Scott D’Amore revealed his initial reluctance to perform the Canadian Destroyer move on Impact Wrestling television.
The move, popularized by Petey Williams during the early days of the X-Division in TNA/Impact, is a flipping piledriver and is a spectacle that captivates audiences. Speaking on the What Do You Call It podcast, D’Amore’s hesitation stemmed from a desire to protect the move’s impact, deeming it too significant to be associated with his character as a manager. Reflecting on a pivotal moment in 2004-2005, D’Amore recounted his refusal to execute the move against AJ Styles, fearing it would undermine its magic.
It’s funny because I refused to do the Canadian Destroyer on TV for so long. I almost got fired over it back in the day. They wanted me to hit a Canadian Destroyer on AJ Styles on TV and I was like, ‘There’s no way the fat dopey manager is hitting the coolest move in wrestling.’
D’Amore also spoke about how Will Opsreay told him that he and his friends would try and figure out how Williams performed the Canadian Destroyer.
Will Ospreay told me the other day that he and his friends would sit there and watch it back over and over again, trying to figure out how it was done.
The Canadian Destroyer was a rarity at the time, with Petey Williams being the sole practitioner, leaving viewers mystified by its execution. However, as the move became increasingly common in wrestling matches.
Did Scott D’Amore Do The Canadian Destroyer On Impact Wrestling?
Scott D’Amore’s perspective evolved. He ultimately performed the Canadian Destroyer at Impact Sacrifice in 2023, hitting the move on Jason Hotch during his on-screen return to the company. Scott D’Amore recently judged at the returning Impact Wrestling Gut Check which happened at the end of October in the UK.
H/t to Fightful.com