Wrestling fans from the mid-2000s will undoubtedly remember Mr Kennedy. The brash, loud-mouthed, and bleach-blonded Green Bay native looked poised to become a breakout star in WWE for a number of years, with his quick call-up from Ohio Valley Wrestling to the main roster leading to plenty of early success. That included capturing the United States Title and the Money in the Bank briefcase. 

Unfortunately, his run with the company would come to a premature end following a 10-man tag team bout on an episode of “WWE Raw” in May 2009. During the match, Kennedy would accidentally drop Randy Orton in an awkward fashion on the back of his neck. In the aftermath, “The Viper” would blast Kennedy for the mishap and go straight to Vince McMahon to express his frustration at the incident. He also convinced fellow main event superstar John Cena to raise concerns over Kennedy’s performance. A few days later, Kennedy was gone from the company and has never returned — instead working with Impact Wrestling and on the independent scene throughout the 2010s. 

In an interview with WrestleZone following his departure, Kennedy admitted there were a number of issues leading up to his eventual exit but believes the complaints from Orton and Cena were the final straw for his time in WWE. “I wouldn’t say that’s what got me fired because there were so many other things before that … it was like they were looking for a reason to get rid of me,” he said.