Teach me about: Davey Richards

[JAxlMorrison]

With the recent controversy with Davey Richards and him leaving Roh, some casting aspersions on his character, etc. It made me more curious about the wrestler. Was the hype Richards used to receive warranted? Are there any of his matches I should seek out? Does anyone have any knowledges of the accusations of a bad attitude being thrown his way, and does he deserve them? And finally, will he get a shot in WWE/NXT, or has he risen as high as he ever will?

[cool arrow]

This should be good.

[The Z]

So, I reckon you're new on this board?

[E.J.]

 

That's about it.

[JAxlMorrison]

So, I reckon you're new on this board?

Lol mostly lurked on the old board yes. Davey not popular here? I'm just not that familiar with him.

[GOTNW]

 

That's about it.

You are vastly underselling the ingeniousness of that spot. Do it properly, like this:

 

 

2:41: Trading headbutts and slaps at the top.

HERE.

WE.

GO.

Superplex. ROLLS through. Suplex to the outside!

What is absolutely amazing about this, is that, THE GIF that encompasses that nonsense doesn’t even encompass the true nonsense of that fuckin’ moment. They just had this big headbutt spot at the top BEFORE they go to the nightmare sequence. Seriously? So, then why would we give a fuck AT ALL about the headbutts when that’s what you follow up with? It’s beating a dead horse to say, why would someone get up immediately after superplexin’ someone, why would someone suplex someone immediately after being superplexed.

But, it’s amazing to me they thought to do that spot after headbutts.

Seriously, coming into this, I knew that moment was going to exist. I knew it was horrible. It somehow wound up even worse.

[Jack]

I used to think Davey was great around 2008-09. He had a match with Kenta in ROH that loads of people, including me, liked a lot, but my tastes in wrestling have changed since then and I don't know whether I'd enjoy it as much now. I do know that around 2011 I started to notice him doing spots like the GIF posted above, and now I think his matches are pretty much the definition of wank- self indulgent and meaningless. He also sounds pretty unbearable outside of the ring as well. I'm not a supporter.

[Brian Fowler]

Good athlete, good execution, terrible ideas about what makes good wrestling.

[Bear Wyatt]

I really think NXT will temper Davey's worst traits.  Does that mean he'll become a great wrestler?  No, but I think he can be a solid worker.  He's also got this weird sense of humor from what I've seen of his stuff in PWG.  Maybe he'll become the next Santino.

[dok]

Richards is a bit  ludicrous, sure, but wrestling should love its freaks.  The "Super Intense Pocket Badass" gimmick is something he seemed to pick up on a tour of Japan about 5 years back.  That's the style that the majority of DVDVR regs love to mock, but I still think he's rather better than that.  I've not seen one of his overkill matches in several years, but while his spots may look outlandish out of context I remember thinking that he's actually pretty good at making moves mean something.  Certainly not the superworker that some fans would have you believe.  I still think his best match was against Hero at PWG Seven in 2010: very few back bumps just nasty strikes and some manly~! grappling.

[Ryan]

::Shooting Star Press, kickout, kimura:: It's a shoot move, so it makes sense!

[Ryback Hates Bullies]

I've said it before, but I'm not sure that superplex spot is in the Top 5 of things wrong with that match. 

 

I also suspect NXT will sharpen him up, but I'm sure we'll at least get some amusing stories if it doesn't.

[Ryan]

Good athlete, good execution, terrible ideas about what makes good wrestling.

He literally said at one point he idolized Dynamite Kid and wanted to be exactly like him, so that sort of accounts for a lot of the strange choices he's done in the ring. He may just have no idea why DK did some of it and copied it.

[The Man Known as Dan]

I used to think Davey was great around 2008-09. He had a match with Kenta in ROH that loads of people, including me, liked a lot, but my tastes in wrestling have changed since then and I don't know whether I'd enjoy it as much now. I do know that around 2011 I started to notice him doing spots like the GIF posted above, and now I think his matches are pretty much the definition of wank- self indulgent and meaningless. He also sounds pretty unbearable outside of the ring as well. I'm not a supporter.

 

I hated his match with KENTA, though I think it happend in 07 if my memory is correct. KENTA/Sydal was so so so much better.

[Web Conn]

From what I gathered from this board is it would be easier to teach you how to Dougie.

[OSJ]

 

Good athlete, good execution, terrible ideas about what makes good wrestling.

He literally said at one point he idolized Dynamite Kid and wanted to be exactly like him, so that sort of accounts for a lot of the strange choices he's done in the ring. He may just have no idea why DK did some of it and copied it.

 

 

Well, we all know how things worked out for the last guy that so esteemed Mr. Billington...

[Big Fresh]

[Brian Fowler]

That's going into an armbar too!

[LooseCannon]

As much as I like piling on Davey Richards, here is a serious question: of previous indie guys who made the jump to WWE-land, who does Richards most resemble in terms of behavior and approach to the business outside of the ring?

[Ace]

Low Ki.

[cool arrow]

It's his actions outside the ring that I find most objectionable, specifically stealing money from a promoter and taking liberties with a rookie.  (Yeah, I know it was Kozina who really did the latter, but Richards is guilty by association.)

[Valcourt]

Why doesn't Eddie Edwards catch as much flack as Davey. He is in most of those matches and spots.

 

Is Kyle O'Reily the next Davey Richards?

[OSJ]

As much as I like piling on Davey Richards, here is a serious question: of previous indie guys who made the jump to WWE-land, who does Richards most resemble in terms of behavior and approach to the business outside of the ring?

 

Teddy Hart

[OSJ]

It's his actions outside the ring that I find most objectionable, specifically stealing money from a promoter and taking liberties with a rookie.  (Yeah, I know it was Kozina who really did the latter, but Richards is guilty by association.)

 

How does Tony Kozina take liberties with ANYONE? I've met the guy and he's about 41/2 feet tall.

[cool arrow]

Well, his opponent was 16, so...

 

http://youtu.be/JPMp86PRrzU