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Brian Kendrick was all set to make his debut for AEW this week in a match against Jon Moxley on Dynamite. However, the match was pulled at the last minute due to the resurfacing of controversial comments the wrestler had made 10 years ago.
Kendrick had been working with WWE on the NXT 2.0 brand, but it was reported that he requested his release from the company on January 25, 2022. He had previously been a producer and only wrestled part-time.
The release was eventually granted a number of days later, which made him a free agent. There didn't appear to be any non-compete clause in his deal, as he immediately sought work with Tony Khan's promotion.
The former WWE Cruiserweight Champion is a veteran of the squared circle after making his in-ring debut in October 1999. He was eventually signed by WWE in 2000 and was assigned to perform at Memphis Championship Wrestling, but his deal expired after MCW closed. He once again re-signed with WWE in 2002.
He made an impact on SmackDown when he debuted for the brand in 2003 as he tried to earn a contract from then-General Manager Stephanie McMahon. He ultimately did so by defeating Shannon Moore, but he was once again released in 2004.
Kendrick once again returned to WWE in 2005 and had the best run of his career. He became a one-time Cruiserweight Champion and also a one-time WWE World Tag Team Champion and WWE Tag Team Champion with Paul London.
At one time, he held the WWE Championship for a few minutes in the first-ever Scramble Match at Unforgiven 2008. However, because of the rules of the match, his short-lived reign is not recognized.
He would again be released by Vince McMahon's promotion in 2009, and went on to compete for companies such as IMPACT Wrestling and New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Kendrick even started his own promotion, Brian Kendrick's Wrestling Pro Wrestling.
After his third WWE tenure, it was then that he made controversial comments in relation to topics such as the Illuminati, Jews and Zionists. So what comments did Kendrick say to be pulled from his AEW debut on Dynamite?
Wrestling reporter David Bixenspan tweeted out one of the things he said on Highspot's Wrestling Network titled Brian Kendrick Presents: The Kendrick Theory in 2013 below:
Brian Kendrick responded to the the cancellation of his match via Twitter
Hours after Tony Khan announced that Kendrick would no longer be competing on AEW Dynamite, he took to his personal Twitter account to apologize for his actions.
He first tweeted:
"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 followed up with:
"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."
The abhorent comments will be with him for the rest of his life. The video from Brian Kendrick Presents: The Kendrick Theory and extracts from conspiracy website Truth is Scary will always remain accessible to those who want to find them.
What's next for Brian Kendrick in the pro-wrestling world remains to be seen.
What do you think of the Brian Kendrick controversy? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.
