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Tag: Brian Kendrick

  • Paul London On The State of Wrestling, Giving Back, MLW Return

    It’s a come full circle moment for Paul London as he returns to Major League Wrestling for the first time in 21 years at Summer of the Beasts ‘24. The live event streaming worldwide on the company’s YouTube will see the revolutionary veteran square off with emerging talent BRG. London remembers stepping foot in an MLW ring at a similar career stage as his upcoming opponent in 2003. 

    \”I remember that I was really excited about working with Jerry Lynn like I always am,” London reminisced. “I’m always happy to see him. He is probably the most lovable person in wrestling or one of them at least. I know [Christopher] Daniels was there as well. I think I was most excited about the caliber of talent that Court [Bauer] amassed. I was freshly 22 or 23. It was pretty cool.” 

    The now-44-year-old calls the experience of returning to the promotion after so much time surreal. “The fact it has been more than 20 years,” London added. “I really am old.”

    London had one hell of a run since his first appearance in MLW. He went on to Ring of Honor followed by multiple years in WWE before his release in 2008. From there, he continued entertaining crowds around the world and made a stop back on regular television in the form of Lucha Underground. London is excited about facing BRG.  

    “It’s an exciting opportunity, especially for him. I got to see what he is all about. He has a lot of talent but a big mouth,” London concluded. “He has long hair. I’m sure it’s his natural hair color. I’m curious which Ryan Gosling is actually his favorite. I’m a curious guy. I also think about other famous people Mark Paul Gosselaar. Maybe he and I will have something in common after I give him a wrestling lesson.” 

    After all this time London has enjoyed the journey. He remains grateful that people still responding to him after all this time.

    “I don’t want people to respond for some nostalgia nonsense though,” he said. “I want them to respond because they didn’t have a choice. That’s always the challenge for me is how can I either not become stale and give the audience something else. It’s intimidating. New York City is a place I’ve always had a lot of good matches there. The one-year anniversary of Ring of Honor we had there. I had a lot of good moments and friends there… have a lot on my plate and none of it is soft food.” 

    Returning to Wrestling Full-Time

    Working in various places throughout the year is something London has always enjoyed. However, he doesn’t rule out signing a contract with another major company.

    “I think about it every now and then,” he said. “Sure, if the money is right, but there are other things to consider. I think at this stage of where I’m at so much has to do with if I like this. Am I into this? Is this creative? Am I in a position where I feel I’m going to look stupid or this is bad? It’s very similar to acting where if you get handed a terrible script. What is the point? Then it doesn’t matter what the movie is. I have to like what I’m doing. 

    “There are projects that don’t pan out. That’s fine. I’m not saying I haven’t taken jobs because of a payday either. It can be a crippling decision-maker if that’s what you base your value on. To me, to sign a contract with a wrestling company would be a matter of who is on the roster, who is in the office, what kind of responsibilities they are looking for in me, and traveling. Will I go to a place where I’ll get devoured by mosquitos? Those kinds of things.”

    Giving Back

    London enjoys guiding the next generation along. It’s something he aims to do in this current aspect of his career. 

    “If I can help someone preserve their body or avoid mistakes I made,” he said. “If I can help someone avoid that stuff, I’m happy to do that. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing the lightbulb go off. I like to help those who do want this for the right reasons.”

    \"Paul

    His Former Partner Brian Kendrick

    In this world of reunions, one we shouldn’t expect any time soon is London to get back into a tag team with Brian Kendrick. The dynamic duo of high flyers turned heads with a strong run in WWE, evening winning the tag team titles. 

    “No. We don’t talk,” London answered on the potential of a reunion. “He is doing his own thing and I’m doing mine. It has been mentioned in the past, but I’m just not interested at all. I’m not saying it will never happen. If some money mark wants to come in and say, I’ll give you $50,000 for this one match.” I’m interested now. That’s not going to happen. Who knows? As of now, there is no interest in my book. I wish him well though. I hope he is a happy man.” 

    The State of Pro Wrestling

    Given how ahead of their time the popular team was, Kendrick and London certainly would have made waves together in 2024. However, London doesn’t live in this line of thinking. 

    “Anyone can be a wrestler now. The standards and integrity have been lost in the wrestling business. That really bothers me,” London said. “I like seeing what creative people do with wrestling now. The athleticism is there and better than it has ever been. It’s outstanding and spectacular, but I don’t buy in the way I used to. I don’t feel the way I used to. We’re all marks at the end of the day. There are varying degrees of mark-ism. We all want to be led along a great story. I want to believe. Wrestling is overly planned, choreographed, and overly produced. It takes a lot of the soul out of the wrestlers.

    “I don’t know. Trust your talent and see what happens. There is something thrilling and exciting about not knowing what will happen. That’s as real as it gets. I do love wrestling. I really love it. Thank god for YouTube because I get to watch all these things.” 

    Despite his hot takes, London still genuinely enjoys what he does for a living. He even has some favorites that happen to be under the MLW umbrella. 

    “I’m a big Matt Riddle fan. I met him in Germany years ago before he went up to Stamford,” London recalled. “We got along. He is a real dude and I really like the guy. Then I watch his work and i reminds me a lot of Kevin Von Erich. It’s not because of being barefoot. He has a really organic way of how he moves. He was a fighter so he gets it. I’m excited to see his match with Matthew Justice, who I know is a wild one.

    There are so many guys I think highly of. TJP is another one. He is an encyclopedia of wrestling holds and moves and combinations. There are so many that impress me.” 

    There is another London that also admires and will be in action at the big show – and he happens to wear a mask. 

    “Buying generic toys meant to be The Rock or someone has been fun for me,” London explained. “I recently bought this crapy little ring with luchadors in it and I think it was like $3. One of the figures is Mistico. I was like, ‘Should I bring that? Should I have him take a picture with it?’ I know it’s weird, but I’m such a fan. I love wrestling.” 

    MLW Summer of the Beasts ‘24 airs live at 7:30 p.m. ET on YouTube. 

  • Controversial Ex-Superstar Worked Backstage at WWE Survivor Series WarGames

    Former WWE Superstar Brian Kendrick is seemingly back with WWE as a producer for the promotion.

    Kendrick first joined WWE in 2002 and has made several returns, the most recent being in 2016 as part of the Cruiserweight Classic.

    In January of the year, Kendrick asked for his release from the promotion, which was granted on February 1.

    Survivor Series WarGames

    Kendrick didn\’t appear on-screen at last weekend\’s WWE Survivor Series WarGames event, but he did have a role backstage.

    Fightful Select reports that Kendrick worked alongside Jason Jordan to produce the SmackDown Women\’s Championship match between Ronda Rousey and Shotzi.

    Prior to his departure from WWE earlier this year, Kendrick had spent close to a year as a backstage producer for the WWE NXT brand.

    After being attacked by Harland, Kendrick \’resigned\’ from his backstage role in order to face the now-AEW star, but the match didn\’t take place due to Kendrick\’s departure.

    Controversy

    The same day as his departure from WWE, it was announced that Kendrick would be making his AEW debut on the February 2, episode, in a match against Jon Moxley.

    Hours after the announcement, the match was canceled due to controversial comments made by the former Cruiserweight Champion in the past.

    Kendrick\’s controversial claims include stating that the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting was staged, and said in 2011 that the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center was faked with the use of holograms.

    Kendrick had also claimed that the number of people killed during the Holocaust had been exaggerated and that gas chambers were used to delouse Jewish victims, rather than kill them.

    Kendrick later apologized for the comments and has worked with Holocaust memorial groups to learn more and try and make amends.

    WWE Survivor Series WarGames 2022 Results, Takeaways: The Bloodline vs. The Brawling Brutes, New Champion

  • Brian Kendrick Apologizes For Anti-Semitic Hate Speech

    Brian Kendrick was slated to make his debut for AEW on Wednesday night during Dynamite from Chicago. Instead, he was pulled from the show after some controversial statements he made in the past came to light.

    Kendrick had previously asked for his release from WWE and was granted his request. He was then booked to face Jon Moxley this week on Dynamite until just hours before the show.

    A video circulated on Twitter Wednesday of Kendrick making some reprehensible anti-semitic statements during a 2011 interview.

    \”We’ve been made aware of abhorrent & offensive comments made in the past by Brian Kendrick,\” AEW President Tony Khan stated. \”There’s no room in AEW for the views expressed by Brian. We think it’s best for all that Brian be pulled from tonight’s card as we gather more info. We’ll announce a replacement bout ASAP.”

    Moxley ended up facing Wheeler Yuta in the opening match of AEW Dynamite. The two had a fantastic match, and after the bout, Moxley and Bryan Danielson had a face to face where Bryan pitched an idea for the pair to team.

    As all this was going on, Kendrick took to his Twitter page to apologize for his comments from a decade ago.

    \”I apologize for all the hurt and embarassment I have caused with my words. These are not my beliefs and never were beliefs of mine, and I crossed the line,\” Kendrick said in his first statement.

    He then posted a second which read, \”I spread the most vile comments without thinking of the damage it would cause. I will live with this regret for the rest of my life. I am truly sorry for the pain I have caused.\”

    Kendrick\’s comments consisted of a minimization of the Holocaust, some wild claims that the Rothschild and Rockefeller families were \”interbreeding,\” claims of a link between Zionists and the Illuminati, some strange conspiracy theory ideas about Jewish medics and a 2010 Haitian earthquake, and more.

    You can read an article by Culture Crossfire from 2013 which covers some of this.

    Check out the Top Rope Nation wrestling podcast for your weekly dose of pro wrestling talk featuring interviews, analysis and exclusive news: Apple – Spotify – YouTube.

  • Brian Kendrick Yanked From AEW Dynamite Due To Controversial Comments

    Brian Kendrick will not be appearing on the Feb. 2 episode of AEW Dynamite.

    Kendrick requested his WWE release and had his wish granted. Wrestling fans rallied behind Kendrick and rejoiced after it was announced that he\’d be making his AEW debut against Jon Moxley.

    Oh how quickly things can change.

    Past Comments Resurface

    Twitter user Dan Pierce brought attention to a 2011 interview where Brian Kendrick expressed antisemitic views. David Bixenspan unearthed a lengthier version of the video and it has done Kendrick no favors.

    AEW boss Tony Khan caught wind of the interview and has pulled Kendrick from Dynamite.

    \”We’ve been made aware of abhorrent & offensive comments made in the past by Brian Kendrick. There’s no room in AEW for the views expressed by Brian. We think it’s best for all that Brian be pulled from tonight’s card as we gather more info. We’ll announce a replacement bout ASAP.\”

    The former WWE star claimed that the Rothschilds and Rockefellers were \”interbreeding.\” He also said that there was a link between Zionists and the Illuminati.

    Near the end of the video, Kendrick suggested that “Jewish medics” were flown out to Haiti in response to the 2010 earthquake in order to remove bodies and eyeballs. In the interview, he also revealed he attended a lecture set up by a British conspiracy theorist known for having antisemitic views. 

    There\’s a lot more to unpack in the video, which you can watch here. An article by Culture Crossfire from 2013 also covers more of Kendrick\’s conspiracy theories.

  • Brian Kendrick To Make AEW Debut on this week\’s Dynamite

    Former WWE Cruiserweight champion Brian Kendrick will debut for All Elite Wrestling on Wednesday\’s edition of AEW Dynamite.

    Kendrick requested his release from WWE in December, as first reported by PWInsider. Over a month later, AEW\’s latest match announcement shows that Kendrick is in fact gone from WWE.

    Brian Kendrick is jumping right into the deep end of AEW. He\’ll battle former AEW World Champion Jon Moxley when AEW returns to Chicago, IL.

    Kendrick was last seen in action for WWE on the 205 Live brand in 2020. Aside from those bouts, he did work a few Saudi Arabia battle royal matches. He hasn\’t wrestled on WWE Raw or Smackdown since December 2017, but did briefly appear on NXT 2.0 for a storyline with Harland that was supposed to lead to a match, but never happened. 

    Behind the scenes, Kendrick had been serving as a producer with the company. He has yet to publicly comment on his departure from WWE. 

  • Mustafa Ali Continues Pushing for WWE Release

    WWE superstar Mustafa Ali still wants out of the company.

    Ali posted on Twitter this morning that he refused to be in the Men\’s Royal Rumble match. He also shared that he\’s adamant about wanting to leave the WWE. Ali had requested his release on January 16th. However, the WWE refused to honor his wishes.

    \”No, I would not like to be in rumble. I would like my release,\” wrote Ali.

    Mustafa Ali Relationship with WWE

    Ali\’s Twitter post reconfirms that he and the WWE aren\’t on good terms. The company has yet to share if he will participate in the Royal Rumble. While he isn\’t on good terms with the company, both fans and wrestlers continue to show their support for Ali. A fan shared that the WWE on FOX\’s Twitter account blocked her for voicing support for him, and Ali decided to block WWE on Fox. Based on Ali\’s social media posts, it\’s unclear if the company will be able to convince him to compete tonight.

    WWE Refusing Releases

    Ali isn\’t the only talent that wants to leave the company. PWInsider Mike Johnson reported that Brian Kendrick requested his release several weeks ago and hasn\’t appeared at NXT tapings. However, the WWE hasn\’t allowed him to go either. It\’s unclear why the WWE refuses to grant Kendrick or Ali their releases.

    The WWE faced criticism from fans last year for releasing talent. The company released over 80 wrestlers, claiming that the decision was due to budget cuts. However, they also praised themselves for having a successful year financially. With both Ali and Kendrick requesting their release, WWE fans wonder why they are hesitant to allow them to leave.

  • Brian Kendrick Asks WWE For His Release (Report)

    Brian Kendrick, who has been working backstage in a producer\’s role for NXT and 205 Live, has reportedly asked for his WWE release. According to PWInsider, Kendrick asked for his release 6 weeks ago but remains with the company as of this writing.

    \”We can confirm that Brian Kendrick, who had most recently been working as a producer on WWE NXT and 205 Live, requested a release from the company weeks ago and has not been to any TV tapings in Orlando in some time,\” wrote Mike Johnson. 

    \”We are told Kendrick has been waiting for a release \’at least\’ six weeks.\”

    – PWInsider on Brian Kendrick\’s status with WWE
    \"Brian

    Brian Kendrick finds himself in a similar situation as Mustafa Ali. Mustafa Ali publicly requested his WWE release earlier this month. WWE has yet to grant that release, prompting fans on social media to use the hashtag, #FreeAli.

    He was with WWE from 2005 to 2009. During that run, he won tag team gold along with Paul London twice. He\’d return to WWE in 2014 as a trainer but then got back in the ring for the 2016 Cruiserweight Classic and 205 Live.

    Kendrick is also a former WWE Cruiserweight Champion. He and former tag team partner Paul London won Pro Wrestling Illustrated\’s Tag Team of the Year award in 2007.

  • WWE Wrestler Has Quietly Retired

    The WWE Performance Center YouTube channel released a new video that looks at Brian Kendrick\’s work for the company outside the ring. During it, it was revealed that Kendrick has retired as an in-ring performer for WWE. 

    Kendrick has been working as a Producer for the 205 Live brand in recent months. He started out his pro wrestling career by being trained by Shawn Michaels and Rudy Boy Gonzalez and got his start by going by the name, Spanky. He signed a WWE developmental deal where he went to work for Memphis Championship Wrestling. It didn’t work out at the time so he was released and then became a top star in Ring of Honor in addition to his work in Japan\’s ZERO-ONE.   

    Kendrick had several stints with WWE over the years. He most notably had a run with Paul London as the WWE Tag Team Champions and Ezekiel Jackson as his partner. He also spent time in TNA Wrestling. When WWE did the Cruiserweight Classic in 2016, he returned to be part of the revived division.

    He’s helped train various wrestlers including Eva Marie at his school in California. His last match came on the October 28th edition of 205 Live where he worked a tag team bout.