So... Let's Talk About the Destroyer.

[Novembruh]

Question:

What would independent wrestling look like if Petey Williams had never started doing the destroyer? How does wrestling as a whole look in 2020 without that move being thrown by everyone from Piper Niven to fukking Ricky Morton? They've turned a flipping piledriver into a transitional move... Has to be the worst decade for a move's kayfabe power since the downfall of the DDT.

Only a matter of time until dudes are kicking out of Burning Hammers at 1. And the day that happens, just burn pro-wrestling down as an institution.

On the real though, in the span of a single day of wrestling, I think I counted 5 of them. One was off someone's shoulders and didn't lead to a finish, another two were spammed back to back... At what point does someone pull the plug on the move? The more it's used and used badly, the worse it makes everything look around it.

Watching Marko fukking Stunt hit one on an adult human being already strains credulity to the breaking point, but man... How does it not basically bury every type of piledriver? WWE still has the OG piledriver banned as a move, but as long as you add rotation and remove technique, you can throw destroyers?

shyt will be snap suplex-level before the year is over.

Petey Williams didn't sell his soul to the demon that's been eating Scott Steiner's pec muscles for this shyt, man

 

[julesocean]

Yeah, the problem with that move is that it's so easy and safe to do. You can do it off the top, to women, old guys can do it.... and ALL the credit to Petey for being the one to think of it. But of course in wrestling times evolved (a DDT was once a sick ass finisher) people borrow and one-up things to look special too.

 

[luckyse7enz]

How would someone pull the plug on it though?

Wrestlers are going to do whatever crowds pop for so long as they pop for it. Once people stop popping for it, it dies...but it may be a while until crowds stop going “OOOOOOH!" for a superkick, tope suicida, tope con hilo, cutter, or Destroyer.

 

[Kidd Dibiase]

whats wack is if you bring attention to this, they'll just do it more.

 

[CookDat]

The only 2 people that should be allowed to do it are Petey & Adam Cole. Anyone else doing it needs to get smacked up after the match with a bag of wet noodles.

 

[Novembruh]

I figured it out. It's literally becoming the new huracanrana. Primarily used as an out-of-nowhere momentum shifting counter. The problem is... like... the rana is a throw. The destroyer is, at least in theory, you flipping over and using your inertia and body weight to drive the top of someone's head into the mat. It's the 450 to a DDT's splash... but it's sold like a day 1 gymnastics tumbling drill.

I've never loved the move, but damn, man. I saw more destroyers today than I saw submission attempts that weren't just rest holds.

I... also saw more destroyers than rest holds, so that's also a thing that's happening now.

 

[NkrumahWasRight Is Wrong]

Garbage move

 

[MenacingMonk]

Already been discussed. Basically It’s the modern day DDT.

 

[Flex Luger]

I saw the old dude from The Rock N Roll Express do it a few months ago. Virgil too

 

[Broad Street Bully]

Hate how it’s become a glorified DDT these days. Dustin fukkin Rhodes just pulling out on casually in the flow of a match for a 2 count. Trash.

 

[OVER]

I saw the old dude from The Rock N Roll Express do it a few months ago. Virgil too

The flab destroyer

Virgil

Marty Janetty

Ricky Morton

Joey Janela is at the receiving end of two of these flab destroyers

 

[Flex Luger]

 

[8WON6]

shyt is basically a clothesline or a bodyslam now. fukking virgil hit one in some Stacey Adams.

 

[Heelish]

The flab destroyer

Virgil

Marty Janetty

Ricky Morton

Joey Janela is at the receiving end of two of these flab destroyers

Buff Bagwell also did it

 

[ADK]

Petey is still active right? If I were him I’d flip it into a gimmick/debuting a new finisher.