hollywood stands up and shakes his head before grabbing the bench, upheaving it from the ground and turning it over violently, which surely earned him an opportunity to have the proverbial floor. The whole gym goes quiet as they all look towards Hollywood. Hollywood finally got an audience and he lets out a laugh almost as if a couple of these nobodies dumbfoundedly look at him. Of course it wasn’t their fault all their efforts would be in vain. They didn’t know any better, how could they?
Brian Hollywood: “WHAT?! What, do I finally have your fucking attention now?! Wow, what a surprise..and here I thought those things didn’t exist at this gym? Man…even I can be shocked…even at the very end!”
The very end? Well that was surely quite foreshadowing. In fact, it was directly aimed as so to be so bold, so obvious. However, just what was Hollywood talking about? Hollywood gazed the room as he continued his as to be so inspiring piece to the unknown, probably future minions, of Mike Best’s shadow.
Brian Hollywood: “Man, I really had an opportunity here, didn’t I? Did I ever, actually? Here I actually came to this god forsaken fucking SHIT HOLE of an excuse of a wrestling school, actually inspiring to be better. To better myself! To change myself in a way where I thought it could prolong my wrestling career. A place where I thought I could be creative and open up new avenues for not only myself, but to really peel back this door and showcase what this place COULD have fucking been! But when I got the opportunity to do so, it was thrown right back in my face and DENOUNCED! Here I found myself actually BENDING and FOLDING my own hatred and ego against Mike Best and come to his school of misfortune where you go to stay dead and give it a try. I reached out to Mike and he was actually excited to have me here. Probably more excited he got me to shut the fuck up about being better than him or actually wanting to be better than him in the hopes that SOMEDAY I would actually fucking beat him. So what is the actual crime here, kids?!”
Hollywood really let the poor bastards contemplate that very question…maybe in the hopes they would actually wake the fuck up and really see what the true motives at this gym were for. Hollywood wasn’t holding his breath, though, because of course that wasn’t going to fucking happen. I guess the only crime was that Hollywood had actually put so much time…so much investment into making a difference at the Six Time and becoming a better person. Turns out that was a lie. He thought he had had something with his interesting on again, off again relationship with Alan Ventura but nope….got burned for that one too. The sad irony of this was that Alan Ventura actually had no part in this decision of irrelevant information that ill fated Hollywood. Actually it was a rare case of sad poetic irony of a stature of a man that Alan was, he was never a hypocrite. Everything that Six Time Academy advertises. Perhaps all of this was going on longer than it needed to. Hollywood surely thought so as he shakes his head as the disgust continues to spew from his emotional, but firmly trembled voice.
Brian Hollywood: “I’m actually sorry that I’m not sorry, guys. But every single one of you fuckers need to WAKE THE FUCK UP like I have, and leave this sorry excuse for a school. It sure as fuck isn’t healthy for you! No I guess some lessons in life end up being the overly achieved ones…the ones that are bolded and highlighted to show you that it is a waste of time, but really, is what the secret showcase of who you are is. I just can’t believe it took me as long as it has to wake up and really see that! But I digress folks…if you ever want to train…and your heart IS actually in this sport and you want to be a better person….well look me up guys…because you can come to MY OWN WRESTLING SCHOOL! Don’t worry…I’ve got the money to fund it! Alright guys, you do you all and hopefully I’ve shed some light in this particular endeavor….I know it’s a morally chaotic and confusing one! Later guys!”
And with that, Hollywood turned his back and walked out of the Six Time forever…never to return again. Spoiler? Probably, but what fun would that honestly be? Everyone in the Five Time, err Six Time, looks completely in shock as they couldn’t believe the scene that they just witnessed as the camera slowly fades.
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A few hour later….
Hollywood was walking down the side of the streets of downtown Chicago when he lets out a collective sigh. This was an important time for Hollywood, but even he was at a crossroads. With everything going on in HOW and his upcoming match against Darin Matthews now getting what he wanted in an unsanctioned match of sorts at War Games, Hollywood really questioned everything he had gone through the last several months…but most importantly, he couldn’t ignore any longer that burning call of his past that was trying ever so hard to remain his present and future. However, even Hollywood knew he had to change it and he was still solely stuck on the prospect of changing it for the better and more honorable road.
“Darin Matthews can sit there and say he’s REFORMED…or even better, think by changing his name he completely abolishes his past. But that’s not what’s in a name, is it? You can’t merely divorce yourself because even then, you’re left with the broken pieces and half of what still makes your identity YOUR identity! But I digress…I’ll bite Darin….but only to humor myself. You’re nothing but fucking SCUM of the fucking earth! Everything about you is a contradiction…a reflection of a mirror…but you see Darin, YOU are that mirror and no matter how hard you change how you look and how you view yourself, you can’t unsee what your image is actually made of. It’s because it’s a permanent fixture of what you can’t change…and that’s your fucking DNA! It’s ingrained in all of us and makes up who we are as a person. It’s our true identity and the reality is Darin, you’re still the same pathetic, sad excuse of a man you’ve always been!”
“You can try and tell me differently, but just remember…YOU brought this upon yourself! I told you what would happen if you tried and made this personal and that’s exactly what you have fucking done here, Darin! You had to go and poke the proverbial bear and now this whole new reformed self you so call preach about…which let’s talk about that briefly, shall we? Just what are all these so called accomplishments that you tout? Where and what are these championships you so call preach and boast about? Did you make that up in your basement of thoughts to try and appeal to yourself that it would actually make you better? Did you actually think that by giving yourself this whole “moniker” that you were fooling anyone? No, Darin, the only one you’re fooling is YOURSELF! Because no matter how hard you try…no matter how hard you tell yourself otherwise…you will ALWAYS be that same man you’ve always been and that is a man who has ALWAYS been in MY shadow! What? Strike a nerve? I’ve tried to help you Darin! I put our differences aside and actually kept you relevant! But you just had to knock on the fact of something that hit me personally and effected my career early on.”
“I, of course, am talking about….”
Hollywood pauses as even the thought he bared within himself made it difficult for him to mutter the name. However, no matter how painful, no matter how much it pissed him off, Hollywood let it out anyways.
“Brian James Thomas!”
“Yes, you sure knew the right buttons to press with that little theatrical display you showed on Refueled a few weeks ago! I warned you not to make things personal! I warned you to just leave me be but you couldn’t, could you? So finally I stopped reacting emotionally when it came to hearing that name…and instead thought about why you would want to make it personal to begin with. I was quite surprised when I heard it play back in my head and deep in my thoughts. But I guess I do have ONE thing to thank you for…and that’s…THANK YOU! Thank you for making me see what a gigantic and tragic waste of time the Six Time Academy was. It really did get me thinking about it. I’m sure you didn’t intend for this to happen, but I digress, I do honestly think that a lot of things you do have unintended consequences that affect YOU personally! So let’s pick back up on that, shall we?”
“I really didn’t want to be the bad guy this time, Darin. I still don’t. But this whole vendetta you have against me is ill warranted, and wrongfully so…at least when it comes to your identity. Because remember Darin, your DNA is something you can’t alter. While I talk about DNA, I do have to come to terms on who I AM and I have to hold that same standard for myself, Darin. Sound fair? I certainly think so…although I never used to think that way. I guess you could call it my own reformed view on playing things more fairly and honorably. That is the one thing that has plagued my career…there really isn’t a whole lot of honor there, is there? It’s been something that has torn me apart ever since I wanted to do things more…cleanly. But there is no honor in what you’re trying to do…however, in my own defense, I have EVERY FUCKING RIGHT to take it upon myself to do what I need to in order to fucking put it to bed, permanently!”
“Darin…you are on a path of self destruction. But what is really new here? This ignited war between us has truly given everyone a fresh perspective on our storied history. No one really wanted Hollywood vs Zion anymore…and now, to some people’s view, they aren’t getting that this time. No…because in your mind it’s Hollywood vs Matthews. But if you really want to go down that personal road let’s go deeper, shall we?”
Hollywood shakes his head as he rounds the corner to a corner bar in the middle of downtown Chicago. He takes a moment and just stands outside of it, contemplating on whether or not to go in. But in the meantime, Hollywood doesn’t think further as he continues to speak.
“This is all about James Thomas vs Matthews, isn’t it Darin? You think you can hit me with that ill fated, cringe worthy three named name in the hopes of setting me off all you want but it’s not going to work this time, Darin. No…I’m not going to cave under hatred anymore…not at the expense of you!”
“I can see you’ve thought really hard about this strategy because it’s really all you have against me while I have EVERYTHING on you! I know the man you REALLY are Darin, and it fucking keeps you up at night! It keeps you up knowing that I had all the success in the world while you caved under the pressure of wanting to be effected by every little comment that every single person has said about you. I mean, how many times have you caved to that pressure and you’ve tried to change yourself? You are your own worst critic and all the worlds a critic, but they can’t be the change that makes YOU as a person, change! I fucking know this strategy, Darin, because I’VE USED it on you, myself! I used it on you knowing that you would be lost within yourself, and that’s exactly what has happened, Darin! But you still couldn’t leave well enough alone, could you?”
“You had to push deeper. You can tell me how you’ve changed all you want, but the truth of the matter is that just makes you the same man more and more…day after day and I know that eats away at you. Only this time, it isn’t about me telling you that you can’t purge your past. The truth is that is just a dead horse beaten into submission so many god damned times! But it was so easy to beat it into your head that I had fun with it! I had fun with it because I didn’t have to do much to aid in your self destruction. But looking back on that, that’s what made me a terrible best friend, and I tried to reconcile with you on that. So much, in fact, that I mended our broken relationship. The only thing I didn’t know was to know how truly broken it was beyond the point of repair. No, Darin….the truth is you died a long time ago…..all the way back in 20 MOTHERFUCKING 16! You tried to change then, and you crumbled to the critics again! You ALWAYS crumble to the critics, Darin, and that will always be your undoing.”
“I mean, just look at you now! Now you have this relationship with Mario Maurako and he signed you to a HOW contract because he was handed a little piece of ownership from a man who’s also broken, himself. That will always speak volumes, Darin. I mean, what did Mario actually promise you anyways? In my opinion, our match is seen as a fragile piece of glass that just slightly dropped, will kill any credibility you have as a fresh perspective to Mario. I know deep down you know that Darin and I know that you must surely be feeling that pressure ten fold right now. That’s why I know how much this could all go terribly awful for you, Darin. I would try and stand here and tell you one more time…trying to stop you from making another fucking stupid mistake, all for the sake of friendship will backfire on you with Mario, Darin. Do you really know what you fucking did when you made that deal with him? I mean, how truly in deep are you?! Do you even comprehend that, Darin? Is there any fraction of yourself that even thinks about those consequences of your actions? Because from where I’m standing, you’re more fucked than I am in making it my mission to silence you once and for all.”
“I don’t take ANY pleasure in doing this, Darin. But because you had to make it personal, you couldn’t let the personal attacks from YEARS ago, fucking go! This is a death wish, Darin! Your current path is leading you closer and closer to your own death penalty, but what the fuck do I know?”
“I know that I’m not the greatest person I used to be in the ring. But you want to know what’s different, Darin? It’s the fact that I wanted to actually go about something with HONOR and DIGNITY! I wanted to EARN my place instead of it being HANDED to me! That has plagued me as of late Darin, and you have no idea how much of an anchor it actually feels to weigh me down. I know I have ghosts in the shed, Darin, but unlike you, I FACE those like a god damn MAN and not….MAN TO MAN…isn’t that what they used to say about you Darin? Didn’t everyone always tell you how you loved that MANTOMAN mentality when it came to your sexuality? What? Hit a nerve did I? I know that infuriates you, Darin, and I have no problem exploiting that against you because turn about is fair fucking game you piece of human shit!”
“At War Games, Darin, I’m going to END this…once and fucking for all! This has gotten out of hand and this shit is so outdated that people feeling nostalgic about it is sickening! I’m not that man anymore, Darin, but you can’t leave well enough alone and try to focus on the future. In the end, Darin, this is and always has been all about your past. You’re still in it and it’s once again going to cause you to cave back into my shadow…apparently that’s where you belong. At least, from the way your perceiving this perspective, Darin. Don’t blame me….BLAME YOURSELF! No…at War Games you wanted the old Brian Hollywood and that’s the Brian Hollywood you’re going to fucking get…but not the Hollywood that took pleasure in exposing your weaknesses, Darin. That’s not who I am anymore…this is just me defending myself out of defense of fighting YOURSELF! I can only do what I know how to, Darin, and I have no problem turning down that road one more time if it means ending this stupid facade you’re currently on!”
“Either way, Darin, at War Games this FINALLY ends! But I promise you…you will not like the result. I will not like the result but it’s something that NEEDS to be done and it will hurt me just as much to end you again. But this time, I take no pleasure doing so. I’m sorry that you wasted your time trying to purge yourself of who YOU ARE and that you took all the wrong actions and went about making all the horrible decisions you did in order to play this card. That’s the only thing you’re doing with this whole “Matthews” thing. You and I BOTH know that’s all it fucking is. But I play your game Darin…but only play to END it! At War Games…you’re going to meet your fitting and final end because in the end….you can’t outrun your DNA…no….because all our DNA is, Darin, is a basic instinct. That’s all we have in the end….and in the end…I will tear your fucking DNA apart!”
Just before Hollywood walks into the bar, his cell phone rings. Hollywood looks at it and is quite surprised with what the caller ID says….he just stands there…unspoken and speechless as he tries to figure out what he’s going to do. Hollywood looks at the ID as the camera gets a glimpse of the caller ID and who it is.
NILES OMEGA
Hollywood continues to wrestle with his thoughts and he can’t ignore the feelings he’s been having the last month as he closes his eyes and finally gives into that calling, literally, to pick everything back up once again as he hits the talk button.
Brian Hollywood: “Niles…my good friend! It’s been awhile…”
Niles Omega: “Hollywood!! OH MY GOD!!! You have no idea how good it is to hear your voice!! I actually didn’t think you’d answer…but there’s been events that have become to big to ignore and I had to try and reach out to you!”
Brian Hollywood: “I know Niles. I’m sorry, brother. I’ve been busy….but it’s about time that I come back home. I’m just sorry that I had to walk away, you know? I needed to do that for myself….and I still believe it’s something that still resonates in me.”
Niles Omega: “You don’t have to apologize to me, Brian! However…like I said, there’s been chains of events that have happened and you need to come home…..now!”
Brian Hollywood: “What? Is everything ok?!”
Niles Omega: “We’ll talk about that….but not over the phone. Come back home to Los Angeles…and we’ll talk! I’ve got to go, though! I’ll talk to you soon!”
And with that, the phone call ends. Hollywood is left speechless as everything comes full circle for him but he doesn’t know what’s going on and that has made him scared and curious at the same time and Hollywood couldn’t stay away from curiosity as the scene slowly fades to black…