Parker Boudreaux, the former Harland in NXT 2.0, was unveiled as the mystery 40th entrant in Major League Wrestling’s annual Battle Riot match!
The Court Bauer-helmed Major League Wrestling held its Battle Riot event on 23 June, featuring the annual forty-person battle for a future shot at the MLW World Heavyweight Championship. Alexander Hammerstone currently reigns as the champion.
As is tradition with Royal Rumble-style encounters, the bout saw a handful of surprise entrants, one of whom was Parker Boudreaux, who wrestled as Harland in NXT 2.0 for a short while. He entered as the final man in the match, making a dominating appearance.
The former Harland, Parker Bordeaux debuts in the #MLWBattleRiot@POSTwrestling@upNXTpodcastpic.twitter.com/LNEemmrbBb
— John Siino (@CnoEvil) June 24, 2022
Highly touted as “the next Brock Lesnar”, the impressive Parker Boudreaux was signed by WWE in February 2021 after wowing fans on social media with his mighty physique. He wrestled just six matches in WWE, debuting on the NXT 2.0’s 14 December broadcast on 14 December.
Shockingly let go by Vince McMahon’s sports entertainment behemoth at the end of April, his Major League Wrestling debut marked the first post-WWE appearance for the now-former Harland. There’s currently no word on if he’s signed exclusively with the company.
He wasn’t the only surprise included in the Battle Riot match, as Mance Warner, Homicide, and Kwang all entered as surprises, as did IMPACT Wrestling’s Sami Callihan. This marked the continuation of IMPACT and MLW’s working agreement, following Davey Richards’ return at Slammiversary.
With this surprise appearance, Parker Boudreaux is the latest 29 April NXT release from the end of April to resurface. Stokely Hathaway – the former Malcolm Bivens – debuted at AEW Double or Nothing as Jade Cargill’s new manager, while Samuel Shaw, who was Dexter Lumis in NXT, has wrestled two matches for the NWA.