The Brian Kendrick: Bio

Few Superstars have more at stake in WWE’s Cruiserweight division than The Brian Kendrick.

A gifted wrestler and high-flyer, Kendrick started working to make it in sports-entertainment when he enrolled in the Shawn Michaels Wrestling Academy in summer 1999 and toiled in the trenches, a process that pushed the technical dynamo to his last nerve and, potentially, last chance.

The smallest trainee at HBK's school but also among its most talented (Daniel Bryan was a fellow student), Kendrick traveled the world, competing in Mexico and Japan, where size isn't necessarily as important as it is in the States. After wrestling under a mask, coming up short against Kurt Angle and taking part in several demeaning stunts, like streaking through the arena delivering a singing telegram to The Undertaker, he joined WWE’s main roster in 2003 under the name Spanky after defeating Shannon Moore.

After spending a year-and-a-half competing around the world, Kendrick returned to WWE in 2005 and teamed up with fellow HBK trainee Paul London. The duo dazzled the WWE Universe with their aerial acumen and defeated MNM for the tandem titles at Judgment Day 2006 before embarking on a 331-day reign.

Following a lengthy hiatus from WWE, Kendrick reentered the fold by training Eva Marie, competing in WWE NXT and eventually entering the Cruiserweight Classic in what he believed was his final chance to cement his legacy. Though Kendrick came up short, he was still signed to the Cruiserweight division on Raw and quickly established himself as a force to be reckoned with in the rebooted field, winning the WWE Cruiserweight Championship and proving himself the proverbial leader of the pack when the Cruiserweight-exclusive show WWE 205 Live took off on WWE Network.

Perhaps no one was more shocked than Kendrick when Gentleman Jack Gallagher – the man he had been tormenting for weeks and repeatedly derided as a clown – suddenly formed a dangerous new alliance with The Man with a Plan. The two briefly joined up with Drew Gulak, but Kendrick was ruthlessly excavated from the group after showing the slightest sign of compassion for a downed local competitor who was subjected to a post-match beating from Gulak.

As new challengers emerge in the Cruiserweight division, The Man with a Plan takes it upon himself to teach the most important lesson: Experience wins out.

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