Joel Pettyfer (February 21, 1987) is an English professional wrestler, better known by his former ring name Joel Redman. He is best known for his time in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) where he worked in the developmental territory NXT as Oliver Grey. Pettyfer's work on the independent circuit in the United Kingdom is also worthy of note. He is a former Unified British Tag Team Champion alongside Mark Haskins in International Pro Wrestling: United Kingdom/Real Quality Wrestling and was a regular competitor in the Frontier Wrestling Alliance.
Professional wrestling career[]
Early career[]
Pettyfer started wrestling with Devon Junior Wrestling Alliance, where he wrestled under his own name, before going to Revolution British Wrestling and other UK indie promotions. His first appearance in the newly named Varsity Pro Wrestling (formerly RBW's southwest branch) was in Crediton, Devon where he would wrestle as Joel Redman in a match where he would be defeated by American wrestler Spiro from San Antonio, Texas on January 26, 2006.
On a later VPW show, Redman attacked Aviv Maayan after Maayan's match. "The Twisted Genius" Dean Ayass then made his way to the ring and introduced Redman as his new protégé. On VPW's first Charity Show, Maayan got his chance to face Redman which Maayan won. However, this would not end their feud as once again after Mayaan lost a match to Jorge Castano, Redman and Ayass would once again come to the ring and attack Mayaan. After this attack Ayass would grab the microphone and tell the fans that on the next show back in Horndean, Joel Redman would face Aviv Mayaan once again.
Redman's feud with Aviv Mayaan would not just be contained to VPW. After becoming an alumnus of the training school, Redman went on to train in the FWA Academy where he would face off with Mayaan once again, touring a Title tournament this time coming on the losing end of the match. After dominating several opponents throughout the end of 2006 in FWA:A, Redman would team up with FWA:A Champion LT Summers to defeat Mark Sloan and Ollie Burns for the FWA:A Tag Team Championships.
Premier Promotions (2006-2012)[]
Over the year, Redman has become a regular for Premier Promotions and made his debut in 2006 teaming with Kris Kay to defeat Chris Andrews and Sam Andrews. In late 2007, Redman participated in a one night tournament losing to Danny Collins in the semi finals. In early 2008, the PWF Mid-Heavyweight Championship was vacated by Doug Williams and to find a champion there was a round robin tournament which Redman was involved in, however, he would lose all his matches and was eliminated. Throughout 2008, Redman had made an impression on Premier Promtoions with his technical prowess and spirit to never give up, this culminated on September 4 when Redman defeated Marty Scurll in the finals of the Ian Dowland Trophy. With this win he took on Ricky Knight for the PWF Mid-Heavyweight Championship but lost via count out. Towards the end of 2009, a year Redman spent away from Premier Promotions, he returned to take part in the Ken Joyce Trophy 2009 but would lose to legendary British wrestler, Robbie Brookside, in the semi final. In March 2010, he won a one night tournament and would win another in April. Redman would once again become a regular for Premier Promotions and towards the end of the year defeated Justin Starr to win the Ken Joyce Trophy 2010. Following this win, on February 27, 2011, he defeated UK Dominator in a British rules match for the vacant PWF International Championship. As the reigning champion, Redman entered the Worthing Trophy 2011 and reached the final where he was defeated by Danny Garnell. Redman teamed up with Jonny Storm to take on Kris Kay and UK Dominator in a British rules match for the vacant PWF Tag Team Championship which they lost. Redman would vacate the PWF International Championship when he was signed by World Wrestling Entertainment and moved to their developmental system NXT.
The Thrillers (2007–2009)[]
Redman formed a team with Mark Haskins known as The Thrillers, on their debut match together they lost to The South Coast Rock 'n' Roll Express (Ian Logan and Jake McCluskey) on July 14, 2007 which involved a special guest referee. The team would go on a losing streak for the next few months and even lost to The Kartel (Sha Samuels and Terry Frazier) in a match for the IPW:UK Tag Team Championship. The Thrillers won their first match as a tag team in a dark match by defeating JP Monroe and Jules Lambrini on January 27, 2008.
The team debuted for Real Quality Wrestling on February 16, 2008 and defeated the Maximum Head (Dan Head & Max Voltage) and would next month beat The Lost Boys (Danny Darko and Jo FX). After their two successful matches they challenged The Damned Nation (Cameron Kraze and Dragon Aisu) on April 26 for the RQW Tag Team Championship which they won.
The Thrillers returned to IPW: UK on May 4 triumphant with tag team gold in the form of RQW Tag Team Championship only to lose the championship The Kartel (Sha Samuels & Terry Frazier) in a championship unification match which also involved IPW:UK Tag Team Championship. The team debuted for One Pro Wrestling losing to BritRage (Mark Sloan & Wade Fitzgerald). However they would beat The Kartel on September 28 for the Unified British Tag Team Championship. The Thrillers would then debuted for Westside Xtreme Wrestling at the beginning of 2009 and won a wXw Tag Team Championship Contendership match defeating Adam Polak and Lazio Fe. With that win, they challenged Doug Williams and Martin Stone for the wXw Tag Team Championship the following month, but were unable to win the title.
Upon their return to IPW:UK, The Thrillers lost the Unified British Tag Team Championship to The Leaders of The New School (Marty Scurll and Zack Sabre, Jr.). The Thrillers tried to regain the championship on two separate occasions, the first ending in DQ and the second where they were defeated clean in a tables, ladder and chairs match.
Irish Whip Wrestling (2008-2009)[]
Redman made his debut for Irish Whip Wrestling on July 5, 2008 in a four corners match for the IWW International Heavyweight Championship which Mandrake won, the match also involved Doug Basham and Vic Viper. After competing only a few matches in 2008, the next year he became a regular at the promotion. He took on LA Warren for the IWW Zero Gravity Championship and Mandrake for the IWW International Heavyweight Championship on multiple occasions but would also come up short. In mid 2009, Redman had formed a partner ship with Captain Rooney which for their short time together worked, winning all their matches, however Rooney would turn on Redman and joined up with Bingo Ballance. The Redman and Ballance feud culminated with Ballance coming out on top. Redman's last match for IWW was against Mandrake for the IWW International Heavyweight Championship, once again losing.
World Wrestling Entertainment[]
Developmental territories (2012-2014)[]
Following two tryout matches, Pettyfer signed a contract with WWE. In a March 2012 interview, Pettyfer stated he was waiting for his visa before he could travel to Florida to begin working for the developmental promotion. Pettyfer made his debut under the Joel Redman name at a FCW live event on June 20, 2012 teaming with Conor O'Brian against Garrett Dylan and Rick Victor in a losing effort. On the June 28, 2012 FCW live event, Pettyfer competed under his real name teaming with C.J Parker in a losing effort against Big E. Langston and Lincoln Broderick. Pettyfer would make his singles debut at the June 29, 2012 FCW live event against Mason Ryan in a losing effort. On September 19, 2012 Pettyfer made his NXT TV debut now under the name Oliver Grey in a losing effort against Kassius Ohno in a Sparring match.
At the November 1, 2012 NXT live event Grey defeated Knuckles Madsen in his first victory in a winning effort. Grey would then start teaming with Adrian Neville as both would team at the December 13, 2012 NXT live event against Axl Keegan and Dante Dash in a winning effort.
Grey formed a team with Adrian Neville to defeat 3MB (Heath Slater and Drew McIntyre) in the first round of the NXT Tag Team Championship tournament on the January 23 episode of NXT.
On January 26, 2013 at Royal Rumble fan fest, Grey competed in a 8-man tournament to determine who would gain entry into the Royal Rumble match as he would compete in the fourth round in a losing effort against Conor O'Brian. Grey then suffered a torn ligament anterior cruciate ligament. and was written off television in March after an attack by the Wyatt Family. Whilst Grey was injured he was replaced as tag champion by Bo Dallas, with whom Neville lost the title to the Wyatt Family on 2 May. Following a nine-month hiatus, Oliver Grey returned to NXT on 3 January 2014. On April 30, 2014 he was released by WWE.
United Kingdom Independent Circuit (2014-Present)[]
Following his release from the WWE, Pettyfer returned to working under the name Joel Redman, although he still also wrestles as Oliver Grey. He appeared in matches for Varsity Pro Wrestling, All Star Wrestling and Revolution Pro Wrestling. In RPW, Redman joined forces with his fellow WWE alumni Martin Stone, forming a tag team called England's Calling. Together, they won the RPW Tag Team Championship at RPW Summer Sizzler 2014 on June 15. On July 19 though, in Future Pro Wrestling, he went against Martin Stone during the Summertine Brawl IV event, and won by disqualification when the London Riots interfered, with Martin Stone joining in. The Alpha Males saved Redman soon enough. His next match in Future Pro Wrestling will be a 6-man tag (joining forces with The Alpha Males) against Martin Stone who joined forces with The London Riots, after they were banned from competing against the Swords Of Essex for the tag titles.
Between January–February 2015, Martin Stone returned to the states for another company, which left Joel Redman on his own in Rev Pro UK. At 'No Escape', he won in two matches against the UK Hooligans (who stole the RPW tag titles), the first defeating Zak Knight by pinfall, and the second defeating Roy Knight by disqualification, due to an interference by Zak. At 'High Stakes', he had to choose a replacement partner for Stone to defend the titles, in which he chose Mark Haskins, reuniting The Thrillers once again. They successfully defended the titles.
Personal life[]
From an early age, Pettyfer played rugby and participated in judo. He attended East Devon College. While wrestling in England, Pettyfer simultaneously worked as a forester.
In wrestling[]
- Finishing moves
- Managers
- Gilligan Gordon
- "Twisted Genius" Dean Ayass
- Nicknames
- "The Physical Specimen"
- Tag Teams and Stables
- The Agenda with Alex Shane, Colossus Kennedy, Dave Mastiff, David Deville, Iestyn Rees and Martin Stone (as Joel Redman)
- British Ambition with Adrian Neville (as Oliver Grey)
- England's Calling with Martin Stone
- Thrillers
- Wrestlers trained
Championship and accomplishments[]
- FWA Academy
- FWA:A Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with LT Summers
- International Pro Wrestling: United Kingdom
- British Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Mark Haskins
- NXT
- NXT Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Adrian Neville
- NXT Tag Team Championship Tournament (2014) - with Adrian Neville
- Premier Promotions
- PWF International Championship (1 time)
- Ian Dowland Trophy 2008
- Ken Joyce Trophy 2010
- Pro Wrestling Pride
- PWP Catch Division Championship (1 time)
- PWP Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Joshua Knott
- Real Quality Wrestling
- RQW Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Mark Haskins
- Revolution Pro Wrestling
- RevPro Undisputed British Tag Team Championship (3 times) with Martin Stone (1), with Mark Haskins (1), and with Charlie Garrett (1)