Logan Paul picked up a victory over Ricochet in the opening match of last Saturday’s WWE SummerSlam, held at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. The two athletes already shared two viral moments earlier this year, with their coast-to-coast clothesline battle at the Royal Rumble and Spanish Fly gone awry at Money In The Bank a few months later. At SummerSlam, the two once again showed off their athleticism, but ultimately, it was Paul’s use of underhanded tactics that helped him put away his fellow high-flyer.
In the waning moments of the bout, Paul was lying limp on the edge of the ring when out of nowhere, a mysterious stranger dressed in all black, sporting a beard and long brown hair, ran to the Prime founder’s side and slipped brass knuckles on his hand. Paul quickly got his wits about him, made it to his feet, and leveled Ricochet with his loaded fist, dropping him to the mat for a pinfall victory. Following the referee’s final decision, he tucked the weapon in his trunks and taunted Ricochet’s wife, Samantha Irvin, who had to announce him as the winner.
In an exclusive Haus of Wrestling interview, former WWE and Impact referee Brian Hebner explained why he thinks the man who slipped Paul the brass knuckles is the innovator of The Canadian Destroyer, Petey Williams.
“I’m absolutely positive of that,” he stated. “Now, I don’t know if they’re going that way. I don’t know if that was just one guy that used to do it. I can tell you right now that guy in that picture is Petey Williams. I’ve worked around Petey Williams for many years. I know that nose, I know those arms, and I’m telling you, that’s Petey Williams.”
The photo Hebner is referring to can be found at the top of this page.
Hebner and Williams spent time together when they worked at Impact Wrestling, where he served as an official from 2010 until 2016 before returning in 2021 and retiring in 2022. Williams also had two runs with Impact, one from 2013 to 2014, when the promotion was called TNA, and another from 2017 until 2021. Williams was signed by WWE as a producer in 2022 and, according to Fightful, served as one of the producers for the Slim Jim Battle Royal at SummerSlam.
It is worth noting that Sportskeeda has reported that Paul’s manager Jeff Levin was the one to hand off the foreign object, but we have not seen anything to confirm that reporting. However, Levin does sport a beard and long brown hair and has close ties to Paul. So, at the moment, it looks like we have two possible suspects.
My full conversation with Hebner is available on the Haus of Wrestling podcast feed and YouTube channel.
Hebner can be found each week alongside fellow former WWE referee Jimmy Korderas on their Reffin It Up podcast.
If you use any quotes from this article, please give a h/t to Haus of Wrestling and link back