SmackDown Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey reportedly asked for veteran pro wrestler Brian Kendrick to be brought in to produce her match at WWE Survivor Series this past weekend.
Kendrick was listed as a producer for Rousey’s Survivor Series win over Shotzi, along with Jason Jordan. There’s been some speculation on Kendrick’s status with WWE but word now via Wrestling Observer Radio is that Rousey suggested Kendrick be brought in to help produce Saturday’s match.
Kendrick was Rousey’s original pro wrestling trainer. She asked for him to be brought to Boston to help with her match with Shotzi, and WWE honored the request.
It was noted that Kendrick has not been re-hired by WWE as of last word, but that could change. Saturday’s gig was described as something like a tryout for Kendrick, but not a normal tryout for the role.
Kendrick was not at Monday’s RAW, according to PWInsider. They also described Saturday’s appearance as a tryout for the company.
Kendrick, a two-time WWE Tag Team Champion, has been wrestling since 1999. He signed his first WWE developmental deal in February 2000, to work MCW, but the promotion closed a year later. Kendrick returned to work for WWE from late 2002 until January 2004. He had runs with TNA, ROH, Zero1, and several indie promotions before returning to WWE in August 2005. He was released on July 30, 2009, and returned to the indies, with stints in NJPW, TNA, and his own promotion. WWE brought Kendrick back to work as a trainer in December 2014, but he also made a few TV appearances. He began working the new cruiserweight division in June 2016, and would go on to become a WWE Cruiserweight Champion on WWE 205 Live. He began working as a backstage producer in late 2020 after transitioning to a part-time schedule in the ring. He requested his release in January of this year, and the release was granted on February 1.
Right after his WWE release back in February, Kendrick was booked to make his AEW debut against Jon Moxley on the February 2 edition of AEW Dynamite, but the match was nixed when AEW President Tony Khan found out about controversial comments Kendrick had made in 2011 and 2013, which had resurfaced online. Kendrick apologized for the comments, and has been fairly quiet since then.
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