Brian Kendrick has always been one of the most exciting people to watch in my opinion. Even though he is in the cruiserweight division, Kendrick never ceases to amaze me with his creativity in the ring. So much so that I’m looking forward to 205Live! Remind me again why this guy is not in the running for the WWE Universal Championship?
Despite his lengthy career, there are loads of things that people don’t know about the Brian Kendrick. So, here are some quick facts you must know about this cruiserweight.
1. He Left the WWE Three Times!
Those of you who have watched the WWE for years already know this fact about Brian Kendrick. Kendrick was picked up by the WWF (now WWE) in 2000 for the first time. However, he would leave the company several times during his career.
Kendrick’s first stint in the WWE lasted from 2000 to 2001. During this time, he wrestled for Memphis Championship Wrestling. However, the promotion got shut down, causing Kendrick to be released from his contract.
Brian Kendrick would return to the WWE however in 2002. Before he could start wrestling in the WWE, he needed to complete his stint in the indies, mainly due to previous commitments. He would make his debut in 2003 but leave the company again in 2004 to return to Zero1, a Japanese wrestling promotion.
The saga continues however, because Kendrick returned again to the WWE in 2005 (honestly, I’m getting a migraine right now). This time, he remained in the company for four years, teaming up with Paul London and chasing the WWE championship on SmackDown.
Brian Kendrick would leave the promotion again in 2009 (popping those aspirins), but he eventually returned to the WWE. He started working for NXT in 2014 and would be transferred to the cruiserweight division in 2016. What a history!
2. He Has Quite a Background in the Indies
Considering his extensive history with the WWE, it will surprise nobody that Brian Kendrick has one of the most extensive indie histories.
Kendrick has worked for numerous indies before and after his WWE stints. Brian has wrestled for Ring of Honor, NWA, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (now Impact Wrestling), Dragon Gate US, New Japan, and many others. Of course, in true Kendrick style, he left and rejoined some of these promotions several times. Still, this is not out of the ordinary in the indies.
3. He Runs His Own Wrestling Promotion And Training School
It is not unusual to look at some of the new talents in the WWE and discover they have been trained by Brian Kendrick, TJP being one of them. Kendrick has his own wrestling school, in fact, called Brian Kendrick’s Wrestling Pro Wrestling. WPW also runs shows on occasion.
4. He Is Married
Kendrick is married. In 2008, he married Taylor Matheny, a professional wrestler you might remember from 2001 Tough Enough. She also made a short appearance in Total Divas, where she trained Eva Marie.
Unfortunately, Taylor no longer wrestles. She reportedly retired from wrestling in 2003 to pursue a career as a Hollywood Makeup Artist. Still, she has made a few appearances alongside her husband since then.
5. He Is Trained by True Wrestling Legends!
Kendrick can count some serious wrestling legends as his mentors; this includes the likes of Shawn Michaels and William Regal. Well, if those two legends had a baby, I’m sure it would look something like Brian Kendrick.