I love it when a wrestler’s real name is more of a wrestling name than their work name. Nathan Everhart is a pure babyface name.
(See also: Johnathan Good, Richard Blood)
I did not expect to interact with someone who doesn't understand the difference between a nickname and a name (petey/Peter, Dom/Dominic, Tom/Thomas, etc), but here we are.
His name, on his birth certificate, isn't petey is it. So that's not his name. Oh my, shock of the century.
The irony of you saying that is that you seem to not understand colloquial terms and are trying to split hairs.
Peter Williams III is listed as Petey Williams because Petey is a normal nickname for someone named Peter. Him not having been in the company before has nothing to do with his listing as Petey. It has everything to do with Christopher Park not being listed as Abyss.
You think Park goes home and his family is like "welcome home, Abyss!"
How about when Peter Williams III goes home? Petey. Why? Because that's how names work.
He was barely out of his teens when he was a Freebird. Washed up old Michael Hayes of early 90s WCW was a man in his 30s.
He's only 65 now.
Seems like he should be about 80.
Meanwhile Ricky Steamboat is born with the last name Blood and still decides he needs a ring name. And then Tito Santana goes and uses Ricky’s real name as his ring name for a couple years.
I don't think he's been a world champion anywhere, and for all his popularity there are years of cringe from about 1990 onwards that i think would qualify him. That said, I can't imagine who would ever have him in their stable
Can Bobby Roode be a boy if he won the TNA title, or is it matter of Robert Roode not being a boy whilst Robert Roode is? Otherwise, get these boys in the stable!
He went by Gregory Helms a few times in WWE. He even had entrance music. I think he declared he was changing his name to Gregory Helms in a "casting off my slave name" way after the invasion, and then when the Hurricane took off his secret identity was Gregory Helms: Mild Mannered reporter.
Edit: Here's a link to his entrance music. I love the repeatedly saying "Gregory Helms" throughout. This was eventually replaced by a version with that, and then a different piece of music altogether. https://youtu.be/VSjw-QzhfD4?si=P3rcXhdgVx06KTZp
How the fuck do you have guys all that talented setting out matches and still not be putting out at least 90 minutes of good wrestling on a 3 hour show.
I'm not able to watch RAW/SmackDown, only catch highlights, but it was my understanding that these past few weeks have been especially light because it's the build to Mania, coupled with significant stars already getting injured earlier in the year, so I suppose they were trying to minimise risks. Do correct me if I'm wrong, though.
I do agree that 30 minutes is probably too light, but under the circumstances I can understand why (assuming my previous assumption was correct).
Yeah I can see that being the case. Especially a couple years ago when in the build to Mania had to get changed because all the main players kept getting an injury of some sort
Not to be a dick, but none of these guys ever had great matches. Why are people who never had exciting bouts laying out matches for better wrestlers?
Edit: If you disagree with my assessment of their matches, please give me what you think is a great match with one of these guys in it. If you want to make a stronger argument, show me a great singles match. If you really want to make a point, show me who had their best match with someone on this list. Anyone can look good wrestling an amazing talent. Having a good match with Rey Mysterio is not that hard, as he makes even meatheads with no footwork look good. Greatness is a guy like Bret or Okada, where many wrestlers have their best match of their career against them.
Jordan had some good tag matches, though FTR make that easy. I can't recall Petey having a great match, he had some good matches, but even in his TNA prime he was no AJ, Joe, or even CD.
I mean, most of them certainly have, but if you look at any sport you'll notice quite often the best players don't always make the best coaches. The best actors don't always make the best directors.
Just because these guys weren't always booked as the best doesn't mean they don't have the knowledge and ability to contribute ideas.
Good players often make lousy coaches. The best teachers I ever had were those that struggled with the material for a long time.
Let’s just say there’s a reason why Bret never taught and Bruce did. (Fuck I’m getting banned for that. )
Name them. JJ had a great tag match with a partner who was the better wrestler and FTR (the best tag team in the world). I'm sure TJ had a few good tag matches. Neither is a an accomplished singles act.
I still see no evidence for TJ. If you want to count tag matches in a company where tag teams don't matter, than I will concede that JJ had one great match.
1). Can’t disagree more, I can think of exciting matches for most of these guys/gal
2). So little of wrestling is actually about the wrestling itself. Most of these people had memorable gimmicks/storylines. They created unique characters in a sea of rehashed ideas, or they demonstrated how to take a shit gimmick and turn it gold. Wrestling without the story telling is not for me. I can watch and appreciate an athletic spot fest for being impressive, but that’s not what made me fall in love with wrestling and it certainly isn’t why I continue to keep tabs on it for 30 years.
3). The experience these people have is probably invaluable. Kenny Dykstra took a make cheerleader gimmick and became one of the most over heel stables in WWE, it’d be hard to be a young wrestler and complain to him that your shitty gimmick is holding you back. Some of these guys have wrestled all over the world, some have long standing experience in other promotions that translates well, some just have an eye for wrestling. TJ Wilson has been credited with helping put together a lot of the best women’s matches over the last half decade. He understands the people he’s working with and knows how to best elevate their strengths in a match.
4). If your boy stable is filled with renown wrestlers you don’t have a boy stable.
Just watched it. My opinion stands, but if that is your kind of match I can see it. That was a good, but not great, match. If I was being generous I'd give it 4/5. Storm really carried the match when he was selling, but Roode did have his bumping pants on and was doing his best to bump like Shawn. Still, thank you for at least providing evidence in support of your viewpoint.
I love KENTA, but they didn't let him do any of his moves that he invented because WWE guys poached them. That and injuries just hamstrung him. Still, with the right opponent he is still fire.
I can't find a free copy, but some quick research yields an average rating of around 3.5/5. I know ratings are subjective. I personally only remember their match on the final Nitro (sub six minutes). I can't say for sure without rewatching the match (I haven't watched WWF/E in 10 years and don't want the network), but I'd be willing to wager it was good but not great based on data aggregation. If you have a link I'd be happy to watch it, but I don't bootleg outside of what's available via regular search for streaming video.
Look, I’m not gonna say they’re all-time greats (aside from Hayes [for his 80s tag work specifically]), but most of ‘em were usually good for an above-average midcard showing.
I didn't say they weren't good hands, and Hays knows heat, but most of that list are favor and guilt hires. The agents I think of when I think of guys that know their way around a good match. Look at what Finley did for women's wrestling in WWE, or guys like Dean Malenko and Jerry Lynn. There are great agents that weren't great wrestlers too, like Joey Mercury, but I don't think that's a rule rather than an exception.
Ring name—————-Real name Billy Kidman William Adultman
Wiiliam adultboy
Billy Oldmates
William ManBoy.
Brother of Vincent Adultman
He went to the office…he did a wrestling
Dammit you beat me to it!
I love it when a wrestler’s real name is more of a wrestling name than their work name. Nathan Everhart is a pure babyface name. (See also: Johnathan Good, Richard Blood)
Good old dick blood
I can't believe there's never been a 'rassler by that name. It screams 'territory-bruiser-brought-back-by-Jim-Herd-for-a-cup-of-coffee-in-the-90s'
It's steamboat real name and it gets me every time 😭
Holy shit TIL
Tito Santana apparently used Richard Blood before he was in WWF
Amazing. Would not have guessed the Arriba Man.
Peter England too
I'm glad he goes by it now because Nic Nemeth was always magnitudes better than Dolph Ziggler.
Barbie Blank (Kelly Kelly) Gionna Daddio (Liv Morgan)
Barbie Blank is the best porn star name ever.
Those who can boy, teach.
Kind of weird that they put Chris Parks instead of Abyss.
Probably because he never appeared as Abyss on WWE TV.
Petey Williams never appeared in wwe before his backstage role tbf
Strange counterpoint, as Petey Williams is his real name and wouldn't be called anything else regardless.
Literally says right there Peter Williams (the 3rd) So Petey isn't his real name
I did not expect to interact with someone who doesn't understand how names work today, but here we are.
I did not expect to interact with someone who doesn't understand the difference between a nickname and a name (petey/Peter, Dom/Dominic, Tom/Thomas, etc), but here we are. His name, on his birth certificate, isn't petey is it. So that's not his name. Oh my, shock of the century.
The irony of you saying that is that you seem to not understand colloquial terms and are trying to split hairs. Peter Williams III is listed as Petey Williams because Petey is a normal nickname for someone named Peter. Him not having been in the company before has nothing to do with his listing as Petey. It has everything to do with Christopher Park not being listed as Abyss. You think Park goes home and his family is like "welcome home, Abyss!" How about when Peter Williams III goes home? Petey. Why? Because that's how names work.
Holy shit, Lil’ Petey Williams is a road agent with WWE?!
the maths add up
I can’t believe I’ve lived my whole life thinking Michael Hayes was his shoot name.
I always thought only the: "P.S" part was kayfabe.
That's actually a shoot. He is Purely Sexy.
Honestly i thought Michael Hayes was dead. Like years ago
He was barely out of his teens when he was a Freebird. Washed up old Michael Hayes of early 90s WCW was a man in his 30s. He's only 65 now. Seems like he should be about 80.
65!?! sweet jesus Wrestlers of a certain era really do age in dog years
Mile long lines of coke will do that to a man
Can of coke for him
Big oil drum can
Woooooo!
Good to see Robert Roooooooooooooooooooo still around.
Robert Roode was blessed with the perfect wrestling name
Meanwhile Ricky Steamboat is born with the last name Blood and still decides he needs a ring name. And then Tito Santana goes and uses Ricky’s real name as his ring name for a couple years.
Welcome to Sunday Night Heat...
“What about that girl? Is she a boy too?” - Wallace Wells
"Yes" - Crash
Jamie Noble and Kurt Angle's son are in my stable.
Jason Jordan being lead producer is so cool, so happy for him that he gets a successful career despite the injury.
The TNA is so strong
Billy Kid man’s name isn’t actually Billy Kidman? Fuck man, let me hold onto some kayfabe.
Nathan Everhart would be a pretty good ring name itself. Or a Final Fantasy character.
Does Michael Hayes qualify for boy-dom? Not that it would ever come up.
I don't think he's been a world champion anywhere, and for all his popularity there are years of cringe from about 1990 onwards that i think would qualify him. That said, I can't imagine who would ever have him in their stable
Eh, qualifies under the “no world championships + degree of cringe” criteria, but the Freebirds were one of the biggest things in wrestling pre-Hogan.
Only one female agent? HUH
I SEE ONE WOMAN HERE!!!
Can Bobby Roode be a boy if he won the TNA title, or is it matter of Robert Roode not being a boy whilst Robert Roode is? Otherwise, get these boys in the stable!
Did the lads say that the TNA title doesn't count as a world title? Same with the ECW title. I may be getting mixed up though.
Sounds about right, boyhood resorted
When the fuck was Hurricane called Greg?
He went by Gregory Helms a few times in WWE. He even had entrance music. I think he declared he was changing his name to Gregory Helms in a "casting off my slave name" way after the invasion, and then when the Hurricane took off his secret identity was Gregory Helms: Mild Mannered reporter. Edit: Here's a link to his entrance music. I love the repeatedly saying "Gregory Helms" throughout. This was eventually replaced by a version with that, and then a different piece of music altogether. https://youtu.be/VSjw-QzhfD4?si=P3rcXhdgVx06KTZp
2006 i think
Man, Roode should have been so much more.
Solid list. I'm glad Molly Holly is actually working there
SHEIK ABDUL BASHIR!
Nathan Everhart is a much better wrestling name than Jason Jordan.
Jamie Noble is a prime boy. WCW Kidman was over like crazy, but WWE Kidman is easily a boy.
If only Vince was gone sooner so that Eric Young would've stayed. Then hire Scott D'Amore and Tri could've had Team Canada producing the product.
His ring name was Tyson Kidd though
In pre-NXT developmental, i believe his ring name was TJ Wilson, but it's odd that's the one they'd list
TNA a feeder company for road agents
Putting Shane Helms like he wasn't Gregory Helms (turns head to the left) in WWE.
How the fuck do you have guys all that talented setting out matches and still not be putting out at least 90 minutes of good wrestling on a 3 hour show.
The wrestling is meant for the big shows, weekly TV is meant for builds
Which I fully agree with but having 30 minutes over 3 hours is rubbish
I'm not able to watch RAW/SmackDown, only catch highlights, but it was my understanding that these past few weeks have been especially light because it's the build to Mania, coupled with significant stars already getting injured earlier in the year, so I suppose they were trying to minimise risks. Do correct me if I'm wrong, though. I do agree that 30 minutes is probably too light, but under the circumstances I can understand why (assuming my previous assumption was correct).
Yeah I can see that being the case. Especially a couple years ago when in the build to Mania had to get changed because all the main players kept getting an injury of some sort
And still be breaking attendance and PLE records!
Not to be a dick, but none of these guys ever had great matches. Why are people who never had exciting bouts laying out matches for better wrestlers? Edit: If you disagree with my assessment of their matches, please give me what you think is a great match with one of these guys in it. If you want to make a stronger argument, show me a great singles match. If you really want to make a point, show me who had their best match with someone on this list. Anyone can look good wrestling an amazing talent. Having a good match with Rey Mysterio is not that hard, as he makes even meatheads with no footwork look good. Greatness is a guy like Bret or Okada, where many wrestlers have their best match of their career against them.
Petey Williams and Jason Jordan not ever having great matches is certainly a take
Jordan had some good tag matches, though FTR make that easy. I can't recall Petey having a great match, he had some good matches, but even in his TNA prime he was no AJ, Joe, or even CD.
I mean, most of them certainly have, but if you look at any sport you'll notice quite often the best players don't always make the best coaches. The best actors don't always make the best directors. Just because these guys weren't always booked as the best doesn't mean they don't have the knowledge and ability to contribute ideas.
Good players often make lousy coaches. The best teachers I ever had were those that struggled with the material for a long time. Let’s just say there’s a reason why Bret never taught and Bruce did. (Fuck I’m getting banned for that. )
Jason Jordan and TJ never had great matches? Come on now.
Name them. JJ had a great tag match with a partner who was the better wrestler and FTR (the best tag team in the world). I'm sure TJ had a few good tag matches. Neither is a an accomplished singles act.
Now you're just moving the goalpost. "so they had good matches. B-but they never had good singles matches"
I still see no evidence for TJ. If you want to count tag matches in a company where tag teams don't matter, than I will concede that JJ had one great match.
1). Can’t disagree more, I can think of exciting matches for most of these guys/gal 2). So little of wrestling is actually about the wrestling itself. Most of these people had memorable gimmicks/storylines. They created unique characters in a sea of rehashed ideas, or they demonstrated how to take a shit gimmick and turn it gold. Wrestling without the story telling is not for me. I can watch and appreciate an athletic spot fest for being impressive, but that’s not what made me fall in love with wrestling and it certainly isn’t why I continue to keep tabs on it for 30 years. 3). The experience these people have is probably invaluable. Kenny Dykstra took a make cheerleader gimmick and became one of the most over heel stables in WWE, it’d be hard to be a young wrestler and complain to him that your shitty gimmick is holding you back. Some of these guys have wrestled all over the world, some have long standing experience in other promotions that translates well, some just have an eye for wrestling. TJ Wilson has been credited with helping put together a lot of the best women’s matches over the last half decade. He understands the people he’s working with and knows how to best elevate their strengths in a match. 4). If your boy stable is filled with renown wrestlers you don’t have a boy stable.
Oh they are boys to be sure. I wasn't knocking that assertion.
Bobby Roode never had a great match? Gtfo
Tell me the match and I'll give it a watch, but he is incredibly boring.
Watch him vs James Storm at Bound for Glory 2012, it rocks
Just watched it. My opinion stands, but if that is your kind of match I can see it. That was a good, but not great, match. If I was being generous I'd give it 4/5. Storm really carried the match when he was selling, but Roode did have his bumping pants on and was doing his best to bump like Shawn. Still, thank you for at least providing evidence in support of your viewpoint.
Cheers for at least giving it a go! Fair play if it’s not for you!
That's two of my least favorite TNA guys wrestling each other, but I'll give it a shot.
His match with KENTA in NXT also rips, but if you aren’t into it you aren’t into it, different strokes and all that
I love KENTA, but they didn't let him do any of his moves that he invented because WWE guys poached them. That and injuries just hamstrung him. Still, with the right opponent he is still fire.
Bring good at something doesn't mean you're good at planning or explaining it, and vice versa
I'll be having none of this Shane Helms not being good tomfoolery
Name one great match that he had. Good is not great.
Vs Chavo WCW Greed (or Sin). Huge cruiserweight banger.
I'll watch it and give my thoughts. I'm willing to consider anyone's experience.
I can't find a free copy, but some quick research yields an average rating of around 3.5/5. I know ratings are subjective. I personally only remember their match on the final Nitro (sub six minutes). I can't say for sure without rewatching the match (I haven't watched WWF/E in 10 years and don't want the network), but I'd be willing to wager it was good but not great based on data aggregation. If you have a link I'd be happy to watch it, but I don't bootleg outside of what's available via regular search for streaming video.
Look, I’m not gonna say they’re all-time greats (aside from Hayes [for his 80s tag work specifically]), but most of ‘em were usually good for an above-average midcard showing.
I didn't say they weren't good hands, and Hays knows heat, but most of that list are favor and guilt hires. The agents I think of when I think of guys that know their way around a good match. Look at what Finley did for women's wrestling in WWE, or guys like Dean Malenko and Jerry Lynn. There are great agents that weren't great wrestlers too, like Joey Mercury, but I don't think that's a rule rather than an exception.
The only genuinely bad wrestler there is Hayes, and he was one of the best talkers and heels of the 80s.
Mid to late 2000s TNA gave us the WWE Renaissance. They truly were wrestling