Kelly signed with WWE in 2007 as a wrestler and was a "rookie" on thefourth andfifth seasons ofNXT.[3][5] Following his elimination on the latter season ofNXT, he began working as a play-by-play and color commentator onNXT before eventually working on other WWE programming including the company's flagship shows,Monday Night Raw andFriday Night SmackDown. He is also a formerone-timeWWE 24/7 Champion.
Kelly made his professional wrestling debut in 2003, wrestling in theindependent circuit in Florida and Georgia.[4] In 2004, Kelly auditioned for thefourth season ofWWE Tough Enough, but failed to make it past the tryouts.[4] He continued to wrestle on the independent circuit before being offered a WWE tryout in 2007.[4]
Kelly signed adevelopmental contract with World Wrestling Entertainment and was assigned toFlorida Championship Wrestling (FCW). Kelly, at first using his real name, made his FCW debut on October 13, 2007, losing to Hade Vansen.[9] His next appearance was just over a week later on October 23, when he lost to"The Carnival Freak" Sinn Bowdee.[10] Kelly competed sporadically in FCW over the next few months, winning a six-man tag team match against Vansen,Sheamus O'Shaunessy and Bowdee withRycklon Stephens and Chet Douglas as his partners, but losing asingles match toAfa Jr. a few weeks later.[11][12] He finished off 2007 with a win against Tommy Taylor on December 18.[13]
On June 3, Kelly became amanager,cutting a promo forBlack Pain.[20] Kelly managed Black Pain regularly, accompanying him for matches, and also teaming occasionally with him.[21][22] On September 30, Kelly debuted a newring name, Byron Saxton.[23] With Black Pain, and the rest of hisfaction, known as the Saxton Conglomerate or simply the Conglomerate, composed ofStu Sanders (later Lawrence Knight) andTyson Tarver, Saxton began afeud withKafu, having the members of the Conglomerate face off against him in matches.[24][25][26] After this feud ended, the Conglomerate quickly began another one withJohnny Prime.[27][28][29] In the course of this feud Kaleb O'Neal began teaming with Prime in order to help him out, however, O'Neal laterturned on Prime and joined the Conglomerate.[30][31] In January 2009, Black Pain broke away from the Conglomerate and changed his ring name to Sweet Papi Sanchez, prompting a feud with the remaining Conglomerate members.[32][33][34] Following that, Saxton associated himself withAbraham Washington. WhenJosh Mathews left FCW to commentate onECW full-time, Saxton began working as a commentator alongside firstDusty Rhodes and then Abraham Washington. In November 2010 Saxton turned on Washington and began feuding with him.[35]
Following his stints onECW andNXT Redemption, Saxton returned to FCW as a commentator and wore an arm sling, claiming to be injured and unable to compete until the March 4, 2012 episode when Saxton unexpectedly removed his sling and hitKenneth Cameron with a Coin roll.[36] A match was scheduled between Saxton and Cameron the following week, but Saxton once again claimed to be injured and unable to compete and was replaced in the match byColin Cassady. Saxton then worked as an announcer for the remainder of FCW's tenure until the promotion was shut down in August 2012.[37]
Saxton (right) withCurt Hawkins commentating in FCW
In October 2009, theSmackDowncolor commentator,Jim Ross, suffered aBell's palsy attack, resulting in a shuffle of the other commentators.Matt Striker was moved fromECW toSmackDown, and Saxton was called up toECW as a commentator, working alongside Josh Mathews.[38] He debuted on the October 27 episode.[38] He continued commentating until February 2010, whenVince McMahon announced thatECW was to be replaced withNXT. Saxton then returned to FCW in March of that year.
On the third-season finale ofNXT on November 30 it was announced that Saxton would be competitor on season four, withChris Masters as his mentor.[5][39] He made his in-ring debut on the December 14 episode ofNXT, teaming with Masters in a loss toBrodus Clay and his mentor,Ted DiBiase. Earlier that night, Saxton won the karaoke challenge, earning a point towards immunity from elimination.[40] He earned his first win on the following episode when he teamed with Masters andWWE DivaNatalya to defeat Clay, DiBiase, andMaryse in asix-personmixed tag team match.[41] On January 4, 2011, episode ofNXT,Dolph Ziggler became Saxton's new Pro, after Ziggler won aBattle royal to earn the right to choose a new rookie and he chose Saxton.[42] On the February 8 episode ofNXT, Saxton was eliminated.[43]
In March 2011, Saxton was selected as one of the six formerNXT contestants to return to the show in its fifth season,NXT Redemption. During this season, Saxton was mentored byYoshi Tatsu. On the April 26 Edition of NXT, Saxton attacked Tatsu after he cost him the match againstLucky Cannon.[44] Going into late May 2011, he began referring to himself as "Big League" Byron Saxton, believing that he is bigger than the NXT Rookies and/ or the WWE Pros, turningheel. On May 31, Saxton was voted off ofNXT Redemption. After his elimination, Saxton was sent back to FCW, where he would wrestle until his last match in August 2012 before transitioning into a full-time commentator.[45]
Byron Saxton made his return as theplay-by-play commentator for the relaunchedNXT on the May 17, 2012 taping atFull Sail University. Later on he would become the NXTring announcer in addition to having some creative responsibilities for the company. Saxton continued to perform as a commentator for NXT until the December 23, 2015 episode of the show.
Saxton in April 2016
On January 27, 2014, Saxton made hisRaw debut on the WWE App. Three days later on January 30 he appeared alongside Tom Phillips as a commentator onWWE Superstars. On the February 10, 2014 edition ofRaw Saxton conducted a backstage interview with Sheamus and was announced as the newest member of the WWE announce team byMichael Cole. Saxton continued to announce onNXT as a heel, while simultaneously appearing neutral on the main roster. On the May 13, 2014 episode ofMain Event, Saxton was attacked byAlicia Fox after she lost her match toEmma. On January 8, 2015, it was announced that Saxton would join the announce team onWWE SmackDown and byFastlane he was called "the voice" of the show.
On the March 30, 2015 edition ofRaw the night afterWrestleMania 31, Saxton and Jerry Lawler filled in for Michael Cole, JBL, and Booker T after they were brutally assaulted byBrock Lesnar. From the June 8 episode ofRaw, Saxton filled in on commentary forBooker T, who would be one of the coaches on thesixth season ofWWE Tough Enough, withJimmy Uso filling in for Saxton onSmackDown. In July, Saxton would become the new host of theWWE Network show,Tough Talk, replacing former hostThe Miz, who would become the new judge onTough Enough after theHulk Hogan scandal. AfterTough Enough ended, Saxton was kept on asRaw announcer permanently and Booker T switched to theSmackDown announce team.[46] In December 2015, Saxton left theNXT announce team and rejoined theSmackDown announce team along withMauro Ranallo, replacing Booker T and Rich Brennan. Saxton left theSmackDown announce team in July 2016 and became exclusive to theRaw announce team following the2016 WWE Draft, performing as aface commentator in contrast toCorey Graves'heel commentary. Saxton's character is often bullied by villainous characters, including Graves,John "Bradshaw" Layfield andKevin Owens and, occasionally, by fellow babyface commentator,Michael Cole. On April 10, afterRaw went off-air, it was announced that Saxton was traded to theSmackDownbrand in exchange forDavid Otunga.
On April 1, 2022 atWrestleMania 38, after the main event match betweenStone Cold Steve Austin andKevin Owens, Austin invited Saxton for a beer party before hitting him with theStone Cold Stunner. On November 5, 2023, Saxton served as the ring announcer forCrown Jewel. Throughout February 2024, Saxton performed as the color commentator forNXT, filling in forBooker T while he recovered from a medical procedure.
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