Gary Williams (wrestler)

Gary William Gallant (born June 2, 1972) better known by his ring name "Wildman" Gary Williams has been competing in Canadian independent wrestling circuits since the 1990s. Williams is also a musician, actor and a bodyguard for VIP artists and personnel. Williams first passion is professional wrestling and what he is better known for. He has had brief stints in World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation. Prior to and in the earlier days of his wrestling career, Williams was the lead vocalist for a heavy metal band Tormented "later known as" Dead Reach. He has also been involved and starred as 1 of the 4 leading characters in the Wrestling With Reality docu-drama series. Williams has also made a few appearances and background work in motion pictures and television productions.

Career

Early career

Born in Moncton, New Brunswick, Williams was a wrestling fan growing up and eventually contacted local referee Frank Parker and wrestler Todd Douglas|Todd "The Bodd" Douglas in 1996 to begin training for a career in professional wrestling.

Training with Douglas for a short time, Williams later trained with Atlantic Grand Prix and Stampede Wrestling veteran Hubert Gallant in March 1997 before making his professional debut three months later on May 24 in Truro, Nova Scotia for Emile Dupre's Grand Prix Wrestling. Remaining with the promotion throughout the summer, he was eventually noticed at an event in Cocagne, New Brunswick by Leo Burke who was scouting talent in the Maritimes and invited Williams to train with Bret Hart in his personal home in Calgary, Alberta where he had a WWE ring set up. Hart and Burke trained potential WWE Talent such as: Andrew Martin (Test), Adam Copeland (Edge), Jason Reso (Christian), Mark Henry, Ken Shamrock... Williams also spent a bit of time at the Hart Dungeon in Calgary, Alberta.^[1]

Arriving in Calgary in January 1998, Williams would spend much of the year training with Bret Hart, Leo Burke and Bad News Allen before returning to the Maritimes.

World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation

During the next few years, Williams would compete for numerous independent promotions including Stampede Wrestling, the Can-Am Wrestling Federation and promoter Tony Condello's IWA promotion feuding with Steve Rivers and Sean Dunster (Massive Damage) while continuing to compete for Grand Prix Wrestling during the summer months and eventually becoming one of the leading wrestlers on the Canadian independent circuit.

In March 1999, Burke negotiated with World Championship Wrestling for Williams to appear in several tryout matches which wrestling his former trainer Todd Douglas on Monday Night Nitro in Toronto and on WCW Saturday Night in Kitchener. After another tryout match in Winnipeg a year later, he contacted Kevin Kelly and received a tryout match on WWF Jakked against Monty Sopp (Billy Gunn) at the Calgary Saddledome.

Return to the Maritimes

Continuing to compete in Canada, spending his winters in Calgary and his summers in the Maritimes, Williams worked with several younger wrestlers in Grand Prix Wrestling including "Kowboy" Mike Hughes and Peter Smith (Brody Steele aka Kingman) during the late 1990s. One of several wrestlers who joined Hughes in Real Action Wrestling, a rival promotion of Grand Prix Wrestling, he would feud with Hughes and Robert Roode defeating them in several singles and tag team matches with Chi Chi Cruz before losing to Hughes on July 22, 2001.

While in the promotion, he would also feud with rival Massive Damage, Hughes and members of his stable The Kardinal Sinners as well as wrestling against Barry Horowitz, Eddie Watts and Duke McIsaac during the summer.

Feuding with Chi Chi Cruz over the RAW Heavyweight title during 2002, Williams eventually lost to Cruz in a ladder cage match on July 29, 2002. During the next two years, he would tour Canada defeating Steve Wilde to win the Can-Am Heavyweight title on February 3, 2003 and won a three-way match over Aiden Pringle (Synn) and King Lau at an event for Monster Pro Wrestling in Edmonton, Alberta on February 4, 2004.

2004-2009

In September 2004, Williams permanently relocated to Halifax, Nova Scotia after the decline of wrestling events in the Calgary area and eventually opened his own wrestling school Wildman Academy on February 1, 2005. With his previous experience running many seminars and helping run training camps at Massive Damage's wrestling school in Edmonton, Alberta Wildman Academy soon became one of the leading wrestling schools in the Maritime Provinces. Williams shut down his training school in September 2009.

Williams also competed in the first and second annual Maritime Cup tournament held by Harold Kennedy (New Scott) which featured many of the top independent wrestlers in Canada including Brody Steele (Kingman), Duke MacIsaac, Trash Canyon, Scott Savage, Tony Armstrong, Cinder, Lincoln Steen, Marko Estrada and Vinny Glyde. Williams would defeat Paco Loco in the opening rounds and Scott Savage in the semifinals before losing to Duke McIsaac in the finals. He would also defeat Tony Armstrong and Scott Savage while in ECPW during early May.

Starting in September 2007, Williams was 1 of 4 main characters in the documentary-drama television series "Wrestling With Reality" which features many Canadian independent wrestlers including "Kowboy" Mike Hughes, Sidewinder, Marisa, Titus, and Krysta Lynn Scott.^[2]

He would go on to win the first match on Wrestling Reality teaming with Robert Roode to defeat Rick Doyle (Trash Canyon) & Gary Jessom (Duke MacIsaac) on June 2, 2006; he would later defeat Roode in a singles match to become the first Wrestling Reality Heavyweight Champion. He would later face Titus, who recently won the third Maritime Cup Tournament, defeating him at the Halifax Forum on August 18, 2006.^[3]

Defeating Titus and "Kowboy" Mike Hughes during early 2007, Williams and Trash Canyon lost a tag team match to "Kowboy" Mike Hughes and Ryan Mader (Lincoln Steen) on May 2. Williams then teamed with James Mason, and they defeated Jeff Young (Tommy Osbourne) & Scott Savage in Sussex, New Brunswick on May 4. Williams lost his title to Peter Smith (Brody Steele) in Bathurst, New Brunswick on May 5 due to outside interference by "Kowboy" Mike Hughes and Lincoln Steen. Trash Canyon and James Mason quickly came to Williams rescue and taunted Steele, Hughes and Steen to come back in the ring and have a 6 man tag team match but as the crowd cheered for the match, Steele, Hughes and Steen walked away and denied the challenge.

2009-Present

While competing for Ultimate Championship Wrestling, he defeated fellow Kardinal Sinner Trash Canyon to win the UCW heavyweight championship. This title win took place in October, 2009 .On November 28, 2009 he completed his first title defense beating Dynamite Dave Floyd in Spryfield, NS.

On January 29, 2010 in Timberlea, Nova Scotia Gary won 2 UCW slammy awards. The first for Best feud (w/ Lumber jack Johnson) and the second for being the best overall wrestler. The following night Gary once again defended his UCW Heavyweight Championship against Chris Cooke.

Over the coming months he fought and defended his UCW Heavyweight Championship against Dynamite Dave Floyd, Tristan Strife, And Chris Cooke. On April 3, 2010 Gary lost his belt to Lumber Jack Johnson in Spryfield, Nova Scotia.

During the Bushwacked II tour Williams picked up wins and losses but most notably his winning efforts in tag team matches with former WWE stars Bushwacker Luke and Marty Jennetty. He also competed in the UCW Summer Explosion Tour going back and forth with Former WWE Star and top competitor Charlie Haas.

In September, 2010, Williams signed with the upstart Legend City Wrestling based in Newfoundland,Canada, reuniting him with his former longtime Wrestling mates, Mike Hughes, Kurrgan, and Brody Steele. www.legendcitywrestling.com

On April 28, 2011 at the UCW 4th Anniversary Show at the Forum, Williams became the UCW Heavyweight Champion for the 2nd time by defeating J.P. Simms in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Williams has successfully defended his Ultimate Championship Wrestling Heavyweight Championship to date.

Williams just signed a deal with Championship Wrestling International (CWI) out of Ontario, Canada and will be on tour with them from August 18, 2011 through to August 28, 2011 for the Maritime Invasion tour. Along with CWI Champion Scott Steiner the CWI roster for this tour will also feature Hulk Hogan, Sean Waltman (X-Pac), Monty Sopp (Billy Gunn), Road Dog, Mick Foley, "Bushwhacker" Luke Williams, "The Highlander" Robbie McAllister and Kevin Nash. In Corner Brook, Newfoundland, Williams joined a group named "Mutiny" consisting of "Highlander" Robbie McAllister, Bolen and The Flatliners.

Championships and Accomplishments

• Can-Am Wrestling Federation
  • Can-Am Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
  • Trans American Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
  • Can Am Tag Team Championship (with Steve Wilde) (1 time)

• Hardcore Wrestling/Outlaw Pro Wrestling
  • Hardcore Tag Team Championship (with Massive Damage) (1 time)

• Grand Prix Wrestling
  • GPW International Heavyweight Championship (2 times)

• International Wrestling Alliance
  • North American Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

• Western Canadian Extreme Wrestling
  • WCEW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

• Monster Pro Wrestling
  • Monster Pro Wrestling Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

• Real Action Wrestling
  • RAW Heavyweight Championship (2 times)

• Wrestling Reality
  • Wrestling Reality Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

• Ultimate Championship Wrestling
  • UCW World Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
  • UCW Tag Team Championship (with "Kowboy" Mike Hughes) (1 time)
  • UCW 2010 Slammy Award- Best Feud (with Lumber Jack Johnson)
  • UCW 2010 Slammy Award- Best Overall Wrestler

Finishing Move: The Wild Driver

Favorite Moves: Spinning DDT, Swinging Neck Breaker, Standing Dropkick

References

External links

• Wildman's Official Website
• Gary Williams Facebook
• Gary Williams Twitter
• Wildman's YouTube Channel
• Profile at Online World of Wrestling