Every beginning comes accompanied with an end. It's the way of life and the understanding that us as humans bear with every day. We all go through many beginnings and endings. School, work, marriages… even life. Every beginning has an end. Tonight, one of my beginnings becomes one of the many endings in its path. Tonight, I graduate and become one with the big men on the walkway to the ring.
I started training at the House of Hardcore about six months ago under its founder, Tommy Dreamer. I met Tommy at a small house show in White Plains, New York and I asked him about the House of Hardcore and if he knew of any places I could start training. He suggested I take a look at what he had, and I followed him to Poughkeepsie. I'd never trained prior to that and to be that close to the ring for the first time was a memory I'd never forget.
Everyone around us was training for the opening show and some of ECW's greats were in my presence. Rhyno, the Sandman, Tommy was there of course, and he called one of the biggest influences in my life, Adam Copeland to appear. He was having a ball in the ring and I never thought I'd see him fly off those ropes ever again after he needed to retire. It's moments like that that you need to cherish before you graduate from the first class of a new company with names like that. Those men are watching you and are rooting you on as they kick your ass all over that ring just to toughen you up. Of course, there are moments where you don't think you can go on. My home in Yonkers wasn't too far and I could go back anytime I wanted, but every time I would try, Tommy held me back.
"We don't get anywhere when we run away." He'd say and I'd drop my bags and go back up to my apartment in defeat.
Tommy became the father I had away from home. My parents supported my decision of course. I dropped out of college and quit my job which they absolutely hated, but I was fighting for something. Wrestling isn't just going out into the ring to put on a show for whoever is there, whether it be one hundred people or ten thousand. It isn't about fighting for your paycheck every week or even winning championships.
Wrestling is a passion. When you step your foot into this business, you don't leave that easily because it's a decision you make based on how passionate you are. I walked into this building fifty pounds too heavy and not an athletic bone in my body. Now, I could make Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara look like amateurs in the ring with the moves I can do. I'm the high flyer of the class, and I'm the only one of us that can do what I do. This isn't me being cocky, it's just me stating the facts that even my colleagues have told me. I'll be going somewhere.
Right now though, I am sitting in the building in Poughkeepsie where the House of Hardcore shows are held. I'm sitting in the thirteenth row facing the ring. The folding chair is blue and has a cushion seat. Sandman is helping Tommy set things up and is putting all of the weapons under the ring while I sit here and think of how many times I may or may not need to use those tonight. See, there is a catch tonight. Only one person will be graduating from the House of Hardcore's first class. There are six people, including myself in the class. There will be three matches with three winners. Two of those three will be chosen by the House of Hardcore Legends (Rhyno, Adam, and Sandman) and will go onto face each other in a second match. The winner of the match not only graduates, but will go on to be the first House of Hardcore Champion.
Everyone thinks that all wrestling is scripted, but tonight isn't. Tommy wants this to be fair play and basically, you're fighting to win. You're going in that ring tonight to get your chance to achieve greatness and that is something that the six of us are all thirsty for. We want to achieve greatness, we want our names in lights and we want more gold than a pirate would.
As I thought of a strategy, I saw Tommy leaving the ring to greet someone in a black suit with a blue button down. A short and stout man with a balding head and a ponytail. I should have figured that he was showing up here to scout people tonight since Tommy always was a Paul Heyman guy, but I didn't expect the people that Heyman was with. Triple H, Stephanie, Linda and Vince McMahon were with him. Some of WWE's top stars and corporate officials were here tonight, probably to scout and I realized that I was one of the people that was going to be scouted. It sounds scarier than it is, probably because I was trying to be so calm.
I stood up and walked in the other direction to start working on my stretches. My match was up first and I would be facing some twenty-five year old, muscled up idiot. You know that quote from Grease; 'his brains are all in his biceps'? Yeah, that was this guy. I was convinced he couldn't do two plus two in his head and get four but he could definitely beat me in three seconds, and that was all he needed to count to.
After I did my stretches and the people were all filed into their seats, I quickly changed into my red and black attire and made sure everything fit perfectly. If the McMahons and Paul Heyman were in the audience, I needed to impress and be on my A game for sure. My match was announced and I walked to the ring after my opponent did to an ovation that I didn't think was for me. So many familiar faces were in the audience. My family and my friends, one of which attended the House of Hardcore with me until she got injured. I promised her I would continue for her sake and didn't try to back out after that.
The bell rung and the match begun. He had strength on his side but I had speed and agility. It was one of the longest matches that I had ever done in my time at the school, but he made one big mistake; he tried to showboat his way to a victory. As he taunted and tried to roar up the crowd, I got up off the mat and placed myself comfortably on the top turnbuckle which was now like a new home to me. When he turned, I launched myself off and connected with a hurricanrana that brought Vince McMahon and Paul Heyman to their feet. It even brought Tommy and Adam to their feet since they didn't know I could do that and to be completely honest, I didn't know I could do that.
I made sure my opponents shoulders were down and got the three count, winning my spot in the next part of the night. I celebrated on the turnbuckles and then went to the backstage area to relax. I didn't want to talk to anyone and when they congratulated me, I simply said thanks, took a sip of water and kept walking.
The next two matches passed quickly and myself and the two other winners were asked to go out to stand on the entrance ramp. The Legends stood in the ring with microphones in their hands and the small venue was quiet. Adam talked it over with Rhyno and Sandman before explaining the rules to the audience. He then walked up the ramp to approach us. Pointing to the second match winner, he motioned to the ring and with a smile on his face, the man that could be my final opponent went to the ring.
I moved in closer and Adam looked between me and my other colleague. We both put on amazing matches and I wouldn't blame anyone if he was chosen. Looking between the two of us, Adam pointed to me and then the ring before apologizing to the man standing next to me. I was chosen and I walked to the ring to meet my opponent.
"The following match is scheduled for one fall and is for the House of Hardcore Championship." Adam said from the entrance ramp.
Looking at my opponent, I knew I should have been the fresher competitor, but my match was much longer than his. I needed to end it as quickly as possible, but before anything could register after the bell rang, he had already gotten the upper hand. I was being tossed around the ring like a rag doll and I had narrowly escaped a few pin attempts.
I needed to get the upper hand and with a quick kick to the head, he was down. I did my best to stay on top of him, flying from one side of the ring to the other to land on him but with every pin I tried to make, he'd kick out at one or two. He was weak though and worn out with how I was moving so quickly that I knew I could test a different move.
Struggling to move him over to the corner, I climbed up the turnbuckle with his head in my arm's grasp. Standing up on the top turnbuckle to connect the move, I lifted myself into the air and turned us with my weight to connect the DDT. He was out cold and I went for the pin, finally connecting it.
I looked up at the lights above the ring as the bell rang and the arena erupted. I hadn't realized what just happened but it soon became clear when Tommy and Rhyno were both in the ring to present me with the House of Hardcore belt that they had worked hard on designing. I stood up off the floor and turned to look at the two of them. Tommy walked forward and told me to hold out my arms, and following his order, he placed the belt in my arms after.
No music was playing and the cheers were dying down as I stared down at the belt. It's a good moment, really. It never registers on TV what you feel when you are given what you have been fighting so hard for, but that moment was a moment that everyone felt. I fell down onto my knees and held the belt close to my forehead as I felt the tears fall down my cheeks and the vulnerability was disgusting, but I didn't really give a damn. I had worked six months; I had trained, tried to run, endured nights of endless pain and worked through blood, sweat and even more tears than I had now just to get this belt. And on top of that, I had made history.
"Here is your winner; the first graduate of the House of Hardcore, and the first ever House of Hardcore Champion, Autumn Annalise Lancaster!" Tommy announced.
Not only was I the first champion, but I was the first female to ever hold the most prestigious title in a company. Women have held championships. The Woman's title, Diva's title, Tag titles… even Intercontinental championships, but never has someone held the biggest title.
The night was over and as I left the ring, I got a good look at the crowd after I got a look at my new championship. My family and friends were on their feet and on the opposite side of the arena, Paul Heyman and the McMahons, as well as Triple H were all on their feet. I smiled and stepped down from the apron and walked to the back.