Saturday, July 5 was an exciting event for fans of XICW in Detroit, Michigan. Not only would they see some hometown boys like Rhino and Chris Sabin, they also got to see some of the best Border City Wrestling out of Canada had to offer in the likes of Phil Atlas and Tyson Dux. More importantly, they were witness in the main event to the final match of one of the best Border City had to offer: Petey Williams.
It came as a surprise to me that Petey decided to call it quits in XICW instead of holding off for an event in Windsor, Ontario in Border City Wrestling or Can-Am Rising, but when a wrestler decides to call it quits, it’s that one decision that is completely up to the wrestler. And whenever they decide? That’s the best time.
It made sense to make his final match against Chris Sabin. Both Sabin and Petey came up around the same time in Can-Am Wrestling School in Windsor. Both also cut their teeth in TNA Wrestling, known as some of the best known X Division champions to wear the title. Ask most TNA fans who was most synonymous with the X Division title, and it won’t take long for someone to bring up Petey with Sabin’s name not far behind.
Williams impact on TNA and the X Division started and ended with the Canadian Destroyer. A front flip piledriver, it was probably the first time in a long time people were actually in awe from a finishing manuever. While some wrestling fans criticized how it looked to be more the opponent doing the work than Petey, on if it was “immersion breaking” from the realism of pro wrestling, there’s no question it was the wrestling move that didn’t just define Williams but the X Division as a whole. There were no limits and Petey Williams proved it. You paid to see it. You also paid to see Petey, who was an excellent mechanic in the ring. For all of the criticism of Petey Williams being a “one move wrestler”, all of his matches had heat and excitement. There was always a build up to the move that kept the fans engaged in ways the critics tried their best to deny. He was more than just a front flip piledriver. He was the Canadian Destroyer.
After the breakup of Team Canada, Petey was still right in the thick of contention in TNA before becoming the protégée of Scott Steiner. He soon dyed his hair and became “Maple Leaf Muscle”, looking like a miniature version of Big Poppa Pump. Petey detailed some of their comical experiences outside the ring on Colt Cabana’s podcast. While it felt like a step down for Williams, it breathed new life and direction into his character as he became X Division champion again. Sadly, prior to 2010, TNA released Petey Williams from his contract. It didn’t seem to be a popular decision because at a Border City Wrestling show in Windsor with Kurt Angle as special guest referee, Angle made sure to note that everyone in TNA missed Petey Williams.
Williams spent the next year of his career in the independents but made a return to TNA in 2013 to work their One Night Only: X-Travaganza and the special edition episode of Impact for Destination X. The fans showed their appreciation and how much they missed Petey on the shows. He finishes his 14 year career as a two time TNA X Division champion.
Petey’s career took place in one of the brightest spots of TNA Wrestling, a time where even the most ardent haters of any WWE competition would admit it was a good time for the company. Williams was a small guy who stood out among everyone with a wrestling move everyone wanted to see. That move, named after Border City great Doug Chavalier, was the kind of thing that you had to watch a wrestling match to see. It wasn’t a catch phrase you could say at any time or a theme song you could chant to whenever, you had to watch a wrestling match to get it. Williams never got the credit he deserved as a solid worker in the ring, but hopefully he gets it after hanging up the boots. TNA’s X Division was never the same when he was released, and his appearances last year was a bitter reminder of that. While Petey made it clear that he wasn’t calling this a retirement, it doesn’t feel like we’re going to see him back in the ring anytime soon.
Petey was always a class act when I’d see him in Windsor. It’s hard to see the class acts go away. You need guys like him in the locker room. Hopefully he makes appearances at the Can Am Wrestling school again. The next generation needs a Canadian Destroyer.
Photo by Holly Lengyel
Courtesy XICW:
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