Burning up the Scalettas
Gabriel and Antoine LeClair had an addiction. Something that they’ve been battling since their teenage years. It was something that affected everything they did and how they lived their lives. On top of that they didn’t know how they could stop it. Or even if they wanted to stop it. What was that addiction? It was professional wrestling. But it was living proof that not all addictions were bad.
Since they were kids in school Gabriel and his older brother Antoine have been involved in wrestling at one level or another. They grew up as fans and made pilgrimages into the city to watch whatever company came to downtown New Orleans. They also started a professional wrestling promotion when they were in high school. Antoine was a sophomore, Gabriel was a freshman, with a few of their rowdy friends to set up “Thrillseeker Wrestling” outside of their home in the boondocks of New Orleans as their origin point. Yeah it was basic “modern” indie wrestling with flippy moves and copying whatever they saw on TV. As well as consisting almost entirely of boys and whatever girl was involved as a girlfriend, relative, or friend of one of the boys. But the fact of the matter was that they literally grew up in this business which very few Asylum Wrestling Society Lunatics did. And as the shows got bigger and AWS wanted to expand into the American south AWS Management contacted them, not the other way around, and offered the LeClairs a contract. Bayou Blaze brand and all. A little bit of rap, some cajun voodoo imagery, and a hell of a lot of fun.
Money wasn’t even that big of an issue. They just saw it as a platform to wrestle in. They passed down Thrillseeker’s management with legal means as its still around as a pure indy in the south. And damn if they didn’t earn every last dollar of their AWS. They were former tag champs, busted their asses by working up and down the AWS card, while being themselves and representing their culture and background. From live events, AWS Dojo sessions, to whatever Ward, Turmoil, or event they were booked on Bayou Blaze gave 100 percent and sometimes pushed the limits to even greater levels.
On top of that they didn’t believe that their opponents for the upcoming Monday Night Ward the Scaletta Family; Dante Scaletta and Gino Scaletta whom they were facing in the Undisputed Tag Team could say the same. The Scalettas grew up in Italian comfort and true enough they had mafia connections but they didn’t grind in the Asylum. Antoine and Gabriel had the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. But it’s best if you hear it from Bayou Blaze themselves.
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The scene was set at the Bayou Blaze compound in New Orleans and while it wasn’t huge it had EVERYTHING that embodied what Antoine and Gabriel were about. Comfy houses for their loved ones to stay in? Check. Easy paths through the bayou to get to the city or deeper in the groves? Check. Not to mention their tamed alligators working as a reptilian security system in the nearby lake just in case of any trespassers. But last yet certainly not least an outdoor ring at the heart of the land, across from their home gym. All of which the AWS Cameras took notice of before focusing on Gabriel and Antoine themselves in the middle of the ring. Ready to speak to the AWS faithful. With some slow, methodical, cajun music played in the background to start things off. Guitar, Jazz sax, and drum tones.
Gabriel LeClair: So what y’all think of the place? We’ve been savin’ up bread to build it. Buying land, prime real estate here in New Orleans to set up our own compound. Our home off the road with everything we hold dear.
Antoine LeClair: So we decided to cut the shit and put things all out on the table which ain’t hard to do. We wear every single part of our lives on our sleeves. This ring, that equipment we got, those houses outside, all of it was made with Asylum Wrestling Society money. Money we got…no…money we EARNED from kicking ass night in and night out!
Gabriel LeClair: See my brother Twan’ over there and me. We’ve been doing this since we had hair on our faces. We ain’t new to this we true to this. Now we were gonna get our cash anyway in this business because that’s our drive, that’s our passion but AWS is our place to be. Since leavin’ Thrillseeker we can’t imagine another place that can handle our talent.
Antoine LeClair: Basically what we’re saying is that wrestling is what we willingly do with a passion because that’s how we make the life we want for the people we care about. We don’t have daddy’s mafia money giving us a safety net if shit hits the fan like our opponents the Scarletta family do
Gabriel LeClair: It’s finna be night one and done when we get em’ bruh.
Between their passionate introduction and explanation of their origin story Bayou Blaze made sure that they mentioned their opponents. How because they were self-made that put them at a higher level than their opponents the Scaletta Family on AWS Ward. Self-made, self-funded, and self-driven. And they were only getting started as the music picked up in tone and intensity to match.
Gabriel LeClair: Now we ain’t face y’all before Dante, Gino, but we know all aboutcha. Y’all ain’t been here that long and y’all think you got what it takes to beat us in the tag team eliminator? Couyon. Y’all fools for this one.
Antoine LeClair: We busted our asses here in the Asylum Wrestling Society. We held the tag titles before back in the day and we want them again to light the whole division on fire! Because there ain’t a better team in this company than us who can talk like we talk and fight like we fight and we’re gonna prove it at AWS Ward and you can bet on that. Scalettas y’all are in trouble!
Gabriel LeClair: So at AWS Ward, part one, yeah there's two we know. Y’all get to see us beat the shit outta some mafia trust fund babies and send them back to Naples with no gold. But before we fight I’ll call Roxanne, take her out on the town before the show.
Antoine LeClaire: I’d say good luck but luck ain’t gonna help you when the blaze comes but when it comes Laissez les bons temps rouler!