The Border Toss

[Post]

Last night Hernandez beat Douglas Williams in a match after delivering a Border Toss.

While I was watching this, I could not believe the reckless abandon that Hernandez used in his delivery of the Border Toss. Douglas Williams was sent crashing to the mat, on the back of his head and neck, and folded like an accordion.

This move definitely did not look safe. I’m not sure if Hernandez got caught up in the moment, or if both men planned to carry out the move in such a dangerous manner, but it looked bad. Was the delivery of the move intentionally done to feed into Hernandez’s new “destroyer” image?

I realize that in professional wrestling the moves are supposed to look painful and that wrestlers sell to make them look even worse. But there is really no way to be dropped safely on your head or neck.

I was just curious of what everyone else thought of this. Please share your thoughts.

Here is a link to the video of it. I couldn’t find one on youtube.

http://www.ovido.net/111877/hernandez-vs-douglas-williams

 

[Slyfox696]

If you look closely, you'll see Hernandez is not the reason it looked the way it looked. Hernandez threw him so he'd land flat on his bank, and Williams kicks his legs over to sell the move. Hernandez took all precautions, and Williams was just bumping hard for him, to put him over. Safety was taken into account. No worries.

 

[Sparky]

He was probly pissed off that the knockouts was taking all the attention away from his actual match.

It looks to me like Douglas tried to sell it a bit more (or didn't have much faith and tried to reposition himself at the last minute.) it don't look like it was planned but obviously the guy didn't hurt himself too badly, (well from the video anyway)

 

[fenfool]

I agree that it looked really nasty, particularly the replay. Hernandez did it right, though, Williams kicked his legs out, and it looked like he landed on the back of his head. Being that it is a taped show, I'm sure he's fine, or we would have heard something. Nice job by Williams, who got completely squashed, but did a really nice job of selling to put Hernandez over.

 

[Slapjack3k]

Manly bump by Williams, and it made Hernandez look like a killer. I don't like the fact Williams got squashed, but I understand that Hernandez throwing Eric Young around wouldn't have the same effect. Hernandez mullered a credible opponent in Doug Williams, making him look even more dangerous.

To be honest I'm glad the Border Toss looked as evil as it did, if only to put the focus back on the in ring action, rather than the knockouts in yet another screechy brawl.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

Sly nailed it, fellas — Hernandez has delivered hundreds of Border Tosses in his career, and not once do I recall a report or remember seeing him apply it poorly where he put his opponent in danger until last night, and even that wasn't his fault. Watch the re-play and you'll notice it yourself — Hernandez set him up exactly how he needed to be so Williams would land on his back, flat. As he released, however, Williams for some reason seemed to lift his legs backwards, which started him in a backward tumbling motion that ultimately resulted in him landing on his head like that. That's on Doug, not Hernandez, IMO.

For those of you who are concerned, though, Williams is fine. Took a nasty bump, but he even worked his scheduled matches for tapings once he was medically cleared.

 

[neildittmar]

Move of the night! In and of itself, that "border toss" looked incredible and made for great TV. More generally speaking, it absolutely made Hernandez character in my eyes. In pro-wrestling, it typically only takes one event, promo, or move to put a character over so much that the audience instantly remembers (Austin 3:16 anyone?). That single move on a fairly credible opponent may just be that one for Hernandez.

Excellent move, sold perfectly by both performers.

 

[shattered dreams]

I agree with Sly and IDR. I hope all the people that were claiming I couldn't possibly be serious when I said this in the LD read this thread (looking at you d-man). Whatever the case it certainly saved that entire segment and got people talking. I really like the way Doug Williams works. I hope he finds a decent spot to settle into once the dust clears from the latest shakeup.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

Man, that was one brutal move!

I agree with Sly here and say Dug knew what he was doing, Hernandez didn't botch....I have never seen him make a mistake with the border toss.


I believe Williams flipped himself more in order to make the move look more devastating, which he succeeded in doing. It was a risky thing to do, but luckily he didnt get injured from it.

It does certainly fit with Hernandez's more vicious character, and could help to make him into a destroyer, which seems to be the goal right now.

 

[Boondocks]

I agree with Sly and IDR. I've been watching TNA since it moved to Spike, and never once have I seen Hernandez botch that move. This would probably be one of the first times somebody has potentially messed it up for him, also. He did nothing wrong ing his delivery, and any wrong-doing in the move was indeed, Doug Williams' fault. And even at that, like IDR said, he's okay.

 

[Zeven_Zion]

Oh please, grow some fucking brains. The idiocy on these forums is ridiculious.

Remember when AJ said that he'll break Stevie Richards' neck? What happened in their match that same night - AJ Styles delivers a "botched" Styles Clash, "injuring" Richards' neck.

Hernandez is now told by Bischoff to go out there and "hurt some people". Next iMPACT 'Nandez goes out and delivers a "botched" border toss, "hurting" Doug Williams. How convenient.

Doug knew what he was doing, just like RVD knows what he's doing when he sells those sick DDT's sometimes, and same goes for Chris Sabin. They're wrestlers, they know what gets them injured and what doesn't. He took a freaky risk, and I'm glad he's okay.

Sick move, awesome moment, bad for Doug, awesome for Hernandez.

 

[waylon p]

If anything, wrestlers seem to think that Hernandez's work is overly gentle and difficult to sell, if you listen to the wrestlers I know who have faced him. I doubt he would hurt a man by botching a move. Perhaps himself, but even that sounds like a stretch.

 

[ABMorales787]

I recall the one he gave to Eric Young at No Surrender 2009. Eric bounced all over the ring. The problem isn't Hernandez at all. It's the wrestlers who on many occasions tend to oversell the move.



It's ridiculous. I know the idea is to sell how strong he is, but it doesn't pan out that way always. Similar to how The Rock would sell Steve Austin's Stone Cold Stunner at times. Practically dancing all over the ring.

Hernandez has done the move hundreds of times. Not a single report of injury. If it were a case of him tossing them in a way that their necks were in an angle, then yeah, Hernandez would be the problem. But that's not the case.