Battln Bill’s Last Rodeo

For 30 years “Battln Bill” Weaver has chased dreams in the world of professional wrestling. He made it to the big time early in his career, traveling the country with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and later the World Championship Wrestling (WCW) circuit.

At 210 pounds, he was often the underdog, the “jobber” in the ring to make the big names look good. He has wrestled some of the big names in professional wrestling like Owen Hart, Booker T and Yokozuna. He once wrestled legendary, 444-pound King Kong Bundy. It did not end well for Weaver.

Weaver, 60, lives in Panama City Beach. He coaches his grandson’s baseball team and works by day estimating auto repair costs for an insurance company. But on special evenings, he keeps his wrestling dream alive on the independent wrestling circuit.

On a Saturday night in November, Battln Bill put on his camo shorts and a shirt bearing his name and climbed into a ring in Thomasville, Georgia. It was billed as Bill’s Last Ride, a chance for fans to see him win and to say goodbye after three decades of perfecting moves like the “Texas Cloverleaf.”

Ironically, the Solid Rock Championship Wrestling event raised money to combat bullying. Weaver spent the first half of a six-man brawl getting the crap kicked out of him by his opponents, a group of bad guys who called themselves Order 66.

One of his opponents even yelled at him, “Stay out of the ring, old man.”

Bill Weaver of Panama City Beach sustains a kick delivered by Alejandro Bravo during a six-man contest in Thomasville. Weaver and his partner, “The Cheese,” rallied to win the bout. Photo by Mike Fender

To the delight of fans, Weaver miraculously made a comeback in the closing minute to put an opponent into submission and end the bout. He had help from a wrestler from St. Petersburg called “The Cheese.” In the match before Weaver’s triumph, “The Flying Fro” leaped off the ropes to flatten his opponents. In the next match, a wrestler in a Britney Spears shirt smashed his opponent through a table for the win.

Independent wrestling may be scripted. The results may be pre-determined. The feuds and storylines might be fake news. But the trauma and pain from body smashing is more than real.

Weaver has sustained a broken wrist and several knee surgeries, and he deals with chronic back pain. He keeps his body going with morning workouts and weightlifting, something he has done since he served in the Marines out of high school.

Weaver has been a wrestling fan since he was 6. He’d go to a friend’s house on Saturday nights to watch the big names battle because he didn’t have cable at home. When he left the Marines, he settled in Tampa and went to the Malenko School of Wrestling. There, he made the connections that got him into the big time for a few years.

“I knew I was never going to be one of their major stars,” said Weaver, who stands all of 5 feet, 8 inches. “The big guys looked good on television.”

Bill Weaver and his partner known as “The Cheese” triumphantly raise their arms after emerging victorious at a bout in Thomasville. Weaver, 60, has been wrestling for 30 years. By day, he works up auto repair estimates for an insurance company. Photo by Mike Fender

Weaver has spent the majority of his 30 years on the independent circuit in the South. He has been a promoter as well as a wrestler and likes to help young wrestlers make a name for themselves.

Aaron James, of Panama City Beach looks up to veteran wrestlers like Bill Weaver and hope to have lengthy careers of their own in the ring. Weaver would tell them that breaking up with wrestling is hard to do. Photo by Patti Blake

Elton Allen, 46, has teamed up with Weaver and looks up to him. In the ring, Allen calls himself Aaron James and wears cowboy boots. His wife, Patti, says he has more athletic tights than she does.

Allen grew up in Cottondale where he did rodeo in high school. He lives in Panama City Beach, works as an assistant administrator at an elementary school and wears a knee brace. He underwent surgery over the holidays.

Allen does daily workouts consisting of cardio and weightlifting. He likes to hit the Stair Master for 30 minutes.

His goal is to always be “TV ready.” Dieting is a big part of the process. He weighs his food. He keeps three crock pots running beef, chicken and something special. Add some rice and vegetables and that is pretty much it.

Allen also feels a cheat meal every week or two is essential. “We like to go to Shore Dogs and get a cheeseburger,” he said.

“Prime Time” Cameron Barnes of Marianna. Photo courtesy of Ringmark Photography

“Prime Time” Cameron Thomas, 34, has always been a fitness fanatic. In the non-wrestling world, he goes by Cameron Barnes, lives in Marianna and drives a dump truck during the day.

He, too, looks up to wrestlers like Weaver and hopes he can have a career as long or longer. But Barnes knows that the older he gets, the harder it will be to keep going. “It’s all about being young right now,” he said.

The last ride?

After his comeback win in Georgia, Weaver was slow to get off the canvas. He was slow to leave the ring. His son, Kyle, raised his father’s hand to celebrate the victory. Kyle just happened to be the referee for the match.

It was a long goodbye. Weaver circled the ring shaking hands with literally everyone. He climbed the bleachers to do the same. Small kids flocked to have photos taken with him. Bad to the Bone blared over the speakers.

Tears formed in his eyes as Battln Bill slowly walked toward the exit. Fans were screaming. He turned and raised his arms to salute them. They screamed louder.

Weaver has a word with a loyal fan. Photo by Mike Fender

It was the fairy tale ending you would expect after a 30-year career in the ring. In that moment, he felt no pain.

Sitting at a table stacked with Battln Bill T-shirts, Weaver’s wife of 36 years could only shake her head.

“It’s the biggest lie,” Mary Weaver said. “Wrestlers never retire. Once a wrestler, they are always a wrestler.”