"The more massive the star, the shorter its lifespan, primarily because massive stars have greater pressure on their cores, causing them to burn hydrogen more rapidly."
This definition on stars, found on wikipedia, I think best describes current WWE superstar Mr. Kennedy. The man was at one point WWE's biggest rising star. But like all 'huge massive stars' they are prone to burning out fast and ultimately never lasting as long as their smaller brothers who become more famous in the end, right Mr. Sun? This column looks at the history and career that has been Mr. Ken Kennedy's career so far and what has happened to this once brightest star. We will look at the factors caused by Kennedy, by other people, and by history, that have determined and brought him to his current status in limbo.
A star is born and a streak sets the tone:
Mr. Ken Kennedy began his WWE career in August of 2005 and promptly went on a long winning streak for the next several months. The man's cocky attitude, and habit of introducing himself when he made his way to the ring, signified Kennedy as perhaps something different and the fans responded with excitement. The winning streak was long and memorable enough that both Kennedy and the announcers made note of it. History here has shown us that beginning a career with a long undefeated streak is both good in the short term for a wrestler, but in many wrestlers cases, they fizzle out within 5 years. Let's look at a few examples, Brock Lesner, undefeated for 6 months, done after 2. Bobby Lashley, roughly same thing. Goldberg, undefeated for a year, lasted about 5ish years and now is out of the big picture in wrestling. So as we've seen, beginning a career with a winning streak is good in the short term, but doesn't help with the long term.
Attachment to an unfortunate event:
On November 11, Kennedy suffered his first loss, albeit by DQ, to Eddie Guerrero in what would be Eddie's final televised match. In no way are we insinuating that Kennedy was responsible, but again were looking at history and the careers of wrestlers who were opposite wrestlers who died or were severally injured in or just after their final match have not gone very well. Let's look at it, Godfather opposite Owen Hart, his career began to tank after Owen died. D'Lo opposite Droz, D'Lo career has been up and mostly down since. Elijah Burke opposite Benoit, he hasn't even been seen on TV in months now. Three wrestlers who's careers never took off after a tragic event and Kennedy, WWE's brightest star, was now was apart of that group.
The first injury:
Shortly after, Kennedy suffered his first injury and was out for nearly six months. WWE wisely kept him making occasional appearances during his injury, to keep their star shinny brightly for all to see.
What direction to go now?:
For the few couple of months after Kennedy returned, WWE looked very unsure what direction to go with him. Kennedy suffered his first loss by pinfall to Matt Hardy, which should've been the start of a redhot feud between the two, but Mark Henry fell to injury and Kennedy was put in a feud with Batista, picking up two wins by DQ and countout, but ultimately was being overshadowed by Batista in their feud. Kennedy then won the US title in a match with Finlay and Lashley (can you believe this is Kennedy's only title reign in the WWE), but that only lasted for a month.
The stars brightest time?
From late September 06 to April 07 was without doubt, Kennedy's greatest part of his career in the WWE so far. He won his first title, was engaged in an even feud with The Undertaker that saw both men pick up wins, won the Beat the Clock challenge to fight Batista for the WHC at RoyalRumble, a match in which Kennedy got an uncounted 3 count on Batista as well received cheers from the crowd. Then at WM, Kennedy won MITB, pretty well guaranteeing him becoming WHC/WWE champion within the year...
The dark days:
At the end of April came down with an injury that hurt his career in more ways than the injury itself did. The injury kept Kennedy out for 2-3 months, but the original diagnosis had Kennedy out for more like 6-9 months. That mistake, coupled with then champion The Undertaker becoming hurt, tied WWE's hands and they had Kennedy drop MITB to Edge, effectively ending his almost guaranteed title reign. A move to RAW looked to be just what Kennedy needed to get back in the big picture. Upon his return, it looked like he would be the wrestler who would be Vince's illegitimate son in the storyline WWE was doing, but eneded up being suspened along with 10 others in the steriod scandal that followed Benoit's death. Now the company suddenly began viewing their 'massive star' as more of a question mark, and the days that followed proved that.
Burning out the last fuel left to remain bright:
After Kennedy returned from suspension, he promptly injured WWE's biggest star Cena, albeit by accident in a match, but nonetheless, ouch. He engaged in a feud with IC champion Jeff Hardy, but never took the title off him. He then feuded with Micheals in what was another even feud with a top star like Kennedy had with Unsertaker last year, but Kennedy never really recieved the same bounce or momentum he did in the Taker feud. Kennedy was then used as a stepping stone for Flair to beat to keep on going and then participated again in MITB, but lost this time.
Face changes all?:
After WM, Kennedy came back as a face for the first time in his career. The move looked to be a way to refresh the Kennedy character and hopefully get him over again. He was put in a feud with RAW GM William Regal, that had promise to resemble a mini Austin/McMahon feud, but this time around, it was Regal who dropped the ball for Kennedy, leaving Kennedy without a mainevent feud again.
A star's last days:
With nothing for Kennedy to do on RAW and no plan's for him, we was moved back to SD and was put in a feud with Umaga and US champion Shelton. Kennedy was actually schuduled to face Shelton for the US title at SummerSlam, but what has become a sad and all to common story, Kennedy got injuried and still reamins inactive at the moment, right around the time his WWE contract is rumored to be ending.
This story of Kennedy is a real shame, as the man has shown to have that natural charisma and connection with the fans that many wrestlers lack and Vince really wants. I would love to see Kennedy bounce back from this a regain what he looked like he would have, but so goes the story of biggest stars there are in the universe. They may shiny brightest and become bigger than all the other stars around, but ultimately, their lives are the shortest and this is what Kennedy's career may have become, the biggest, most massive star around that died before he was ready to.
This definition on stars, found on wikipedia, I think best describes current WWE superstar Mr. Kennedy. The man was at one point WWE's biggest rising star. But like all 'huge massive stars' they are prone to burning out fast and ultimately never lasting as long as their smaller brothers who become more famous in the end, right Mr. Sun? This column looks at the history and career that has been Mr. Ken Kennedy's career so far and what has happened to this once brightest star. We will look at the factors caused by Kennedy, by other people, and by history, that have determined and brought him to his current status in limbo.
A star is born and a streak sets the tone:
Mr. Ken Kennedy began his WWE career in August of 2005 and promptly went on a long winning streak for the next several months. The man's cocky attitude, and habit of introducing himself when he made his way to the ring, signified Kennedy as perhaps something different and the fans responded with excitement. The winning streak was long and memorable enough that both Kennedy and the announcers made note of it. History here has shown us that beginning a career with a long undefeated streak is both good in the short term for a wrestler, but in many wrestlers cases, they fizzle out within 5 years. Let's look at a few examples, Brock Lesner, undefeated for 6 months, done after 2. Bobby Lashley, roughly same thing. Goldberg, undefeated for a year, lasted about 5ish years and now is out of the big picture in wrestling. So as we've seen, beginning a career with a winning streak is good in the short term, but doesn't help with the long term.
Attachment to an unfortunate event:
On November 11, Kennedy suffered his first loss, albeit by DQ, to Eddie Guerrero in what would be Eddie's final televised match. In no way are we insinuating that Kennedy was responsible, but again were looking at history and the careers of wrestlers who were opposite wrestlers who died or were severally injured in or just after their final match have not gone very well. Let's look at it, Godfather opposite Owen Hart, his career began to tank after Owen died. D'Lo opposite Droz, D'Lo career has been up and mostly down since. Elijah Burke opposite Benoit, he hasn't even been seen on TV in months now. Three wrestlers who's careers never took off after a tragic event and Kennedy, WWE's brightest star, was now was apart of that group.
The first injury:
Shortly after, Kennedy suffered his first injury and was out for nearly six months. WWE wisely kept him making occasional appearances during his injury, to keep their star shinny brightly for all to see.
What direction to go now?:
For the few couple of months after Kennedy returned, WWE looked very unsure what direction to go with him. Kennedy suffered his first loss by pinfall to Matt Hardy, which should've been the start of a redhot feud between the two, but Mark Henry fell to injury and Kennedy was put in a feud with Batista, picking up two wins by DQ and countout, but ultimately was being overshadowed by Batista in their feud. Kennedy then won the US title in a match with Finlay and Lashley (can you believe this is Kennedy's only title reign in the WWE), but that only lasted for a month.
The stars brightest time?
From late September 06 to April 07 was without doubt, Kennedy's greatest part of his career in the WWE so far. He won his first title, was engaged in an even feud with The Undertaker that saw both men pick up wins, won the Beat the Clock challenge to fight Batista for the WHC at RoyalRumble, a match in which Kennedy got an uncounted 3 count on Batista as well received cheers from the crowd. Then at WM, Kennedy won MITB, pretty well guaranteeing him becoming WHC/WWE champion within the year...
The dark days:
At the end of April came down with an injury that hurt his career in more ways than the injury itself did. The injury kept Kennedy out for 2-3 months, but the original diagnosis had Kennedy out for more like 6-9 months. That mistake, coupled with then champion The Undertaker becoming hurt, tied WWE's hands and they had Kennedy drop MITB to Edge, effectively ending his almost guaranteed title reign. A move to RAW looked to be just what Kennedy needed to get back in the big picture. Upon his return, it looked like he would be the wrestler who would be Vince's illegitimate son in the storyline WWE was doing, but eneded up being suspened along with 10 others in the steriod scandal that followed Benoit's death. Now the company suddenly began viewing their 'massive star' as more of a question mark, and the days that followed proved that.
Burning out the last fuel left to remain bright:
After Kennedy returned from suspension, he promptly injured WWE's biggest star Cena, albeit by accident in a match, but nonetheless, ouch. He engaged in a feud with IC champion Jeff Hardy, but never took the title off him. He then feuded with Micheals in what was another even feud with a top star like Kennedy had with Unsertaker last year, but Kennedy never really recieved the same bounce or momentum he did in the Taker feud. Kennedy was then used as a stepping stone for Flair to beat to keep on going and then participated again in MITB, but lost this time.
Face changes all?:
After WM, Kennedy came back as a face for the first time in his career. The move looked to be a way to refresh the Kennedy character and hopefully get him over again. He was put in a feud with RAW GM William Regal, that had promise to resemble a mini Austin/McMahon feud, but this time around, it was Regal who dropped the ball for Kennedy, leaving Kennedy without a mainevent feud again.
A star's last days:
With nothing for Kennedy to do on RAW and no plan's for him, we was moved back to SD and was put in a feud with Umaga and US champion Shelton. Kennedy was actually schuduled to face Shelton for the US title at SummerSlam, but what has become a sad and all to common story, Kennedy got injuried and still reamins inactive at the moment, right around the time his WWE contract is rumored to be ending.
This story of Kennedy is a real shame, as the man has shown to have that natural charisma and connection with the fans that many wrestlers lack and Vince really wants. I would love to see Kennedy bounce back from this a regain what he looked like he would have, but so goes the story of biggest stars there are in the universe. They may shiny brightest and become bigger than all the other stars around, but ultimately, their lives are the shortest and this is what Kennedy's career may have become, the biggest, most massive star around that died before he was ready to.