Michael Bennett (born May 16, 1985) is an American
professional wrestler
Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring or ...
best known under the
ring name
A ring name is a type of stage name used by an athlete such as a professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, or boxer whose real name is considered unattractive, dull, difficult to pronounce or spell, amusing for the wrong reasons, or projecting ...
Mike Bennett. He currently competes for the
National Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) is an American professional wrestling professional wrestling promotion, promotion and former professional wrestling governing body operated by its parent company Lightning One, Inc.
Founded in 1948, the NWA ...
. He is best known for his time in
Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor (ROH) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Jacksonville, Florida. The promotion was founded by Rob Feinstein on February 23, 2002, and was operated by Cary Silkin from 2004 until 2011, when the promotion was so ...
(ROH), where he is a former
ROH World Tag Team Champion
The ROH World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship contested for in the American professional wrestling promotion Ring of Honor. The championship is generally contested in professional wrestling matches, i ...
, and also competed in the
WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...
under the ring name Mike Kanellis and
Impact Wrestling
Impact Wrestling (stylized as ''IMPACT! Wrestling''), is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment.
Founded by Jeff and Jerry Jarrett in 2002, the promot ...
where he was a member of
Honor No More
Honor No More was a villainous professional wrestling stable appeared in the American promotion Impact Wrestling. The group was led by Eddie Edwards and was composed of former Ring of Honor (ROH) wrestlers.
History
On October 27, 2021, Ring ...
After a few years on the
independent circuit
In professional wrestling, the independent circuit or indie circuit is the collective noun, collective name of independent professional wrestling promotions which are smaller than major televised promotions. It is roughly analogous to a minor lea ...
, Bennett made his
Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor (ROH) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Jacksonville, Florida. The promotion was founded by Rob Feinstein on February 23, 2002, and was operated by Cary Silkin from 2004 until 2011, when the promotion was so ...
(ROH) debut in 2008; his character was named The Prodigy. With his then-girlfriend
Maria Kanellis
Mary Louis "Maria" Kanellis-Bennett (born February 25, 1982) is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler, Manager (professional wrestling), professional wrestling manager, actress, model and former singer, She is best known for h ...
, he worked as part of "
The Kingdom"
stable
A stable is a building in which livestock, especially horses, are kept. It most commonly means a building that is divided into separate stalls for individual animals and livestock. There are many different types of stables in use today; the ...
, winning the
ROH World Tag Team Championship
The ROH World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship contested for in the American professional wrestling promotion Ring of Honor. The championship is generally contested in professional wrestling matches, i ...
with
Matt Taven
Matthew Marinelli (born March 20, 1985), known by his ring name, Matt Taven, is an American professional wrestler and wrestling trainer, who currently wrestles for All Elite Wrestling.
He is best known for his work with Ring of Honor (ROH), ...
. ROH's talent-sharing agreement with
New Japan Pro-Wrestling
(NJPW) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion based in Nakano, Tokyo. Founded on January 13, 1972, by Antonio Inoki, the promotion was sold to Yuke's, who later sold it to Bushiroad in 2012. TV Asahi and Amuse, Inc. own minority shares ...
(NJPW) enabled the
tag team
Tag team wrestling is a type of professional wrestling in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. Tag teams may be made up of wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of establish ...
to make limited appearances in Japan, where they won NJPW's
IWGP Tag Team Championship
The is a professional wrestling world tag team championship owned by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. "IWGP" is the acronym of the NJPW's governing body, the . The title was introduced on December 12, 1985 at an NJPW live event. The ...
. Bennett and Taven also operate a
wrestling school
Professional wrestling has accrued a considerable amount of jargon throughout its existence. Much of it stems from the industry's origins in the days of carnivals and circuses. In the past, professional wrestlers used such terms in the presence o ...
in
West Warwick, Rhode Island
West Warwick is a town in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 31,012 at the 2020 census.
West Warwick was incorporated in 1913, making it the youngest town in the state. Prior to 1913, the town, situated on the wester ...
. Bennett left ROH in late-2015 to sign with rival promotion
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Impact Wrestling (stylized as ''IMPACT! Wrestling''), is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment.
Founded by Jeff and Jerry Jarrett in 2002, the promot ...
(TNA), where he won the
TNA X Division Championship
The Impact X Division Championship is a professional wrestling championship created and promoted by Impact Wrestling. It debuted on June 19, 2002, at the taping of then-TNA's second weekly pay-per-view (PPV) event. The current champion is Trey M ...
. In 2017, Bennett joined his wife Maria in
WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...
(whose maiden name was used as his character's surname), where held the
WWE 24/7 Championship
The WWE 24/7 Championship was a professional wrestling championship created and promoted by the American promotion WWE. It was a tertiary championship open to anyone—regardless of gender or WWE employment status—and carried the special rule ...
twice.
Early life
Michael Bennett was born on May 16, 1985, in
Carver, Massachusetts
Carver is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 11,645 at the 2020 census. It is named for John Carver, the first governor of the Plymouth Colony. The town features two popular tourist attractions: Edavil ...
. He has an older brother, an older sister, and a younger brother.
He graduated from
Carver High School in 2003 (presently, Carver Middle-High School).
Professional wrestling career
Independent circuit (2002–2017)
Bennett made his
professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring o ...
debut in 2002.
The following year, Bennett made a single appearance for the
East Coast Wrestling Association
East Coast Wrestling Association (ECWA) is an American professional wrestling promotion
A professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling that has little relationship to ...
, when he lost to Big Benny. On October 3, 2004, at the New England Wrestling Association's ''Return to Exile'' show, Bennett was part of a
battle royal
Battle royal (; also royale) traditionally refers to a fight involving many combatants that is fought until only one fighter remains standing, usually conducted under either boxing or wrestling rules. In recent times, the term has been used in a ...
in which the final two competitors would face each other for the vacant NEWA Heavyweight Championship. Bennett and Brian Rogers were the final men left, and later that night Bennett defeated Rogers to win the NEWA Heavyweight Championship.
Bennett also wrestled for Eastern Pro Wrestling (EPW). On April 27, 2007, Bennett lost to Derek Destiny. On February 29, 2008, Bennett lost to Nick Westgate. The following day, Bennett, who was accompanied by Gia Savitz, defeated Thom Kane.
On January 16, 2010, Bennett unsuccessfully challenged Nick Westagte for the EPW Television Championship. On March 5, Bennett won the 'Rhodes Island Rumble' battle royal to become the number one contender to the EPW Heavyweight Championship.
Bennett and Bryce Andrews appeared on the April 9, 2007, episode of ''
WWE Heat
''WWE Heat'' (formerly known as ''Sunday Night Heat'' and also known as ''Heat'') is an American professional wrestling television program that was produced by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and aired from August 2, 1998 to May 30, 2008. Ori ...
'', where they faced
Cryme Tyme
Cryme Tyme was an American professional wrestling tag team consisting of JTG and Shad Gaspard, best known for their tenure in WWE.
The team was an over-the-top parody of stereotypical street thugs. The tag team first disbanded in 2010, though ...
. On October 6, 2009, Bennett competed in dark match in losing effort against
Kip James
Monty Kip Sopp (born November 1, 1963), better known by his ring name Billy Gunn, although he is currently finding renewed popularity under the ring name Daddy Ass, is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to All Elite Wr ...
at the ''
TNA Impact!
''Impact!'' (stylized as ''IMPACT!''), also known as ''IMPACT! on AXS TV'',
is an American professional wrestling television program produced by the American promotion Impact Wrestling (formerly known as Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA)) tha ...
'' taping. In a match for the
Northeast Wrestling
Northeast Wrestling (NEW) is an independent professional wrestling promotion based in the Northeastern United States and has promoted events since 1996. It is currently owned and operated by promoter Mike Lombardi and is one of the top independe ...
(NEW) promotion in March 2010, Bennett was a participant in a
five-way match
Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called "concept" or "gimmick matches" in the jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick matches are more common than others and are often used to advance or conclude a ...
for the
NEW Heavyweight Championship
The NEW Heavyweight Championship is a heavyweight championship owned and promoted by Northeast Wrestling (NEW). The inaugural champion was Bam Bam Bigelow. The current champion is Traevon Jordan, who is in his first reign.
Title history
As of ...
, which was won by
Matt Taven
Matthew Marinelli (born March 20, 1985), known by his ring name, Matt Taven, is an American professional wrestler and wrestling trainer, who currently wrestles for All Elite Wrestling.
He is best known for his work with Ring of Honor (ROH), ...
.
At NEW's ''Spring Slam'' show on April 15, 2011, Bennett lost to
Matt Hardy
Matthew Moore Hardy (born September 23, 1974) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). He is best known for his time with WWE.
With his real life brother Jeff, Hardy gained notoriety in WWF's tag team d ...
. In 2010, Bennett debuted for Squared Circle Wrestling (2CW) by defeating Matt Taven on September 25. Three months later at 2CW's ''Nightmare Before Christmas'' show in December, Taven defeated Bennett in a rematch.
On September 14, 2012, Bennett made his debut for the
Chikara promotion, when he and
The Young Bucks
The Young Bucks are an American professional wrestling tag team and promoters, consisting of brothers Matthew and Nicholas Massie, who are known by their ring names Matt and Nick Jackson, respectively. They are signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW ...
(Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) entered the
2012 King of Trios tournament as Team
ROH, defeating the Faces of Pain (
The Barbarian,
Meng
Meng may refer to:
* Meng (surname) (孟), a Chinese surname
* Master of Engineering (MEng or M.Eng.), an academic or professional master's degree in the field of engineering
* , "M with hook", letter used in the International Phonetic Alphabet
* ...
and
The Warlord) in their first round match.
The following day, Team ROH advanced to the semifinals with a win over The Extreme Trio (
Jerry Lynn
Jeremy Lynn (born June 12, 1963), better known by the ring name Jerry Lynn, is an American retired professional wrestler currently signed with All Elite Wrestling as a producer and coach. He has worked for promotions such as World Championship ...
,
Tommy Dreamer
Thomas James Laughlin (born February 13, 1971), is an American professional wrestler and promoter better known by the ring name Tommy Dreamer. He is signed to Impact Wrestling and is the owner and promoter of the House of Hardcore (HOH) promo ...
and
Too Cold Scorpio
Charles Bernard Scaggs (born October 25, 1965) is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler, better known by the ring name 2 Cold Scorpio (sometimes spelled Too Cold Scorpio). He is best known for his appearances with World Champi ...
).
[ Team ROH opened the third and final day of the tournament by defeating the all-female Team Sendai Girls (]Dash Chisako
, better known by her ring name , is a Japanese professional wrestler. She was trained by Meiko Satomura and has worked for her Sendai Girls' Pro Wrestling promotion since her debut in July 2006. For the first ten years of her career, Chisako wa ...
, Meiko Satomura
Meiko Satomura (里村 明衣子, Satomura Meiko, born November 11, 1979) is a Japanese professional wrestler. She is currently signed to the American promotion WWE performing on the NXT brand and the Japanese promotion Sendai Girls' Pro Wrestlin ...
and Sendai Sachiko
is a retired Japanese professional wrestler, better known by the ring name . She was trained by Meiko Satomura and made her debut for her Sendai Girls' Pro Wrestling promotion in July 2006. Her older sister Chisako is also a professional wrestl ...
) in the semifinals.[ In the finals of the tournament, Team ROH was defeated by the Spectral Envoy ( Frightmare, ]Hallowicked
Robert Goodwin (born November 1, 1981) is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Hallowicked. He performs primarily in the Chikara professional wrestling promotion, where he started his career in May 2002. His accomplis ...
and UltraMantis Black
UltraMantis Black (born July 17, 1975) is a professional wrestler and musician, who performs primarily in the Chikara professional wrestling promotion. He is a former one-time Chikara Grand Champion and winner of the 2012 King of Trios tournamen ...
), when Bennett submitted to Hallowicked's '' Chikara Special''.
New England Championship Wrestling (2003–2005; 2009–2010)
Bennett debuted for New England Championship Wrestling
New England Championship Wrestling (NECW) is an independent professional wrestling promotion based in the Northeastern United States that has promoted events since 2000. Currently owned and operated by Sheldon Goldberg, is one of the top indepe ...
(NECW) on November 14, 2003, losing to Johnny Idol. The following March, Bennett earned his first win in NECW by defeating Bob Evans. In August 2004, Bennett began feuding with Ru Starr, trading victories with him, until Starr won the rubber match on February 12, 2005. In March, Bennett moved into a feud with Michael Sain, losing to him in two singles match that month, and again in a Stretcher match on April 16. He earned his first victory over Sain in June. He spent the next several months wrestling against competitors including Frankie Arion, Pat Masters, and Fergal Devitt
Fergal or Feargal are Irish, male given names. They are anglicized forms of the name Fearghal.Mairéad Byrne, Irish Baby Names – 25 Apr 2005
The arts
* Fergal Keane, OBE (born 1961), Irish writer and broadcaster
*Feargal Sharkey (born 1958), f ...
, before taking a four-year hiatus from NECW.
He returned at ''Spring Breakdown'' on April 18, 2009, teaming with Guy Alexander to defeat TJ Richter and Mr. Munroe. At ''NECW Tag Team Classic'' in September, Bennett and Alexander defeated Richter and Munroe in the first round of a tournament, but their match against Scott Osborne and Brandon Locke ended in a double countout
Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring o ...
, eliminating both teams from the tournament. At the NECW television tapings on January 23, 2010, Bennett defeated David Cash
David Tyler Cash (born July 31, 1969) better known by his ring name Kid Kash, is an American mixed martial artist and professional wrestler, best known for his tenures with Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ( ...
.
Top Rope Promotions (2006–2014)
Bennett debuted for Top Rope Promotions
Top Rope Promotions (formerly known as Yankee Pro Wrestling and South Coast Championship Wrestling) is a North Eastern independent professional wrestling promotion based in New Bedford, Massachusetts and is the largest promotion in the Southern N ...
(TRP) on February 17, 2006, where he defeated Stryker. On March 24, Bennett, as part of NRG, defeated Freightrain. The following month Bennett defeated Billy Warhawk. Bennett continued on a winning streak, defeating Joe Chece, Spike Dudley
Matthew Jonathan Hyson (born August 13, 1970) is an American retired professional wrestler best known for his tenure in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) as Spike Dudley. Prior to WWE, Hyson began performing as Spike Dudley in the 1990s with E ...
, D. C. Drake
Don Clyde Drake (born September 16, 1957) is an American addictions counselor, retired professional wrestler and former professional wrestling promotion, promoter. He is best known for his appearances on the Northeastern United States, northeaster ...
, and on June 23, he competed in the 2006 Kowalski Cup. He defeated Romeo Roselli
Giovanni "Johnny" Roselli (born September 23, 1980) is a professional wrestler and actor better known as Romeo Roselli. He is best known for his work with World Wrestling Entertainment, on its RAW brand, as one half of the tag team "The Heart Thr ...
and Chece en route to the final, where he defeated Slyck Wagner Brown
Wagner Brown (born September 5, 1979) is a Jamaican born professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, SWB or Slyck Wagner Brown. Brown currently wrestles on the Independent circuit in the Northeastern United States. Additionally, SWB was ...
to win the tournament. He suffered his first loss on July 1, when he was defeated by Antonio Thomas, and two weeks later he lost to Roselli. On September 1, Bennett defeated Dudley in a street fight to win the NRG Heavyweight Championship. The following night, he lost to Dudley in a steel cage match
Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called "concept" or " gimmick matches" in the jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick matches are more common than others and are often used to advance or conclude a ...
, and lost a Loser Leaves Town steel cage match to Dudley on September 29.
Despite this, Bennett returned to TRP on January 5, 2007, teaming with Bryce Andrews to defeat 'Chunky But Funky' to win the TRP Tag Team Championship. After losing to The Aldren Brothers in a non-title match in February, Bennett and Andrews won a two out of three falls match
Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called "concept" or "gimmick matches" in the jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick matches are more common than others and are often used to advance or conclude a ...
to retain the championship on April 6. The following night, they lost to The Heart Throbs
The Heart Throbs, also known as The Heartbreakers, is the name of a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Antonio Thomas and Romeo Roselli, currently wrestling on the independent circuit. Thomas and Roselli are billed as being popular "wi ...
(Antonio Thomas and Romeo Roselli) in a non-title match, and at the following show in May, Bennett lost to Roselli in a singles match. On June 9, Bennett and Andrews defeated Kristian Frost and Brutus Beefcake
Edward Harrison Leslie (born April 21, 1957) is an American retired professional wrestler, best known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) under the ring name Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake. He later worked for World Championship ...
. In July, Bennett aligned himself with Luscious Latasha, with the pair defeating Dudley and Leah Morrison in a mixed tag team match
Much like the singles match, tag team professional wrestling matches can and have taken many forms. Just about any singles or melee match type can be adapted to tag teams; for example, hardcore tag team matches are commonplace. Tag team ladder ma ...
on July 15. In April 2008, Bennett lost to Dudley in a street fight. On May 30, Bennett lost to Andrews in a First Blood match
Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called "concept" or "gimmick matches" in the jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick matches are more common than others and are often used to advance or conclude a ...
. He continued competing in TRP for the remainder of the year, wrestling against Dudley, Brian Fury, Bushwhacker Luke
Brian Wickens (born 8 January 1947) is a New Zealand professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances in the World Wrestling Federation under the ring name Bushwhacker Luke, where he teamed with Bushwhacker Butch as The Bushwhackers. ...
, and Jason Blade. He formed a semi-regular tag team with Ryan Waters in January 2009, and the pair lost to the reigning TRP Tag Team Championship, The Alden Brothers on January 9.
On March 20, Bennett faced Stevie Richards
Michael Stephen Manna (born October 9, 1971), better known by his ring name Stevie Richards, is an American professional wrestler. Over the course of his career, Richards has performed for major professional wrestling promotions including Easte ...
in a match for the vacant
Within the context of building construction and building codes, "occupancy" refers to the use, or intended use, of a building, or portion of a building, for the shelter or support of persons, animals or property. A closely related meaning is th ...
TRP Heavyweight Championship
Top Rope Promotions (formerly known as Yankee Pro Wrestling and South Coast Championship Wrestling) is a North Eastern independent professional wrestling promotion based in New Bedford, Massachusetts and is the largest promotion in the Southern Ne ...
, but was unsuccessful. On April 4, however, Bennett defeated Richards to win the TRP Heavyweight Championship for the first time. He successfully defended the championship against Jimmy Preston on July 12, Isys Ephex on September 18, and Ken Anderson on November 8. On January 1, 2010, Bennett defeated Kenny Dykstra
Kenneth George Doane (born March 16, 1986) is an American retired professional wrestler signed to WWE as a producer and as a trainer at the WWE Performance Center. During his past time in WWE, he was known as Kenny Dykstra and Kenny as a member ...
to retain his TRP Heavyweight Championship, and retained it again against Colin Delaney
Colin Matthew Delaney (born September 7, 1986) is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time with WWE on its ECW brand, All Elite Wrestling (AEW), and has performed extensively on the independent circuit for promotio ...
on February 5, and against J. Freddie in a No Disqualification match
Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called "concept" or "gimmick matches" in the jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick matches are more common than others and are often used to advance or conclude a ...
on February 21. On April 9, at ''The Anniversary'', the TRP Heavyweight Championship was vacated
A vacated judgment (also known as vacatur relief) makes a previous legal judgment legally void. A vacated judgment is usually the result of the judgment of an appellate court, which overturns, reverses, or sets aside the judgment of a lower court. ...
when a match between Bennett and Freddie ended in a no contest
' is a legal term that comes from the Latin phrase for "I do not wish to contend". It is also referred to as a plea of no contest or no defense.
In criminal trials in certain United States jurisdictions, it is a plea where the defendant neith ...
. The following month, Freddie defeated Bennett in a Last Man Standing match
Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called "concept" or " gimmick matches" in the jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick matches are more common than others and are often used to advance or conclude a ...
.
At the 2010 Kowalski Cup Tournament, Bennett defeated TRP Interstate Champion Guy Alexander in a non-title match, provoking a feud between the two. In November, Bennett defeated Alexander in a strap match, with Ox Baker
Douglas Albert Baker Sr. (April 19, 1934 – October 20, 2014) was an American professional wrestler and actor, better known professionally as Ox Baker. He was famous for his distinctive eyebrows and finishing move, the Heart Punch, sometimes c ...
as the guest enforcer. At ''Spindle City Rumble'' in December, Bennett defeated Alexander by count-out, and so did not win the championship. On January 1, 2011, Bennett lost to Alexander in a steel cage match for the Interstate Championship. On February 19, Bennett debuted "Brutal" Bob Evans as his manager
Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business.
Management includes the activities o ...
in TRP, and went on to defeat Frankie Arion.
Ring of Honor (2008–2015)
Bennett made his Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor (ROH) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Jacksonville, Florida. The promotion was founded by Rob Feinstein on February 23, 2002, and was operated by Cary Silkin from 2004 until 2011, when the promotion was so ...
(ROH) debut in 2008. In his first match he lost to Daniel Puder
Daniel Puder (born October 9, 1981) is an American retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist.
As a mixed martial artist, Puder trained at the American Kickboxing Academy, in San Jose, California. He is undefeated in MMA competitio ...
at ''Proving Ground'' in Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, on January 11. His next appearance came three months later at ''Bedlam In Beantown'' in March, when he lost to Jason Blade. After attending a tryout camp in March 2010, which he heard about through announcer Kevin Kelly, Bennett appeared at the ''Ring of Honor Wrestling
''Ring of Honor Wrestling'', often shortened as ''ROH Wrestling TV'' or ''ROH TV'', is an American professional wrestling television series produced by Ring of Honor (ROH). The series featured professional wrestlers competing in matches and condu ...
'' television tapings in July and August. Bennett signed a one-year contract with ROH in August 2010. In his next appearance he lost to Roderick Strong
Christopher Lindsey (born July 26, 1983), better known by his name Roderick Strong, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the NXT brand, as the leader of Diamond Mine, but is currently inactive due to ...
on September 10, but earned his first ROH victory at ''Tag Title Classic II'' on December 17, when he defeated Colt Cabana.
Video packages about Bennett began airing on ROH's television program, ''Ring of Honor Wrestling'' in November 2010, promoting his television debut. On the December 6 episode of ''Ring of Honor Wrestling'', Bennett and his manager "Brutal" Bob Evans appeared in the crowd to watch a match between the ROH World Television Champion
The ROH World Television Championship is a professional wrestling world television championship in the Ring of Honor (ROH) promotion. With the introduction of the ROH World Television Championship, the television type championship returned to na ...
Eddie Edwards and Christopher Daniels
Daniel Christopher Covell (born March 24, 1970), better known by the ring name Christopher Daniels, is an American semi-retired professional wrestler. He is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and is the Head of Talent Relations. He is best kno ...
. Bennett made his in-ring television debut when he defeated Nick Dinsmore
Nicholas David Dinsmore (born December 17, 1975), better known by his ring name Eugene, is an American professional wrestler.
Dinsmore's career began in 1996 in Ohio Valley Wrestling, where he would become the OVW Heavyweight Champion a record ...
on the January 10, 2010, episode. During the February and March episodes of ''Ring of Honor Wrestling'', Bennett took part in the " Top Prospect Tournament". He defeated Adam Cole
Austin Kirk Jenkins (born July 5, 1989) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he performs under the ring name Adam Cole. He is also known for his tenures with WWE and Ring of Honor (ROH).
Col ...
in the first round, Andy Ridge in the semi-finals, and Kyle O'Reilly
Kyle Edward Greenwood (born March 1, 1987) is a Canadian professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) where he performs under the ring name Kyle O'Reilly. He is also known for his time in Ring of Honor (ROH) from 2009 to 20 ...
in the final. Following each match in the tournament, Bennett was congratulated and given advice by Steve Corino
Steven Eugene "Steve" Corino (born May 29, 1973) is a Canadian semi-retired professional wrestler currently signed with WWE as a trainer and producer for their developmental territory NXT. He is best known for his tenure with Extreme Championship ...
, but Bennett rejected it and mocked Corino, provoking a feud
A feud , referred to in more extreme cases as a blood feud, vendetta, faida, clan war, gang war, or private war, is a long-running argument or fight, often between social groups of people, especially families or clans. Feuds begin because one part ...
between the two men. At the 9th Anniversary Show pay-per-view
Pay-per-view (PPV) is a type of pay television or webcast service that enables a viewer to pay to watch individual events via private telecast.
Events can be purchased through a multichannel television platform using their electronic program guid ...
, Bennett pinned Corino to win a four-corner survival match, also involving Kyle O'Reilly and Grizzly Redwood. As a result of his victory in the 'Top Prospect Tournament', Bennett earned a match for the ROH World Television Championship against Christopher Daniels at ''Defy or Deny'' on March 18. Bennett and Evans had a verbal confrontation with Corino at the start of the show, and Corino prevented Evans from helping Bennett during his ROH World Television Championship match, which Bennett went on to lose. In a singles match between the two at ''Manhattan Mayhem IV'', Bennett defeated Corino and attacked him following the match with the aid of Evans. In a rematch at ''Revolution: Canada'' in early May, Bennett again prevailed with Evans' help.
Bennett received another shot at the ROH World Television Championship on October 1, but the title match with Jay Lethal
Jamar Shipman (born April 29, 1985), better known by the ring name Jay Lethal, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW).
Dubbed "The Franchise" of Ring of Honor, Lethal is a two-time ROH World Champion, ...
ended in a fifteen-minute time limit draw. Shortly after this, he began an angle where he proclaimed that he had already won the match and proclaimed himself to be the true champion. Bennett challenged for the World Television Championship again at Final Battle 2011
Final Battle 2011 was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by Ring of Honor (ROH). It took place on December 23, 2011 at the Manhattan Center in New York City. It was the tenth annual event in the Final Battle chronology, w ...
in a three-way elimination match
Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called "concept" or " gimmick matches" in the jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick matches are more common than others and are often used to advance or conclude a ...
against Lethal and El Generico
Rami Sebei ( ar, رامي سبعي; born July 12, 1984) is a Canadian professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Sami Zayn, and is a member of The Bloodline.
Prior to joi ...
. Bennett was accompanied by his real-life girlfriend Maria Kanellis
Mary Louis "Maria" Kanellis-Bennett (born February 25, 1982) is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler, Manager (professional wrestling), professional wrestling manager, actress, model and former singer, She is best known for h ...
for the match, in which he was the final man eliminated, allowing Lethal to retain the championship. At the January 7, 2012, tapings of ''Ring of Honor Wrestling'', Bennett unsuccessfully challenged Lethal for the World Television Championship in a No Time Limit match. Bennett then started feuding with Lance Storm, with Bennett winning their initial singles match at Showdown in the Sun
Showdown in the Sun was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by Ring of Honor (ROH) that took place over two consecutive days: Friday, March 30 and Saturday, March 31, 2012 at the War Memorial Auditorium in Fort Lauderdal ...
, and Storm winning the rematch at Border Wars. At the June 29 tapings of ''Ring of Honor Wrestling'', Bennett defeated Storm in the final match of their trilogy.
At the June 21 tapings of ''Ring of Honor Wrestling'', Bennett teamed up with Brutal Bob in a tag team match, where they were defeated by Adam Cole and Eddie Edwards. Afterwards Bennett, Bob, and Kanellis attacked Cole and Edwards, before being chased away by the returning Sara Del Rey
Sara Ann Amato (born November 13, 1980) is an American professional wrestling trainer and retired professional wrestler, best known by her ring name Sara Del Rey. She was a mainstay for Chikara and Shimmer, but also appeared for many other ind ...
. At the following internet pay-per-view, Boiling Point
The boiling point of a substance is the temperature at which the vapor pressure of a liquid equals the pressure surrounding the liquid and the liquid changes into a vapor.
The boiling point of a liquid varies depending upon the surrounding envir ...
on August 11, Bennett and Kanellis were defeated in an intergender tag team match by Edwards and Del Rey, when Bennett submitted to Edwards. On December 16 at Final Battle 2012: Doomsday, Bennett defeated Jerry Lynn in his final ROH match before retirement.
At the June 23, 2013, tapings of ''Ring of Honor Wrestling'', Bennett teased leaving ROH, before turning on Evans and announcing that "The Prodigy is dead". On July 11, Bennett, now working as "Michael Bennett", was announced as a participant in the upcoming ROH World Championship
The ROH World Championship is a professional wrestling world championship created and promoted by Ring of Honor (ROH). It is considered the most prestigious title in the promotion. The current champion is Claudio Castagnoli, who is in his second ...
tournament. On August 3, it was reported that Bennett that re-signed a long-term deal with ROH, after failing to come to terms with WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...
. That same night, Bennett's first round ROH World Championship tournament match ended without a winner, when his opponent B. J. Whitmer
Benjamin Whitmer (born January 25, 1978), better known by the ring name B. J. Whitmer, is an American professional wrestler, producer, trainer, and color commentator. He is currently signed with All Elite Wrestling (AEW) as a producer. He is bes ...
was legitimately injured after a piledriver on the ring apron. ROH later awarded the win to Bennett, giving him a spot in the quarterfinals of the tournament. On August 17, Bennett was eliminated from the tournament by Tommaso Ciampa
Tommaso Whitney (born May 8, 1985) is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Tommaso Ciampa.
Whitney began his career in 2005, working on several independent ...
. The following month, Bennett started a feud with Kevin Steen
Kevin Steen (born May 7, 1984) is a Canadian professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Kevin Owens.
Steen began his career in 2000, at the age of 16. Prior to joining WWE in lat ...
over who had the more dangerous piledriver. The two faced off on October 26 at Glory By Honor XII, where Bennett was victorious, following a distraction from Kanellis. On December 14 at Final Battle 2013
Final Battle 2013 was the 12th Final Battle professional wrestling event produced by Ring of Honor (ROH), which occurred on December 14, 2013 at the Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan, New York.
Background
''Final Battle 2013'' featured eight pr ...
, Bennett was defeated by Steen in a Stretcher match and, as a result, could no longer use the piledriver in ROH.
Bennett and Maria aligned themselves with the ROH World Champion Adam Cole, and Matt Hardy, as The Kingdom. Throughout the summer, Maria and Bennett would get involved in Matt Hardy
Matthew Moore Hardy (born September 23, 1974) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). He is best known for his time with WWE.
With his real life brother Jeff, Hardy gained notoriety in WWF's tag team d ...
's feud with The Briscoes
The Briscoe Brothers are an American professional wrestling tag team consisting of brothers Jay Briscoe (Jamin "Jay" Pugh) and Mark Briscoe (Mark Pugh). They are known for their 19-year tenure with the American promotion Ring of Honor (ROH). an ...
(Mark and Jay, the former ROH World Champion Jay Briscoe, who was stripped from the title and used a custom belt as the Real World Championship), which would result a tag team match at the '' Best in the World'' pay-per-view on June 22, which Hardy and Bennett would lose despite Maria's interference. On September 18, 2015, at All Star Extravaganza VII
All Star Extravaganza VII was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Ring of Honor (ROH). It took place on September 18, 2015 at San Antonio Shrine Auditorium in San Antonio, Texas. It was the seventh event under the All Star Extra ...
, Bennett and Taven won the ROH World Tag Team Championship
The ROH World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship contested for in the American professional wrestling promotion Ring of Honor. The championship is generally contested in professional wrestling matches, i ...
by defeating The Addiction
''The Addiction'' is a 1995 American vampire horror film directed by Abel Ferrara, starring Lili Taylor, Christopher Walken and Annabella Sciorra. Edie Falco and Kathryn Erbe appear in supporting roles. The film was written by Ferrara's frequ ...
(Christopher Daniels and Frankie Kazarian
Frank Benedict Gerdelman (born August 4, 1977) is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler and musician currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), performing under the ring name Frankie Kazarian. In addition, Kazarian also pe ...
) and The Young Bucks
The Young Bucks are an American professional wrestling tag team and promoters, consisting of brothers Matthew and Nicholas Massie, who are known by their ring names Matt and Nick Jackson, respectively. They are signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW ...
(Matt and Nick Jackson) in a three-way match. They lost the title to War Machine (Hanson
Hanson or Hansson may refer to:
People
* Hanson (surname)
* Hansson (surname)
* Hanson (wrestler), ringname of an American professional wrestler
Musical groups
* Hanson (band), an American pop rock band
* Hanson (UK band), an English rock ...
and Ray Rowe) on December 18 at Final Battle
Final Battle is a professional wrestling event, held annually by the Ring of Honor promotion. The event was initially held in 2002, and is traditionally ROH's last show in the calendar year. The 2009 edition of the show was ROH's first internet ...
. Bennett and Kanellis left ROH after the following day's ''Ring of Honor Wrestling'' taping, after failing to come to terms on a new contract with the promotion.
New Japan Pro-Wrestling (2014–2015)
In May 2014, Bennett took part in a tour co-produced by ROH and New Japan Pro-Wrestling
(NJPW) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion based in Nakano, Tokyo. Founded on January 13, 1972, by Antonio Inoki, the promotion was sold to Yuke's, who later sold it to Bushiroad in 2012. TV Asahi and Amuse, Inc. own minority shares ...
(NJPW). On May 17 at War of the Worlds
''The War of the Worlds'' is a science fiction novel by English author H. G. Wells, first serialised in 1897 by '' Pearson's Magazine'' in the UK and by ''Cosmopolitan'' magazine in the US. The novel's first appearance in hardcover was i ...
, Bennett was defeated by one of NJPW's top wrestlers, Hiroshi Tanahashi
is a Japanese professional wrestler. He works primarily for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).
Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, his accolades in NJPW include a record setting eight reigns as IWGP Heavywei ...
, in an interpromotional match. Through ROH's relationship with NJPW, Bennett made an appearance for the Japanese promotion on August 10 in Tokorozawa, Saitama
is a city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 344,194 in 163,675 households and a population density of 4800 persons per km². The total area of the city is .
Geography
Tokorozawa is located in the ce ...
, teaming with Adam Cole to defeat Captain New Japan
is a Japanese former professional wrestler. He is best known for his two stints with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and a brief stint with World Wrestling Council (WWC).
Hirasawa wrestled as a fall guy, under the mask superhero, .[Jyushin Thunder Liger
, better known as and later , is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist, currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He is the longest-tenured member of the NJPW roster, having wrestled for the company since h ...]
in a tag team match.
From November 23 to December 5, Bennett and Matt Taven
Matthew Marinelli (born March 20, 1985), known by his ring name, Matt Taven, is an American professional wrestler and wrestling trainer, who currently wrestles for All Elite Wrestling.
He is best known for his work with Ring of Honor (ROH), ...
represented ROH and The Kingdom in NJPW's 2014 World Tag League. The team finished their round-robin block with a record of four wins and three losses, failing to advance to the finals.
Bennett and Taven returned to NJPW on April 5, 2015, at Invasion Attack 2015
Invasion Attack 2015 was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on April 5, 2015, in Tokyo at Ryōgoku Kokugikan and featured nine matches, four of which were contested f ...
, where they defeated Bullet Club
(stylised as BULLET CLUB), sometimes shortened to BC, is a professional wrestling stable primarily appearing in the Japanese promotion New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). In the United States, the group currently appears on NJPW events run by the c ...
(Doc Gallows
Andrew William Hankinson (born December 22, 1983) is an American professional wrestler, who is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Luke Gallows.
Hankinson began his career in 2005 and participated i ...
and Karl Anderson
Chad Allegra (born January 20, 1980), better known by the ring name Karl Anderson, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE where he performs on the Raw brand. He also makes appearances for New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), whe ...
) to win the IWGP Tag Team Championship
The is a professional wrestling world tag team championship owned by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. "IWGP" is the acronym of the NJPW's governing body, the . The title was introduced on December 12, 1985 at an NJPW live event. The ...
. On July 5 at Dominion 7.5 in Osaka-jo Hall
Dominion 7.5 in Osaka-jo Hall was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on July 5, 2015, in Osaka, Osaka Prefecture, Osaka, at the Osaka-jō Hall. The event featured ten m ...
, The Kingdom lost the IWGP Tag Team Championship back to Bullet Club in their first defense. Bennett and Taven returned to NJPW in November to take part in the 2015 World Tag League, where they finished with a record of two wins and four losses, failing to advance from their block.
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2016–2017)
On the January 5, 2016 episode of ''Impact Wrestling
Impact Wrestling (stylized as ''IMPACT! Wrestling''), is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment.
Founded by Jeff and Jerry Jarrett in 2002, the promot ...
'', Bennett made his Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Impact Wrestling (stylized as ''IMPACT! Wrestling''), is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment.
Founded by Jeff and Jerry Jarrett in 2002, the promot ...
(TNA) debut with his wife Maria
Maria may refer to:
People
* Mary, mother of Jesus
* Maria (given name), a popular given name in many languages
Place names Extraterrestrial
* 170 Maria, a Main belt S-type asteroid discovered in 1877
* Lunar maria (plural of ''mare''), large, ...
. He stated that he is "professional wrestling's Jesus
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...
". Three days later, at One Night Only: Live, Bennett made his in-ring debut, defeating Robbie E
Robert Strauss (born October 1, 1983) is an American professional wrestler and manager. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the NXT brand as a manager under the ring name Mr. Stone. He is best known for his time in Total Nonstop A ...
. Bennett challenged Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle (born December 9, 1968) is an American retired professional wrestler, Wrestling at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Men's freestyle 100 kg, Olympic gold medalist in American freestyle wrestling, and former Collegiate wrestling, ...
on the Maximum Impact Tour; however, Angle said he does not wrestle anyone he does not respect, this caused Bennett to have a short feud with Drew Galloway
Andrew McLean Galloway IV (born 6 June 1985) is a Scottish professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Drew McIntyre.
McIntyre is a two-time WWE Champion, one-time WWE In ...
, who Angle had respect for. His feud against Galloway culminated on the March 1 episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', where Bennett defeated Galloway. The feud ended on the March 15 episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', when Bennett and Maria defeated Galloway and Gail Kim
Gail Kim-Irvine (born February 20, 1977) is a Canadian-American retired professional wrestler, currently signed to Impact Wrestling, where she serves as a producer. In Impact Wrestling she was the inaugural and record setting seven-time Knockou ...
. He started a feud against Ethan Carter III
Michael Hutter (born March 18, 1983) is an American professional wrestler and promoter better known by the ring name Ethan Carter III (or simply EC3). EC3 is a co-founder of Control Your Narrative. He also performs on the independent circuit. He ...
, during the April 12 episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', he had a match against him, which ended in a disqualification, when Carter attacked Bennett with a chair. On the April 26 episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', Bennett defeated Carter, ended his unpinned streak. On June 12, at Slammiversary
Slammiversary is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the American promotion Impact Wrestling. It is one of Impact's “Big Four” PPV events (along with Hard to Kill, Rebellion, and Bound for Glory), and celebrates ...
, Bennett was defeated by Carter in their rematch. On the June 21 episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', Bennett defeated Eddie Edwards to win the TNA X Division Championship
The Impact X Division Championship is a professional wrestling championship created and promoted by Impact Wrestling. It debuted on June 19, 2002, at the taping of then-TNA's second weekly pay-per-view (PPV) event. The current champion is Trey M ...
. The following week, Bennett successfully retained his title against Braxton Sutter
Jesse Guilmette (born June 3, 1980) is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) under the ring name The Blade. He is best known for his tag team work with The Butcher under the name The Butcher and the Bl ...
after he won a battle royal to earn his title shot. On the July 5 episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', Bennett dropped the X Division Championship back to Eddie Edwards in an Ultimate X match
The Ultimate X match is a type of professional wrestling match created by Impact Wrestling (formerly Total Nonstop Action Wrestling aka TNA), mainly used in their X Division. It is considered the signature match of the X Division.
Match format
...
.
At Destination X
Destination X is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event held by Impact Wrestling currently in the month of August. The event primarily revolves around the X-Division, the 2005, 2006, 2009, and 2010 events had Ultimate X matches.
It w ...
, he interrupted the main event by attacking Eddie Edwards and Lashley, with the help of debuting Moose
The moose (in North America) or elk (in Eurasia) (''Alces alces'') is a member of the New World deer subfamily and is the only species in the genus ''Alces''. It is the largest and heaviest extant species in the deer family. Most adult mal ...
. On the July 21 episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', Bennett enter the Bound for Glory Playoff to challenge for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship
The Impact World Championship is a professional wrestling world championship created and promoted by Impact Wrestling. It is the promotion's principal championship. Like most professional wrestling championships, the title is won via the result o ...
at Bound for Glory, defeating Jeff Hardy
Jeffrey Nero Hardy (born August 31, 1977) is an American professional wrestler and musician. He is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Hardy is widely considered one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all-time and is regarded ...
in the first round and Drew Galloway in the semi-final, but lost the final round against Ethan Carter III. On the August 25 episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', Bennett won a battle royal
Battle royal (; also royale) traditionally refers to a fight involving many combatants that is fought until only one fighter remains standing, usually conducted under either boxing or wrestling rules. In recent times, the term has been used in a ...
by eliminating Eddie Edwards and Moose to earn a title match against Lashley for the World Heavyweight Championship. The following week on ''Impact Wrestling'', he lost the match, when Moose refused to help him. After the match, Bennett yelled at Moose, calling him "a failed football player", just before Moose attacked him. On October 2, at Bound for Glory, Bennett was defeated by Moose. Later that night, Bennett and Maria had a confrontation against the debuting Cody
Cody may refer to:
People
*Cody (given name)
*Cody (surname)
* Cody (wrestler), a ring name of Cody Runnels
Places Canada
* Cody, British Columbia
United States
* Cody, Florida
* Cody (Duluth), Minnesota
* Cody, Missouri
* Cody, Nebraska
*Cody, ...
and his wife Brandi Rhodes
Brandi Alexis Runnels ( née Reed; born June 23, 1983), known professionally as Brandi Rhodes, is an American professional wrestler, ring announcer, model, businesswoman and television personality. She is known for her time as the former Chief ...
. On the October 27 episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', Bennett and Maria were defeated by Cody and Brandi Rhodes, thus ending the feud. On the November 10 episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', Bennett defeated Moose to participate in a four-way match against Ethan Carter III, Lashley and Trevor Lee :not to be confused with actress Camryn Grimes who voices Mrs. Claus in Mickey Saves Christmas
Trevor Lee Caddell (born September 30, 1993) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the NXT brand under the ...
to determine the number one contender to the World Heavyweight Championship, which was won by Carter the following week. On the January 5, 2017 episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', Bennett was defeated by Moose and failed to win the Impact Grand Championship
The Impact Grand Championship was a professional wrestling championship owned by Impact Wrestling.
History
The title was introduced at the August 13, 2016, tapings of TNA's television program '' Impact Wrestling'', after then-TNA President Bil ...
. After the match, Bennett challenged Moose for a rematch at One Night Only: Live, which was won again by Moose. At Joker's Wild 2017, Bennett and Braxton Sutter
Jesse Guilmette (born June 3, 1980) is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) under the ring name The Blade. He is best known for his tag team work with The Butcher under the name The Butcher and the Bl ...
defeated Tyrus and Crazzy Steve
Steven Scott (born March 4, 1984) is a Canadian professional wrestler, currently signed with Impact Wrestling, under the ring name Crazzy Steve, where he is a former Impact World Tag Team Champion. He also wrestles on the independent circuit fo ...
later that night Bennett competed in the 14-person intergender Joker's Wild gauntlet battle royal which was won by Moose. After being convinced by Kevin Owens
Kevin Steen (born May 7, 1984) is a Canadian professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Kevin Owens.
Steen began his career in 2000, at the age of 16. Prior to joining WWE in l ...
, the couple didn't re-sign with TNA and, on March 1, they left the promotion.
WWE (2017–2020)
On April 18, 2017, Bennett was reported to have signed with WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...
. On June 18, at the Money in the Bank, now billed as Mike Kanellis, he made his debut alongside his wife, Maria Kanellis. Over the following weeks, the Kanellis couple would be unintentionally interrupted by Sami Zayn
Rami Sebei ( ar, رامي سبعي; born July 12, 1984) is a Canadian professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Sami Zayn, and is a member of The Bloodline.
Prior to join ...
, leading the Kanellis couple to demand an apology on the July 11 episode, but Zayn refused. This prompted Maria to slap Zayn, and Mike to attack Zayn with a vase, establishing both as villains
A villain (also known as a "black hat" or "bad guy"; the feminine form is villainess) is a stock character, whether based on a historical narrative or one of literary fiction. ''Random House Unabridged Dictionary'' defines such a character a ...
and beginning a feud with Zayn. On the July 18 episode of ''SmackDown
''WWE SmackDown'', also known as ''Friday Night SmackDown'' or simply ''SmackDown'', is an American professional wrestling television program produced by WWE that as of currently airs live every Friday at 8 p.m. ET on Fox. Fox Deportes simulc ...
'', Kanellis defeated Zayn in his WWE debut match, after interference from Maria. A rematch was subsequently scheduled for Battleground, which Zayn won. In total, he only wrestled four times on ''SmackDown'' due to going to rehab shortly after joining WWE and Maria getting pregnant around the same time.
On April 16, 2018, Kanellis was moved to the Raw
Raw is an adjective usually describing:
* Raw materials, basic materials from which products are manufactured or made
* Raw food, uncooked food
Raw or RAW may also refer to:
Computing and electronics
* .RAW, a proprietary mass spectrometry dat ...
brand
A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's good or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create an ...
as part of the Superstar Shake-up. At the Greatest Royal Rumble
WWE Greatest Royal Rumble was a professional wrestling pay-per-view and livestreaming event produced by WWE. It was held for wrestlers from the promotion's Raw, SmackDown, and 205 Live brand divisions. The event took place on April 27, 2018, a ...
on April 28, Kanellis competed in the 50-man Royal Rumble match
The Royal Rumble match is a professional wrestling match based on the classic Battle Royal match in which a number of wrestlers (traditionally 30) aim at eliminating their competitors by tossing them over the top rope, with both feet touching the ...
, but was quickly eliminated by Mark Henry
Mark Jerrold Henry (born June 12, 1971) is an American former powerlifter, Olympic weightlifter, strongman, and professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) as a commentator/analyst, coach, and talent scout. He is b ...
after only three seconds. During his time on Raw, he did not win a match on their weekly show.
On the October 10 episode of '' 205 Live'', Kanellis, alongside Maria, made his debut for the brand
A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's good or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create an ...
, attacking Lince Dorado
José Cordero (born May 11, 1987) is an American professional wrestler of Puerto Rican descent currently signed to Major League Wrestling, where he competes under the ring name Lince Dorado (Spanish for Golden Lynx), and is the current MLW Midd ...
. On the October 24 episode of ''205 Live'', he defeated Dorado in his debut match on the brand. Bennett would then join forces with TJP against Lucha House Party (Lince Dorado, Kalisto and Gran Metalik
Máscara Dorada (born August 24, 1988) is the ring name of a Mexican '' luchador'' '' enmascarado'' (masked professional wrestler) currently working for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL). He is best known for his time in WWE where he perfo ...
), with the feud ended on the December 4 episode of ''205 Live'', Bennett and TJP were defeated by Lucha House Party in a tornado tag team match. On the January 9, 2019 episode of ''205 Live'', Kanellis and Maria complained to the general manager Drake Maverick
James Michael Curtin (born 30 January 1983) is an English former professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE as a writer on Raw. During his time as an on screen performer in the company, he worked under the ring name Drake Maverick. He ...
about how they had not been on the show for five weeks and that the new roster members that came to the brand would have to go through Kanellis first.
On January 16, Ryan Satin
Ryan Satin is an American pop culture and professional wrestling journalist. He was a producer for TMZ and founded Pro Wrestling Sheet which reports on professional wrestling and mixed martial arts. He has since left the site and now works for Fox ...
of Pro Wrestling Sheet
Pro is an abbreviation meaning "professional".
Pro, PRO or variants thereof may also refer to:
People
* Miguel Pro (1891–1927), Mexican priest
* Pro Hart (1928–2006), Australian painter
* Mlungisi Mdluli (born 1980), South African retired ...
reported that the Kanellis couple had asked WWE to release them from their contracts, and sources mentioned that the two have "been unhappy with the way they've been used in WWE for awhile." Maria would go on to deny that she asked for her release. Mike Johnson of Pro Wrestling Insider reported that they were not backstage at the following episode of ''205 Live''. They would not appear until the January 29 episode of ''205 Live'', where Kanellis would lose to Kalisto. On the March 19 episode of ''205 Live'', Kanellis defeated Akira Tozawa
Akira Tozawa (戸澤 陽, ''Tozawa Akira'', born July 22, 1985) is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand. He is a former WWE Cruiserweight Champion and WWE 24/7 Champion, winning the ...
after a distraction from Maria, ending his losing streak. Kanellis went on to feud with Tozawa over the following weeks, culminating in a no disqualification match, won by Tozawa. In June, it was reported that the Kanellis couple signed multi-year extensions with WWE. A few weeks later, the Kanellis couple started appearing on ''Raw'', with a storyline began where Maria announced her pregnancy, but she would start berating Kanellis, saying he was not the father, always insulting him, and accusing of not being a man. During the storyline, Kanellis won the WWE 24/7 Championship
The WWE 24/7 Championship was a professional wrestling championship created and promoted by the American promotion WWE. It was a tertiary championship open to anyone—regardless of gender or WWE employment status—and carried the special rule ...
, his first-ever title in the company, but Maria ordered him later in the show to lay on his back and let the referee count to three as she became the 24/7 Champion. Kanellis won the title for a second time, after hugging and pinning Maria on her OB-GYN
Obstetrics and Gynaecology (also spelled as Obstetrics and Gynecology; abbreviated as Obs and Gynae, O&G, OB-GYN and OB/GYN) is the medical specialty that encompasses the two subspecialties of obstetrics (covering pregnancy, childbirth, and ...
's bed, but lost the title to R-Truth
Ronnie Aaron Killings (born January 19, 1972) is an American professional wrestler and rapper. He is currently signed to WWE, performing on the Raw brand under the ring name R-Truth.
Killings worked for World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WW ...
moments later, as he pinned Kanellis in the OB-GYN's waiting room, disguised as a woman.
On October 14, four months after he signed a multi-year contract with WWE, he requested his release from WWE. Kanellis returned from hiatus on the February 14, 2020 episode of ''205 Live'', teaming with Tony Nese
Anthony Nese (born August 6, 1985) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling. He is best known for his time in WWE, where he is a former one-time WWE Cruiserweight Champion.
Professional wrestling career
Ind ...
to defeat Ariya Daivari
Ariya Daivari ( fa, آریا داوری; born April 11, 1989) is an Iranian-American professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) under the ring name Ari Daivari. He is best known for his time in WWE, Ring of Honor (ROH) ...
and The Brian Kendrick
Brian David Kendrick (born May 29, 1979) is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time in WWE. Kendrick is also known for his appearances with Ring of Honor (ROH), Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), New Japan Pro-Wrestl ...
.
On April 15, 2020, both Mike and Maria Kanellis were released by WWE along with several other superstars because of measures implemented by WWE due to the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
.
Return to Independent circuit (2020)
After leaving WWE, Bennett used his real name in the independent circuit. On September 15, 2020, he faced Nick Aldis
Nicholas Aldis (born 6 November 1986) is an English professional wrestler best known for his time in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). He is also known for his time in Impact Wrestling under the ring name Magnus.
Aldis made his debut on t ...
for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship
The NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship is a world heavyweight professional wrestling championship owned and promoted by the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), an American professional wrestling promotion. The current champion is Tyrus, who is in ...
''United Wrestling Network
The United Wrestling Network (UWN) is a governing body for professional wrestling promotions in the United States of America that was formed in 2013.
History
On October 21, 2013, David Marquez, promoter of Championship Wrestling from Hollywood ...
Prime Time LIVE!'' pay-per-view, which he lost.
Return to Ring of Honor (2020–2021)
On November 21, 2020, Bennett made an appearance on Ring of Honor Wrestling television helping his former Kingdom partner Matt Taven fight off Vinny Marseglia and Bateman. On October 27, 2021, he was released by ROH among other wrestlers due to the company going on hiatus.
Return to Impact Wrestling (2022)
At Hard To Kill
''Hard to Kill'' is a 1990 American action thriller film directed by Bruce Malmuth, starring Steven Seagal, Kelly LeBrock, William Sadler and Frederick Coffin. Seagal's second film after '' Above the Law'', it features him as Mason Storm, a d ...
, on January 8, 2022, Bennett made his return to TNA, now known as Impact Wrestling
Impact Wrestling (stylized as ''IMPACT! Wrestling''), is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment.
Founded by Jeff and Jerry Jarrett in 2002, the promot ...
, appeared along with Maria, Matt Taven, PCO, and Vincent
Vincent ( la, Vincentius) is a male given name derived from the Roman name Vincentius, which is derived from the Latin word (''to conquer'').
People with the given name Artists
*Vincent Apap (1909–2003), Maltese sculptor
*Vincent van Gogh ...
, attacking Eddie Edwards, Rich Swann
Richard Allen Swann (born February 15, 1991) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to Impact Wrestling. He is a former Impact World Champion, TNA World Heavyweight Champion, Impact X Division Champion and Impact Digital Media Cha ...
, Willie Mack
Willie McClinton Jr. (born January 5, 1987) is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Willie Mack, currently appearing in Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide. He is best known for his tenure with Impact Wrestling, where he is a ...
, Heath and Rhino
Heath and Rhino are an American professional wrestling tag team currently signed to Impact Wrestling where they are former one-time Impact World Tag Team Champions.
As a team, they are best known for their time in WWE, where they originally ...
. On September 1, 2022 episode of '' Impact!'', they defeated The Good Brothers
The Good Brothers are a Canadian country, bluegrass and folk music group originating from Richmond Hill, Ontario. The band's core members are Brian Good (guitar), his twin brother Bruce Good (autoharp) and younger brother Larry Good (banjo).
B ...
(Doc Gallows
Andrew William Hankinson (born December 22, 1983) is an American professional wrestler, who is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Luke Gallows.
Hankinson began his career in 2005 and participated i ...
and Karl Anderson
Chad Allegra (born January 20, 1980), better known by the ring name Karl Anderson, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE where he performs on the Raw brand. He also makes appearances for New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), whe ...
) to capture the Impact World Tag Team Championship for a first time. They would lose the titles on the October 20, 2022 addition of ''Impact!'' to Heath and Rhino
Heath and Rhino are an American professional wrestling tag team currently signed to Impact Wrestling where they are former one-time Impact World Tag Team Champions.
As a team, they are best known for their time in WWE, where they originally ...
.
On October 8, 2022, it was announced that Bennett, Kanellis, Taven and Vincent had left ''Impact Wrestling
Impact Wrestling (stylized as ''IMPACT! Wrestling''), is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment.
Founded by Jeff and Jerry Jarrett in 2002, the promot ...
''.
All Elite Wrestling (2022)
On the October 14th episode of AEW's Rampage Bennett appeared with Maria & Taven, as The Kingdom, to confront FTR.
Other media
Filmography
Kanellis made his video game
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...
debut as part of the Rising Stars Pack of downloadable content
Downloadable content (DLC) is additional content created for an already released video game, distributed through the Internet by the game's publisher. It can either be added for no extra cost or it can be a form of video game monetization, enablin ...
created for WWE 2K19
''WWE 2K19'' is a professional wrestling video game developed by Yuke's and published by 2K Sports. It was released worldwide on October 9, 2018, for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. It is the twentieth overall game in the ''WW ...
and also appeared in WWE 2K20
''WWE 2K20'' is a professional wrestling video game developed by Visual Concepts and published by 2K Sports. It was released worldwide on October 22, 2019, for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. It is the twenty-first installment o ...
.
Personal life
In an interview in December 2011, Maria Kanellis
Mary Louis "Maria" Kanellis-Bennett (born February 25, 1982) is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler, Manager (professional wrestling), professional wrestling manager, actress, model and former singer, She is best known for h ...
confirmed she was dating Bennett, and they later got engaged. Bennett and Kanellis married on October 10, 2014. On September 25, 2017, Bennett and Kanellis announced they were expecting their first child. On April 3, 2018, Kanellis gave birth to a girl, Fredrica "Freddie" Moon Bennett. On February 3, 2020, their son Carver Mars was born.
Championships and accomplishments
* Eastern Pro Wrestling
** EPW Television Championship (1 time)
** EPW United States Championship (1 time)
* Neo Revolution Grappling
** NRG Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
* New England Wrestling Alliance
** NEWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
* New Japan Pro-Wrestling
(NJPW) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion based in Nakano, Tokyo. Founded on January 13, 1972, by Antonio Inoki, the promotion was sold to Yuke's, who later sold it to Bushiroad in 2012. TV Asahi and Amuse, Inc. own minority shares ...
** IWGP Tag Team Championship
The is a professional wrestling world tag team championship owned by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. "IWGP" is the acronym of the NJPW's governing body, the . The title was introduced on December 12, 1985 at an NJPW live event. The ...
( 1 time) – with Matt Taven
Matthew Marinelli (born March 20, 1985), known by his ring name, Matt Taven, is an American professional wrestler and wrestling trainer, who currently wrestles for All Elite Wrestling.
He is best known for his work with Ring of Honor (ROH), ...
[
* Northeast Championship Wrestling
** NCW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Chris Venom and Johnny Idol
* ]Northeast Wrestling
Northeast Wrestling (NEW) is an independent professional wrestling promotion based in the Northeastern United States and has promoted events since 1996. It is currently owned and operated by promoter Mike Lombardi and is one of the top independe ...
** NEW Heavyweight Championship
The NEW Heavyweight Championship is a heavyweight championship owned and promoted by Northeast Wrestling (NEW). The inaugural champion was Bam Bam Bigelow. The current champion is Traevon Jordan, who is in his first reign.
Title history
As of ...
(1 time)
*Palē Pro Wrestling
**Palē Pro Heavyweight Championship (1 time, current)
* Pro Wrestling Experience
** PWE United States Championship (1 time)
* ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated
''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American internationally sold professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publish ...
''
** Ranked No. 51 of the top 500 wrestlers in the ''PWI 500
''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American internationally sold professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publishi ...
'' in 2016
* Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor (ROH) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Jacksonville, Florida. The promotion was founded by Rob Feinstein on February 23, 2002, and was operated by Cary Silkin from 2004 until 2011, when the promotion was so ...
** ROH World Tag Team Championship
The ROH World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship contested for in the American professional wrestling promotion Ring of Honor. The championship is generally contested in professional wrestling matches, i ...
(2 times
"2 Times" is a song co-written and recorded by British Italian-based singer Ann Lee. It was released in 1999 as the lead single from her debut album, ''Dreams'' (1999). The single entered and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart. Outside ...
) – with Matt Taven
Matthew Marinelli (born March 20, 1985), known by his ring name, Matt Taven, is an American professional wrestler and wrestling trainer, who currently wrestles for All Elite Wrestling.
He is best known for his work with Ring of Honor (ROH), ...
[
** Top Prospect Tournament (]2011
File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrate ...
)
** Honor Rumble (2014)
** ROH Year-End Award (1 time)
*** Holy S*** Moment of the Year (2020)
*The Wrestling Revolver
**PWR Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Matt Taven
* Top Rope Promotions
Top Rope Promotions (formerly known as Yankee Pro Wrestling and South Coast Championship Wrestling) is a North Eastern independent professional wrestling promotion based in New Bedford, Massachusetts and is the largest promotion in the Southern N ...
** TRP Heavyweight Championship
Top Rope Promotions (formerly known as Yankee Pro Wrestling and South Coast Championship Wrestling) is a North Eastern independent professional wrestling promotion based in New Bedford, Massachusetts and is the largest promotion in the Southern Ne ...
( 1 time)
** TRP Tag Team Championship ( 1 time) – with Bryce Andrews
** Kowalski Cup (2006)
* Total Nonstop Action Wrestling/Impact Wrestling
** TNA X Division Championship
The Impact X Division Championship is a professional wrestling championship created and promoted by Impact Wrestling. It debuted on June 19, 2002, at the taping of then-TNA's second weekly pay-per-view (PPV) event. The current champion is Trey M ...
( 1 time)
** Impact World Tag Team Championship
The Impact World Tag Team Championship (formally known as the TNA World Tag Team Championship) is a professional wrestling world tag team championship which is owned by the Impact Wrestling promotion. The current champions are The Motor City Mac ...
( 1 time) – with Matt Taven
Matthew Marinelli (born March 20, 1985), known by his ring name, Matt Taven, is an American professional wrestler and wrestling trainer, who currently wrestles for All Elite Wrestling.
He is best known for his work with Ring of Honor (ROH), ...
* WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...
** WWE 24/7 Championship
The WWE 24/7 Championship was a professional wrestling championship created and promoted by the American promotion WWE. It was a tertiary championship open to anyone—regardless of gender or WWE employment status—and carried the special rule ...
(2 times
"2 Times" is a song co-written and recorded by British Italian-based singer Ann Lee. It was released in 1999 as the lead single from her debut album, ''Dreams'' (1999). The single entered and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart. Outside ...
)
* Wrestling Federation of America
** WFA Tag Team Championship (2 time) – with The Ray (1) and The Shane (1)
** WFA Tag Team Championship Tournament (2004) - with The Ray
* Xtreme Wrestling Alliance
** XWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
References
External links
*
*
Ring of Honor profile
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bennett, Mike
1985 births
Living people
American male professional wrestlers
People from Carver, Massachusetts
Professional wrestlers from Massachusetts
Professional wrestling trainers
Sportspeople from Plymouth County, Massachusetts
WWE 24/7 Champions
21st-century professional wrestlers
ROH World Tag Team Champions
TNA/Impact World Tag Team Champions
TNA/Impact X Division Champions
IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions
All Elite Wrestling personnel