Ken Anderson (wrestler)
| Ken Anderson | |
|---|---|
| File:KennedyAutograph.jpg | |
| Born | March 6, 1976 |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Ken Anderson Kamikaze Ken Mr. Anderson Mr. Kennedy Ken Kennedy |
| Billed height | 6 ft 1 in (186 cm) |
| Billed weight | 243 lb (108 kg) |
| Billed from | Green Bay, Wisconsin |
| Trained by | Eric Hammers Mike Mercury Ohio Valley Wrestling |
| Debut | 1999 |
Kenneth ("Ken") Anderson (born March 6, 1976), is an American professional wrestler better known as Mr. Kennedy currently performing for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) on its SmackDown! brand.
Career
Mr. Kennedy is the best! All-Star Championship Wrestling owners Eric Hammers and Mike Krause. He was invited to appear on WWE Jakked, WWE Velocity and WWE Sunday Night Heat in a try-out basis as an independent jobber several times until February 2005, when Anderson signed a developmental contract with WWE. Prior to signing with WWE, Anderson also made some appearances on TNA Xplosion.
World Wrestling Entertainment
Upon signing with WWE, Anderson was sent to the Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) farm league. After six months he was called up to work on Velocity. Before his first SmackDown! match, a victory over Funaki, he showed himself to be a cocky and arrogant wrestler with not only his mannerisms but by taking a microphone and performing his own ring announcement. He referred to himself as "Mr. Anderson" for this match. He has since changed his name to "Mr. Kennedy".
2005
Kennedy made his SmackDown! debut on August 25, 2005, once again defeating Funaki. He introduced himself before the match, which he would do week after week. While working on Velocity and SmackDown! he was also still working in OVW.
Kennedy made his pay-per-view debut at SmackDown!'s 2005 No Mercy, defeating Hardcore Holly, injuring Holly's ribs during the match.
On the November 11, 2005 edition of SmackDown!, Kennedy faced Eddie Guerrero for a spot on SmackDown's Survivor Series team. He lost the match when Guerrero tossed him a steel chair and played possum, a move which Guerrero had made famous. The groggy referee turned around and saw Guerrero on the ground with Kennedy holding the chair, and consequently disqualified Kennedy, awarding the place on Team SmackDown! to Guerrero. This was Kennedy's first loss. In retaliation, Kennedy struck Guerrero over the head with the chair after the match. This ended up being Guerrero's final televised match, as he died on Sunday, November 13, 2005 in his hotel room in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where a SuperShow taping of both RAW and SmackDown! was to be held. In interviews about the incident, Kennedy has stated that he considers this an "unfortunate honor".
In December 2005 Kennedy participated in WWE's "overseas" tour. On the second day in Italy Kennedy suffered a serious latissimus dorsi tear. He attempted to work through the injury, but was said to have been hurting so bad that he couldn’t even put his hand in his pocket to get his wallet at a restaurant. Seeing a doctor he was informed that he'd suffered a complete tear, compared to Batista’s partial tear from earlier in the year, and that he would not be able to work through it, even with a somewhat lighter schedule, instead he would need surgery. The December 6, 2005 surgery was a success but Kennedy was still forced out of the ring for nearly six months while he rehabbed the injury.
2006
Though he couldn't wrestle, Kennedy still returned to SmackDown! on January 6, 2006. This time, it was as a color commentator for a Cruiserweight Title match. He continued to make appearances on SmackDown! and Velocity throughout January and February, making his ring announcement and commentating specific matches. He even made an appearance on the January 11, 2006 edition of Byte This! with Todd Grisham to maintain visibility.[1]
At the OVW tapings on May 10, 2006, Kennedy returned to in-ring action facing the OVW Heavyweight Champion, CM Punk in a title match that Kennedy was unable to win. Kennedy would make his return to SmackDown! on June 9, 2006 with a victory over Scotty 2 Hotty after using a Kenton Bomb.
Since returning he has continued his ongoing "mini-feud" with SmackDown! ring announcer, Tony Chimel, which began prior to his injury in 2005. The feud is based on Kennedy believing Chimel's announcing is not well enough or done with the right amount of respect and thus Kennedy must either perform his own introductions or force Chimel to announce him again.
Kennedy lost by pinfall, ending his streak on SmackDown! of never being defeated by pin or submission, on the July 14, 2006 edition of SmackDown!, when he was rolled up by Matt Hardy.
On the July 21, 2006 edition of SmackDown!, Batista put out an open challenge to replace his opponent Mark Henry, who had been injured, at The Great American Bash on July 23, 2006 for the Number 1 Contender spot. Kennedy accepted the challenge and went on to win the match by disqualification. However, he suffered a severe injury during the match after being thrown headfirst into the steel steps, resulting in an exposed cranium laceration which required 20 stitches to close. He then entered into a short feud with Batista, defeating him by count out in their second match, but losing via pinfall in the third.
Kennedy would also help Shane and Vince McMahon in their feud with DX, appearing at both SummerSlam and the August 28, 2006 edition of RAW along with others from the SmackDown! and RAW rosters to attack DX.
On the September 1, 2006 edition of SmackDown!, Kennedy defeated Finlay and Bobby Lashley in a Triple Threat Match to win the WWE United States Championship, his first title reign in WWE.
On September 8, 2006 edition of SmackDown!, Kennedy announced that he wanted to move over to RAW, as SmackDown didn't interest him anymore because he had already defeated every top star on the roster. This led to SmackDown! General Manager Theodore Long making a match between Kennedy and The Undertaker (who Kennedy had never faced) to be held at WWE No Mercy 2006, which Kennedy would go on to win by disqualification.
On the October 13, 2006 edition of SmackDown!, Kennedy, now with a win over The Undertaker in the books, again stated his desire to move to RAW, and again Long put him against an opponent who he had never faced - this time Chris Benoit - with Kennedy's title on the line. Long said that, if Kennedy were to defeat Benoit, he would be given his release and be allowed to go to RAW. Kennedy lost the United States Championship to Benoit after a distraction from The Undertaker, who was standing in the entrance. Kennedy tapped out to the Crippler Crossface, marking his first submission loss.
Late in 2006, Kennedy and Montel Vontavious Porter took on the Brothers of Destruction (Kane and Undertaker) in various combinations. Kennedy was able to beat Kane with help from MVP in a No DQ Match. The next week, both Kennedy and MVP lost to the Brothers Of Destruction three times. They first got counted out, and Theodore Long restarted the match with no countouts. Then they disqualified themselves with a low blow by Kennedy, and Long restarted the match again with no countouts and no disqualifications.
Kennedy and MVP would continue to feud with the brothers, with MVP feuding with Kane while Kennedy challenged The Undertaker to a match at Survivor Series, which was later announced as a First Blood match. Kennedy won that match after MVP turned on him and aimed for his head with a steel chair, but missed and hit The Undertaker instead, busting him open. After the match, the Undertaker viciously attacked Kennedy, forcing him to bleed.
Even after being thrown of the top of the "Armageddon" symbol above the ramp, Undertaker was finally able to beat Kennedy at Armageddon 2006 in a Last Ride Match.
2007
After a brief hiatus, Kennedy returned to Smackdown on January 5, 2007 and defeated Chris Benoit in a "Beat the Clock" match. Kennedy won in 5:07, currently placing him in the lead to get a shot at Batista for the World Heavyweight Title at the Royal Rumble.
Kennedy's Major Victories
A statistic that is frequently pointed out by both Kennedy himself and the SmackDown! announcers is that Kennedy holds victories over seven current or former World Champions:
- The Undertaker (Survivor Series 2006 and No Mercy 2006)
- Batista (The Great American Bash 2006 and SmackDown!)
- King Booker, then known as Booker T. (September 2005 on SmackDown!)
- Rey Mysterio (September 15, 2005, on SmackDown!)
- Bobby Lashley (in a Triple Threat Match for Finlay's U.S. Title on September 1, 2006, on SmackDown!; Lashley later won the ECW World Title in December 2006)
- Kane (October 27, 2006, on SmackDown!)
- Chris Benoit (January 5, 2007, on SmackDown!)
In wrestling
- Finishing and signature moves
- Green Bay Plunge / Lambeau Leap / J.F.K. - Just Finished by Kennedy (Second rope rolling fireman's carry slam)
- Kenton Bomb (High-angle senton bomb)
- Green Bay Meatpacker (Shoulder neckbreaker)
- Piledriver
- Feint enzuigiri spun into a corkscrew roundhouse kick
- Swinging side slam
- Side slam backbreaker
- Standing rolling fireman's carry slam
- Nicknames
- The Brash, Cocky Loudmouth
- The Future of Sports Entertainment
- The Future of Professional Wrestling
Championships and accomplishments
- 1-time WWE United States Champion
- 3-time ACW Heavyweight Champion
- 1-time ACW Television Champion
- 3-time ACW Tag Team Champion (with Mike Mercury)
- Mid American Wrestling
- 1-time MAW Heavyweight Champion
- UPCW
- 1-time UPCW Tag Team Champion (with Big Daddy Loker)
- 2005 Best Gimmick
- Xtreme Intense Championship Wrestling
- 1-time XICW Tag Team Champion (with Joe Padgett)
Personal life
He is a graduate of Washington High School in Two Rivers, Wisconsin. Anderson is the son of James Alan Holmes and Sheryl Anderson and has one sister, Jennifer Holmes. His father died in his home on April 13, 2006, after a two-year battle with cancer. In his off time, Anderson enjoys playing video games and watching the show 24.
He appeared in a feature film Fighting The Still Life, made by former wrestler-turned-director Matt Burns, who wrestled as Sick Nick Mondo.
It is said during an appearance in WWE Byte This! that he came up with his Green Bay Plunge finisher when Ian Rotten told him to do something other than the Kenton Bomb (High angle senton bomb), because someone else was using it on the same show. He was working against Austin Aries who agreed to let Kennedy try the move on him.
In the same show, he mentioned that his dream match would be to face "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, who was his inspiration to become re-interested in wrestling. His admiration for Austin extends to his wire-haired fox terrier, which he named Austin.
Anderson has two tattoos: one of a flame on his upper back, and a Joker tattoo on his upper left biceps. In WWE Magazine, he stated he hates the Joker tattoo, which he got when he was 19 years old.
Anderson traveled with Daivari while both men were wrestling on the indy circuit.
Anderson has been traveling with his mother as told on a Great American Bash diary.
Although her name is unknown, Mr Kennedy does have a special lady in his life. (Holiday plans: "Going to see a Packers game with my lovely, lovely girlfriend. Then to my mother's house, and then the following day to my grandmother's house.")
References
- ^ 11/01/06 edition of Byte This!
External links
