For a hot minute in 2006, Mr. Kennedy was considered to be the future of WWE. Some even went so far as to call him the second coming of Stone Cold Steve Austin. The two men had similar builds, fantastic charisma and a fast-paced, brawling style. Of course, the Rattlesnakes rise to the top was the result of several twists of fate as well as sheer talent. Austin was in the right place at the right time. Ken Kennedy wasnt the beneficiary of any such good fortune. He had a fantastic first year in WWE, but he wasnt over enough with the crowd to get anywhere near the top spot at that point. Then a rash of bad luck and worse decisions cost him the spot he did have. A minor injury that was expected to be far worse than it actually was cost him his Money In The Bank briefcase. He was found to have been involved in the Signature Pharmacy scandal, ordering illegal steroids online, after being hand-picked to do the media rounds putting over WWEs wellness policy after the Chris Benoit tragedy, and was suspended for thirty days. There was more working against him, including rumours of a bad attitude backstage causing important people to sour on him. The angle where Vince McMahons illegitimate son would be revealed to be Kennedy was quietly shelved when it was decided that Hornswoggle would be the bastard child, and the storyline transformed from a sort-of-coronation into a bad joke. It was a botched backdrop on Randy Orton, in his comeback no less, that was the last straw. WWE had had enough. The steroid scandal, the poor backstage reputation, being injury-prone, and now one of WWEs biggest stars was complaining that Kennedy was sloppy in the ring. Over three years, the sure thing gradually turned into a damp squib. Kennedy was released in May 2009, only four days after returning from a dislocated shoulder, WWE having officially decided that he was a waste of their time.
Professional writer, punk werewolf and nesting place for starfish. Obsessed with squid, spirals and story. I publish short weird fiction online at desincarne.com, and tweet nonsense under the name Jack The Bodiless. You can follow me all you like, just don't touch my stuff.
