Petey Williams: Injured

[TheOneBigWill]

Mike Johnson of the Professional Wrestling Insider website is reporting that Petey Williams suffered a broken orbital bone during his match at last night's Impact taping in Orlando, Florida.

It is expected that Williams will have to undergo surgery as a result of the injury

So I'm not sure which iMPACT! this happened at, exactly, but from the looks of it we just got ourselves a multi-man X-Division match for Sacrifice. Chances are I see Jay Lethal reclaiming it, unless T.N.A. does something unheard of and continues to push someone else not already at the top, like say.. Sonjay "botch" Dutt?

While I mock him, I still say he deserves his own special little run as Champion. I've been waiting for monthes, literally, for Sonjay to turn heel against Lethal regarding this whole "So Cal Val/Jay Lethal = Miss Elizabeth/Randy Savage" storyline. Either T.N.A. is drawing it out GREATLY.. or they've just lost track of ever doing it to begin with.

At any rate. What are everyone's thoughts on Petey Williams' injury? Who do you think will become the next X-Division Champion? Do you think upon return Petey Williams can reclaim his top spot?

Personally, I feel sorry for Williams. The guy chopped his hair to ultimately become the X-Division Champion.. and no less than two (or so) weeks from doing so, ends up injurying himself and will have no choice but to forfeit the Championship. I doubt they actually have him lose it. (short of me missing something in a spoiler) (Which, if any spoilers contain a new Champion, DO NOT openly post it)

 

[FromTheSouth]

I believe that is the same site that claimed Karen Angle broke her leg. I wouldn't put too much stock into it until it airs or gets reported at TNA's website.

i hate Sonjay. Just thought I'd share. He's ok in the ring, but his character just doesn't do it for me. I hope if they do a Lethal angle with him, they swerve us and turn Lethal. That Macho gimmick, to me at least, has run it's course. I thought he was butchering it from the start. Strangely enough, I love Sharkboy's gimmick. Go figure, gut feeliongs are an odd lot.


Edited to add:
If that injury is real, Hakeem Olajuwon played with that injury in 1992. He only missed a couple of weeks. He had to play with protective goggles, but he was still all-NBA with 23 and 12 and 4 blocks for the season.

 

[morrisonfan]

I went to the TNA Impact tapings Tuesday where Petey got injured. He was holding his arm and shoulder and walked to the back before the match ended but I don't think he looked that hurt so I wouldn't make a big deal out of this, I can see him not wrestling for a couple weeks but still hold onto his title and show up.

If he does have to take time off though, I think they should give the X Division Title to Johnny Devine. I think he'd make a good X Division Champion in my opinion.

 

[misskim]

wow I really feel sorry for him, he works so hard and in such a long program and finally builds his character to someone, gets the belt and this happens I really hope he gets a speedy recovery and when he comes back he'll get the belt back because he really deserves it after his hard work these past few months.

I think Sunjay could possibly get the belt but I feel his character isn't really that well established yet, johnny devine really isn't established.. what is he anyway some guy with a cam?

Put it back on Lethal and make him work a program with either of those two in my opinion because it won't give them a rub if they just get the belt instantly, they have to be in a program or something.

 

[TheOneBigWill]

wow I really feel sorry for him, he works so hard and in such a long program and finally builds his character to someone, gets the belt and this happens I really hope he gets a speedy recovery and when he comes back he'll get the belt back because he really deserves it after his hard work these past few months.

Petey Williams best days are (to me) behind him. He was the star of "Team Canada" and when he defeated A.J. Styles at T.N.A.'s first huge Pay Per View, "Victory Road," it really put Petey in an elite catagory.

Sadly, they've reduced him to Scott Steiner's pet project and apparently re'nicked' him "Mini Pump." Which to me is so horrible. Scott Steiner doesn't need to get Petey Williams over, a heel turn with the logical "I dispise Americans, because I'm the better Canadian" is what he needs to return to.

I guess I'll always be upset over him cutting his hair, but I still don't think the "Maple Leaf Muscle/Mini-Pump" gimmick will ever be half as good as the gimmick that gave him victories over Styles & Saban.

I think Sunjay could possibly get the belt but I feel his character isn't really that well established yet, johnny devine really isn't established.. what is he anyway some guy with a cam?

Johnny Devine used to actually be IN Team Canada, ironically enough. And believe me, Devine is not just 'some guy with a cam.' If anything, how do you see Alex Shelley? Because Shelley was the original "guy with a cam."

Devine has the making of a Champion, if they market him correctly. The anti-X-Division Superstar was perfect for him. It allowed him to remain at his size, yet not have to be crafty and agile enough to be like the rest. Another perfect fit for Devine is his finisher. Kid Kash's old finisher from the E.C.W. days is a great, powerful, and deadly finisher. (Think pedigree in a piledriver position)

Finally, Sonjay Dutt, believe it or not was a "somebody" when Jay Lethal was the "youngest rookie on the roster" that noone gave a shit about before people suddenly realized he could become a Black Randy Savage through a good voice impression.

Dutt's biggest fall is the fact that he OVER TRIES. He tries way too hard to impress, and ends up making mistakes that lead to carelessness and several botches. Look at a Dutt match, any match. I guarantee you'll see at least one botched high risk move.. (that is, if he does at least two)

If not for that reason, Dutt would be where Lethal has been. So when you think of Dutt, don't exactly consider him as unestablished, think of him more as not yet fine tuned.

Put it back on Lethal and make him work a program with either of those two in my opinion because it won't give them a rub if they just get the belt instantly, they have to be in a program or something.

It cracks me up when people go ape shit over Jay Lethal, when before the "Oh Yeah/Elbow Drop" he was just an above average talent, with no gimmick except for being the youngest guy on the roster. Suddenly, one voice impression inpart to Nash's advice and the guy is next in line to be a Main Eventer.

Lethal is still Lethal, even behind the flashy 80's gimmick.

 

[misskim]

Bigonewill I'm sorry to actually break it to you but team canada was nothing compared to their current characters except for smarks. Those guys have real characters now and that means a lot for wrestlers much more than the recognition in smarkdom.

Characters means they will get booked because more normal fans know them and like them. Petey Williams was a NOBODY before he became petey pump, now he actually is somebody, same with Lethal. Sonjay is hard though no character really seems to stick to him, Petey Williams made petey pump work great and he actually looks pretty cool in his chainmail too

 

[HellBoundPower]

I really hope that this is all just a load of crap, because Petey is one of the reasons I watch TNA. He really good for such a little guy. Also the Candian Destroyer (real looking or not) is one of the coolest finishes in the business. With Petey winning the X-Division Title, and finally getting at least a mini-push, this would be a horrible time for him to get injured. Either way, it will be interesting to see what happens with the X-Division Title if he is indeed injured.

 

[TheOneBigWill]

Bigonewill I'm sorry to actually break it to you but team canada was nothing compared to their current characters except for smarks. Those guys have real characters now and that means a lot for wrestlers much more than the recognition in smarkdom.

Bobby Roode/Robert Roode: Fact! Robert Roode became a bigger star without being held in a group, that used him as nothing more than an enforcer. (this isn't about Roode though)

Eric Young: Fact! Eric Young became a bigger name as a face, by adopting a crazy "I'm gonna get fired/I love the fans to death/I'm a flippin' ******" as opposed to the "I'm so scared of my own pyro/Canadian" that he was in that group. (this isn't about Young though)

Petey Williams: FACT! (this is about him) Williams was a multiple Champion as a member of Team Canada. The "Team" was centered around him, as its "Captain." He was a top talented heel, and X-Division Champion. He then went on to become a Tag Team Champion. Petey Williams GREATEST claim to fame was everything to do with Team Canada.

Since then.. whats he done thats been worth a shit? Fact! He dropped several Inter-gender Tag Team matches with Gail Kim, against James Storm & Jackie. Fact! He became Scott Steiner's bitch. Fact! He's only JUST won any form of a title.. and it was on a fluke, by cashing in a briefcase, ala Edge/MITB.

While every OTHER member of Team Canada (minus poor A.1) went on to become something.. your poor little "Petey Pump" fell off the map and was forgotten about. Only recently have them take another chance on him, and this gimmick isn't even HALF of what he was in Team Canada.

Smark: Fact! Someone who believes a guy with talent is far more valuable looking like a moron, in a Super hero custome, then showing off true in-ring ability and a great heel gimmick with a country behind him. (that'd be you, not me, sweetie)

Characters means they will get booked because more normal fans know them and like them. Petey Williams was a NOBODY before he became petey pump, now he actually is somebody, same with Lethal. Sonjay is hard though no character really seems to stick to him, Petey Williams made petey pump work great and he actually looks pretty cool in his chainmail too

Characters means they have to wrap some colorful package around some talented wonder, so braindead morons and smarks (like yourself) would somehow find them entertaining.. because you don't know the true meaning of what wrestling talent is, over entertainment value.

And if you think Petey Williams acting like Scott Steiner is the greatest thing hes EVER done.. then Sweet crap lady, I feel sorry for poor Petey Williams, because thats the worst thing a person can lay claim to.

Thats the equal to Chuck Palumbo saying "I once played Lex Luger, I am a wrestling God to people like misskim."

And when you remember who just put you in your place, whether you have to copy & paste, write it down, e-mail it to a friend, or sig. it somewhere on your profile. The name.. is THEONEBIGWILL!

Thank You.

 

[8five]

If somehow he is out 2-3 months he obviously has to drop the title there are several options that I think would make the X-Division prominent:
1 - Have Shelley as a face get turned on by Sabin a heel and let them go at it for a few months. I know everyone loves MCMG but I'd rather see them one on one then losing tag matches to cage and rhino
2 - Recombine Traci with Kaz as heels going back to the X division. Face it everyone but Devine and Petey in the X division are faces and Kaz has played this role effectively in the pass, albeit with Michael Shane as top challenger
3- Jimmy Rave. He's extremely talented and being wasted by being stuck with Hoyt. Sorry Lance your talented also but you and jimmy acting as rockers will not get you anywhere. Jimmy is dynamic and was ROH's best pure heel for awhile. He can induce crowd heat and make the people hate him. Picture him as a heel champion putting on sick matches with Lethal.
4- Lastly just have the Lethal/Dutt friendship break up, the buddy buddy thing but putting on some great matches thing is getting old, have Val be the catalyst and have a good rivalry

 

[Big E]

I agree 8five, the X-Division in TNA now Petey's injured needs a little tinkering they could do an angle where Petey get injured on T.V. to cover up the fact he needs surgery, in the meantime have MCMG turn heel and have them help each other win their respective matches. Allow Sonjay Dutt or Jay Lethal to turn heel, this may reminiscent of Macho/Hogan from late 80's but hell look at Lethal!!. These are just two of the things that I think would make the X-Division promoient whilst Petey's injury heels

 

[Slave To Petey]

Things seem to always happen to the best people if you ask me. I've heard reports that Jimmy Rave inadvertently kneed Petey in the face. If that's the case there's you feud right there. If Petey needs to be out long enough where the title needs to be taken from him [which damn well better not happen] give it to Rave. Once Petey is cleared to wrestle take out Rave for injuring him.

 

[Greenlight13]

All i know is if the following get the belt, i riot: Johnny Devine, Shark Boy, Curry-Man.

Of those three i think Devine is most likely to end up with it, they have been pushing him a little for a while now, although i personally dont understand why, no offence to the guy, he works hard, but i just dont care for him in the slightest, i think he is Captain Bland, he's been through so many gimmick changes and now is apparently taking Alex Shelley's old one.

Shark Boy probably wont get it as i THINK, they are finally ending his push, to be fair to them, they did say they would continue to push him while he's over and he doesnt seem to be anymore.

CurryMan has an outside shot i guess, but i think Lethal or Dutt are the frontrunners, that is of course if Williams even has to surrender his belt, i know there's more contact in wrestling than basketball, but there have been NBA players who came back pretty quick from orbital bone/eye-socket injuries so who knows, maybe they keep him out of the ring for a while and have everyone competing for a shot at him.

 

[Mugatunow]

Petey Williams best days are (to me) behind him. He was the star of "Team Canada" and when he defeated A.J. Styles at T.N.A.'s first huge Pay Per View, "Victory Road," it really put Petey in an elite catagory.

Sadly, they've reduced him to Scott Steiner's pet project and apparently re'nicked' him "Mini Pump." Which to me is so horrible. Scott Steiner doesn't need to get Petey Williams over, a heel turn with the logical "I dispise Americans, because I'm the better Canadian" is what he needs to return to.

I guess I'll always be upset over him cutting his hair, but I still don't think the "Maple Leaf Muscle/Mini-Pump" gimmick will ever be half as good as the gimmick that gave him victories over Styles & Saban.



Johnny Devine used to actually be IN Team Canada, ironically enough. And believe me, Devine is not just 'some guy with a cam.' If anything, how do you see Alex Shelley? Because Shelley was the original "guy with a cam."

Devine has the making of a Champion, if they market him correctly. The anti-X-Division Superstar was perfect for him. It allowed him to remain at his size, yet not have to be crafty and agile enough to be like the rest. Another perfect fit for Devine is his finisher. Kid Kash's old finisher from the E.C.W. days is a great, powerful, and deadly finisher. (Think pedigree in a piledriver position)

Finally, Sonjay Dutt, believe it or not was a "somebody" when Jay Lethal was the "youngest rookie on the roster" that noone gave a shit about before people suddenly realized he could become a Black Randy Savage through a good voice impression.

Dutt's biggest fall is the fact that he OVER TRIES. He tries way too hard to impress, and ends up making mistakes that lead to carelessness and several botches. Look at a Dutt match, any match. I guarantee you'll see at least one botched high risk move.. (that is, if he does at least two)

If not for that reason, Dutt would be where Lethal has been. So when you think of Dutt, don't exactly consider him as unestablished, think of him more as not yet fine tuned.



It cracks me up when people go ape shit over Jay Lethal, when before the "Oh Yeah/Elbow Drop" he was just an above average talent, with no gimmick except for being the youngest guy on the roster. Suddenly, one voice impression inpart to Nash's advice and the guy is next in line to be a Main Eventer.

Lethal is still Lethal, even behind the flashy 80's gimmick.

Finally, someone agrees with me. Devine would be a bad ass champion. Again. he held it for a month, he could hold it for another. I like how he wears street clothes to all of his matches now, how winning a title seemed to change him. And being apart of Team 3D has helped him get somw exposure. Hopefully Petey is fine and dandy, i think petey has lots of good days ahead of him, but he definetly should have gone farther as leader of Team Canada. (The anti America gimmick is the best way to turn him heel, good call Will.

 

[Slave To Petey]

The problem with trying to turn him Anti-American right now is the fact that Steiner claimed that the reason for Petey's downfall was the fact that he's Canadian and that Canadian's suck. Which I find funny because how can you help someone become something they were born into? Petey can't help that fact that he's Canadian. LOL.

 

[Kyphael]

Sometimes you have to take the good with the bad. Well, potential good... sure, Lil' Petey Pump sucks, as do most gimmicks TNA gives their X-Division wrestlers, but that's because they don't get the most out of situations. Scott Steiner molded him in his ow image and forced Petey to pretty much strip himself of his Canadian heritage. Therein lies the drama and opportunity.

With a lengthly title run at the top of the X-Division, while Steiner is stranded in midcard hell (because we all know he's not getting another World title run any time soon, if ever), Petey can realize he didn't need Steiner, so he turns on him down the road. Instant feud to elevate Petey to the main event picture. TNA has all tools to make great on many of their stupid ideas and in a way, justify them, they just won't pull the trigger.

Jim Cornette said it best, the biggest names in wrestling got over by being themselves. Stone Cold Steve Austin, the beer-swilling, foul mouth redneck, who never before was over as "Stunning" Steve Austin or "The Ring Master." Shawn Michaels in the 90's acted pretty much like his on-screen persona, he was himself and thus great. The HBK of today is still over because he still performs greatly despite all the nagging injuries, but his character is hardly the same. Sometimes he wishes it would be the old HBK but that's impossible. Shawn Hickenbottom is a born again Christian, the complete opposite of Shawn Michaels. The Rock, who was never over as the smiling babyface "Rocky Maivia." Bret Hart, the proud Canadian hero with true values (Petey was over because he was like a short Bret in Team Canada, the equivalent of The Hart Foundation.) "Macho Man" Randy Savage (legitimately crazy), Randy Orton (who didn't get over as a pretty boy babyface in his first World title reign but did when he got his buzz cut and started punting legends and wrestlers alike in the head. He said it himself, on screen he's pretty much himself, a jerk, he just turns up the volume, much like Mr. Kennedy who's.) Carlito is cut from the same mold as Orton and Kennedy but what happened when they turned him face? Edge! He was only able to become champion after he betrayed his friend Matt in real life by sleeping with Lita; WWE capitalized on it and The Rated R Superstar was born. The list goes on and on; CM Punk, Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero, RVD and so on and so forth. It's what made the original ECW so real.

There are exceptions, of course. Hogan is nothing like the character he played in the 80's, but with the marketing machine that is the WWE and his charisma, he became a huge star.

Andre The Giant; the guy was not the nasty giant he played on screen, much like Big Show, he was a gentle and curteous man behind the scenes but his sheer size got him over.

MVP, whose inspiration for the charater came from another athlete he met at some club(whose name escapes me at the moment) is getting over because he has a ton of charisma to pull it off. Like Hogan, he's so good at pulling it off, the fans THINK that's the real MVP.

So all in all, someone can get away with being stuck with a gimmick that is not really them if they are charismatic enough to pull it off in a way that is natural and does not seem forced. But in most cases, the biggest names in wrestling make it to the top by being themselves and turning up the volume on screen. That is why Petey's Lil Petey Pump gimmick is balls. He's a great wrestler, not a great actor. By the same token, it's why Shelton Benjamin can't get over on ECW. We all know he doesn't act like The Gold Standard because his acting ability falls short, it feels forced and when he yells "AIN'T NO STOPPING ME NOOOOO" people don't buy into it, they roll their eyes. Wrestlers with no charisma have to get over with their in-ring ability, like Benoit did, Benjamin was doing when he first came to RAW and Petey did as captain of Team Canada.

 

[wildcard22583]

Big Will's arguement in the beginning of this post was a partial truth. When Petey was in Team Canada, he WAS the team primarily. Thats what first started to put him on the map, and thats when myself started to like him as a wrestler, and not a character. I feel that with every wrestler you need to like them for what they do in the ring first, and then their personality second. Then ties in the other person who had the verbal war with Big Will....she talked about Peteys character being good right now and his character is a good push. I feel it is. Crap...the guy was held down jobbing to people left and right, and now he gets a well deserved push. People say the gimmick sucks....well at least the guy has tv time. And it could be worse, they could have made him a gimmick like Ultimate Warrior, or like all other recycled gimmicks that have come to be. I personally like the character cause he can go different routes storyline wise with it. Also with his hair, I am glad they did it. Why? Cause people actually started to give a damn about him more and it shocked onlookers.
All in all, Petey is at least going somewhere in the company. whether you like it or not, he is in the gimmick he is in, and tna wont change it unless a vison came to them to do otherwise. My opinion is that regardless of what character the guy is, or what the hell happens to him down the line, you stick with the wrestler and stay loyal. I have been that way with Nash, Hall, Shelton Benjamin, Petey, and Alex Shelly. The fun part is to see how they progress and how they can handle a crummy gimmick or a good one. Take Christopher Daniels...he is CurryMan...and for crying out loud, I respect him for putting up and staying composed for something I feels demeans such a good wrestler. Criticize creative, not the person puppeted by them.

 

[HellBoundPower]

Well apparently Petey isn't going to be out long enough for him to be stripped of the X Division Title, so it appears that he's not going to be out for more than 2 months, if that. That's good new, because it would be pretty bad for him to win the belt and then go out on injury almost right after the Title win. Hopefully when he gets back he can feud with Jay Lethal, since he took the Title from him.