‘Vince McMahon Wanted me as WWE Champion But I Was Fired After Randy Orton Incident’

For decades, the opinion of Vince McMahon was the determining factor that would make or break a superstar’s career in WWE. Few ever found that out the hard way more than Mr Kennedy.

Debuting on SmackDown in August 2005, the Wisconsin native looked destined for stardom almost from the moment he arrived on television. The real-life Ken Anderson was even given McMahon’s own middle name, Kennedy, as his WWE moniker. Dripping with charisma, his gimmick of doing his own ring introductions soon proved a hit with fans. The sky looked to be the limit for Kennedy.

Even suffering a serious shoulder injury a few months into his main roster run didn’t do much to stop Kennedy’s momentum. Once healed, he was immediately placed into a feud with Batista – and rounded out 2006 by working with company icon The Undertaker. McMahon couldn’t have been higher on Kennedy’s potential at the time.

Bigger things were on the horizon for Kennedy, though, as he won the coveted Money In The Bank briefcase at WrestleMania 23 in April 2007 to put himself just one match away from becoming a world champion in WWE. Unfortunately for Ken, he would never actually get to cash the briefcase in.

WWE superstar Edge with the Money in the Bank briefcase.

10 Best WWE Money in the Bank Matches of All Time (Ranked)

Invented by Chris Jericho, the classics feature Daniel Bryan, Seth Rollins and CM Punk.

A suspected torn tricep muscle meant that Kennedy was hurriedly booked to lose the briefcase to Edge. Although his injury didn’t end up being as serious as first thought, Mr Kennedy’s breakout moment was gone.

While he failed to recapture the promise of his initial 18 months in the promotion, Kennedy was still featured strongly on television over the next couple of years, regularly tangling with the lights of John Cena, Shawn Michaels and Jeff Hardy. He was even selected to star in his own WWE studios movie: Behind Enemy Lines: Colombia.

However, in May 2009, an in-ring incident with Randy Orton on Raw would leave McMahon so furious that he fired Kennedy over it – and blacklisted him from ever returning to the company.

Randy Orton was Raging With Mr Kennedy After Being Dropped on his Head in a Match

‘The Viper’ told McMahon he would never work with Ken again

Orton and Mr Kennedy only locked up for a brief passage of a 10-man tag main event, but a botched back suplex from Kennedy – which saw Orton land directly on his head – would ultimately cost the once hot prospect his job.

Explaining his side of the story on a message board that he used to run, Orton revealed exactly what he said to Kennedy – and McMahon – after the match.

“I did tell Ken that he shouldn’t be dropping me on my head with such a simple basic move. He never said sorry and even called me a liar after the match. I remember looking at him in disbelief. And yes, I did tell management I did not want to work with him after that. Who wouldn’t? That’s my side.”

An irate Orton continued: “I honestly hope for his wife’s sake that he can find something else he’s marginally good at, and earn a living. I know he really wants to entertain, so good luck, Ken, you are gonna need it!” Kennedy was officially released by WWE four days after the match.

What Mr Kennedy Did After Leaving WWE

His high-profile run in WWE meant that Kennedy – under the ring name Mr Anderson – was snapped up by TNA Wrestling in January 2010, where he won the company’s world title on two occasions. He departed the promotion in 2016 and has worked occasionally on the independent circuit ever since.

Now 48 years old, Ken’s last match took place in November, where he lost to Zilla Fatu at an RPW event in Wisconsin.

Speaking to A2TheK last year, Kennedy revealed that he has now resolved his issues with Orton, admitting that his own behaviour had been the cause of his WWE exit: “Had I been doing all the right things, I would have never been in a position where one person’s word could have any effect on my career,” he reasoned.