Parker Boudreaux, who entered the professional wrestling industry with considerable media attention and comparisons to Brock Lesnar, has embarked on an international journey to hone his craft and prove his value, with the apparent goal of returning to a major national promotion in the United States. His worldwide tour has recently taken him to India for a major debut, a key stop in his dedicated effort to gain experience and continue his career after brief stints in both WWE and AEW.
A New Chapter in India
Boudreaux has been very vocal on his social media about his upcoming debut in India for the new Global Wrestling (GLW) promotion, an opportunity he says came via a personal invitation from WWE Hall of Famer The Great Khali. “Honored to say that I will be making my India debut next month. Blessed to be invited from the Great Khali,” he posted on X on August 19. He has billed himself as the “NEW MONSTER of India” and stated, “This promotion will be something you have never seen before with millions of people watching every single week”.
In an interview with Sportskeeda Wrestlebinge, Boudreaux explained that the move to India was a deliberate choice to connect with his largest international fanbase. “When I made my WWE debut, I’ve always had the biggest fan base in India,” Boudreaux said. “My fan base … most of it’s from India. I would probably say 20, 25% is from India on my Instagram and Twitter, and that’s to me … I want to be a part of where my biggest fans are.”
Honing His Craft in Japan
Boudreaux’s journey to India is complemented by an extensive run in Japan with the promotion GLEAT, which he calls the place “where the best most elite pro wrestlers in Japan are”. For over a year, he has been a regular presence for the company, training at their dojo and completing multiple tours. His debut for the company was on October 7, 2024.
During his time in GLEAT, he has been mentored by Japanese legend CIMA. “My mentor of Japan CIMA San has been a professional wrestler for 28 years now. It’s an honor to call him my mentor and someone that I look up to very much,” Boudreaux wrote on August 24. He has also teamed with Nobuhiko Oshima, with Oshima temporarily adopting the name “Marcy Boudreaux” to form the “Boudreaux Brothers” tag team.
A Frustrating Path in the U.S.
This global grind comes after a promising but ultimately frustrating start to his career in the United States. A former standout offensive lineman for the UCF Knights, Boudreaux signed with WWE in February 2021 amidst a wave of hype, with legendary manager Paul Heyman anointing him as a potential “Next Big Thing”. Boudreaux revealed in his Sportskeeda interview that Heyman was the one who recruited him into the business.
“Paul Heyman was recruiting me at a young age, and that was to me, was always just such a huge blessing,” he said. “For him to be not only like a mentor for somebody that brought me into the business, showed me how to really work and to become one of those elite Paul Heyman guys. It’s an honor, man.”
Despite the high praise, his time in WWE’s developmental system as the character “Harland” was short-lived. Boudreaux revealed that the decision for him to go bald for the character came from Vince McMahon himself just a few months into his training. While he was happy to do it for the opportunity, his run with the character, who was managed by Joe Gacy, ended with his release in April 2022.
He then signed with AEW, where he was a member of Swerve Strickland’s Mogul Affiliates stable. However, this run was also brief. In a previous interview with Slam Wrestling, Boudreaux expressed frustration about not being able to showcase his full potential in either major U.S. promotion. “Even in those promotions… I feel like I never had a chance to show a 20-minute match in the ring, a 25-minute match,” he said.
The Drive to Return
Boudreaux has been open about his confusion as to why he is not currently signed to a major U.S. promotion, but he is not letting that deter him. He is using his time on the independent and international circuits to address any potential weaknesses in his game, and he remains in close contact with his original mentor.
“I still talk to him very, very often, and he still critiques all my matches,” Boudreaux said of Paul Heyman. He also noted he is still in touch with many other coaches, producers, and wrestlers from his time in WWE, using their feedback to get better.
He has been active on the U.S. independent scene, headlining shows for promotions like Louisiana Wrestling Alliance (LWA) and Awesome Championship Wrestling (ACW). He has stated on his social media to be on an “unstoppable winning streak in the United States”, and that he hasn’t “lost in the USA in over 2 years”.
His social media is filled with declarations of his work ethic. “I bet my life on that I am the hardest working professional wrestler in the business.. my work will continue to show time and time again,” he posted on August 30. “NO ONE IS OUTWORKING ME !!!!!!,” he posted on August 18. “I am outworking everyone. Hours of training in ring, gym, and film study every single day. I don’t remember the last time I rested,” he wrote on August 29.
Click below to watch the full Parker Boudreaux interview.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit Sportskeeda WrestleBinge with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
