| Kenny King | |
|---|---|
.jpg) King in 2011 | |
| Birth name | Kenneth Layne[1] |
| Born | (1981-07-22)July 22, 1981 (age 43) Queens, New York, U.S.[2] |
| Alma mater | University of Nevada, Las Vegas |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Kenny Kenny King[3] Kenny Layne |
| Billed height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)[3] |
| Billed weight | 230 lb (104 kg)[3] |
| Billed from | Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.[4] Orlando, Florida, U.S. |
| Trained by | Al Snow[3] Chavo Guerrero Jr.[3] Hardcore Holly Ivory Nick Bockwinkel[3] Scott Casey[3] |
| Debut | 2002[3] |
Kenneth Layne (born July 22, 1981) is an Americanprofessional wrestler, better known by hisring name,Kenny King. He is best known for his time withRing of Honor (ROH) andTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) /Impact Wrestling.[1]
After participating in the reality showWWE Tough Enough in 2002, Layne began a career in professional wrestling as Kenny King. From 2005 to 2006, he wrestled for TNA. In 2007, he began to work with ROH, where heteamed withRhett Titus as theAll Night Express, winning theROH World Tag Team Championship. In 2012, King left ROH to rejoin TNA, where he won theTNA X Division Championship twice. In 2015, King returned to ROH, where he won theROH World Television Championship two times and the ROH World Tag Team Championship twice more (withDragon Lee as part ofLa Facción Ingobernable). In 2022, King again returned to TNA (since renamed Impact Wrestling) as part of the stableHonor No More, winning theImpact Digital Media Championship. He left Impact Wrestling once again in October 2023.
Kenneth Layne was born on July 22, 1981, inQueens, New York. He grew up in Florida.[1] He playedfootball as astrong safety in college.[1] Layne attendedFlorida State University, before transferring to theUniversity of South Florida.[1] He then relocated toLas Vegas, where he attendedUniversity of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV).[1] He had planned to play football at UNLV, but had toredshirt for his first season at the university.[1]
Layne tried out for thesecond season of theWorld Wrestling Federation'sreality televisionprogramWWE Tough Enough after seeing an advertisement in 2002.[1] While on the series, he was trained byAl Snow,Hardcore Holly,Chavo Guerrero Jr., andIvory.[1] Layne was one of the four finalists of the season, which was won byJackie Gayda andLinda Miles.[1][3]
FollowingTough Enough, Layne began wrestling on theindependent circuit immediately followingTough Enough.[3] He trained underNick Bockwinkel, and Scott Casey at the Las Vegas Wrestling Academy.[1][3] In addition to wrestling under his own name, he also occasionally used thering names "Tough Enough Kenny" and "Kenny King". Layne appeared with Ultimate Pro Wrestling inAnaheim, California on April 25, 2003. He defeated formerThe Real World cast member (and futureTough Enough contestant)Mike Mizanin in what was promoted as a "reality television match".[1][3] In mid-2003 and early 2004 King worked for Revolution Pro Wrestling inIndustry, California. Between 2003 and 2005 he worked for the Alternative Wrestling Show inCalifornia as "The Natural" Kenny King.
Layne debuted inTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) on the December 3, 2005, episode ofTNA Impact!, losing toAbyss in a shortsquash match.[5] He continued working for TNA throughout the end of 2005 and start of 2006, but failed to win a single match.[3] He was used as ajobber both in singles and tag team competition, losing to wrestlers includingRon Killings,Lance Hoyt, andMonty Brown.[6][7][8] In January 2006, he teamed withBuck Quartermaine to lose to theJames Gang andTeam 3D.[9][10] Layne was released from TNA in August 2006.[1]
For some of 2006 and most of 2007, King worked primarily forFull Impact Pro (FIP). He was part of the "Young, Rich and Ready For Action" (The YRR) stable with Chasyn Rance,Sal Rinauro,Steve Madison,Claudio Castagnoli andDaffney. On November 9, 2007, King and Jason Blade won theFIP Tag Team Championship by defeating theBriscoe Brothers (Jay and Mark). They reigned for over a year until December 20, 2008, when they lost the championship toErick Stevens andRoderick Strong.[3]
King made hisRing of Honor (ROH) debut atMotor City Madness 2007 on September 14, 2007, alongside his YRR teammate Chasyn Rance, when they defeated Mitch Franklin and Alex Payne in a tag team match. After the match, however, the YRRcut a promo, challenging the ROH wrestlers, which led toBryan Danielson defeating both King and Rance in impromptu singles match.[11] Over the next several months, King competed in tag team matches with some combination of Rance, Sal Rinauro, and Jason Blade to varying degrees of success.[11] AtAge of Insanity in August 2008, King challenged Danielson again, but was again unsuccessful, and he went on to lose toKevin Steen atNight of the Butcher II andJerry Lynn atGlory by Honor VII.[11]
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AtThe French Connection show, King tagged withKenny Omega to face theBriscoe Brothers, but abandoned Omega halfway during the match, whenRhett Titus came to ringside. King and Titus left together, showing a new alliance between them.[11] Over the next few months, King and Titus competed both in singles and tag team competition, and unsuccessfully challengedKevin Steen and El Generico for theROH World Tag Team Championship atInsanity Unleashed.[11] AtSteel City Clash, King and Titus revealed their alliance withAustin Aries, when they attacked Aries' former allies,Erick Stevens andMatt Cross, with Aries becoming a mentor to King and Titus.[11]
The team garnered a second shot at the ROH World Tag Championship on ROH's television program,Ring of Honor Wrestling, and picked up a series of wins during theDouble Feature II tour of Canada, and at theNever Say Die andValidation shows.[11] King lost to Danielson once again in singles competition atContention, and he and Titus were defeated byThe Young Bucks atManhattan Mayhem III.[11] More wins followed atViolent Tendencies andEnd of an Age.[11]
At theRing of Honor Wrestling tapings on August 15, 2009, King beat Lynn. After the match, King and Titus attacked Lynn, and performed aspike piledriver on Lynn, removing Lynn from active competition.[11][12] He continued on a winning streak, defeatingEddie Kingston andBrent Albright onRing of Honor Wrestling, before he and Titus defeated The Young Bucks atClash Of The Contenders.[11] King was part of the initial matches to earn a place in the Pick 6 Conentenders Series rankings, but was unsuccessful.[11] At theFinal Battle 2009pay-per-view, King defeatedRoderick Strong and earned the number 4 ranking.[13] On January 29, 2010, King faced Lynn, in Lynn's first match back. Lynn originally won the match, but attacked King after the match was over, causing thereferee to reverse the decision, and award King the victory bydisqualification.[14] AtThe Big Bang! pay-per-view on April 3, King lost his Pick Six ranking toDavey Richards.[15] On September 13, 2010, Ring of Honor announced that Layne had signed a contract extension with the promotion.[16]
On November 12, 2010, King participated in ROH'sSurvival of the Fittest tournament. He defeatedEl Generico in the first round to advance to the final, a six-man elimination match, where he was the last man eliminated byEddie Edwards.[17] On December 18 atFinal Battle 2010 the All Night Express defeatedAdam Cole andKyle O'Reilly, announcing their intention of becoming ROH World Tag Team Champions in 2011.[18] On February 26, 2011, at the9th Anniversary Show, King and Titus failed in their first attempt to win the ROH World Tag Team Championship, when they were defeated byThe Kings of Wrestling (Chris Hero and Claudio Castagnoli).[19] During the program with the Kings of Wrestling, King and Titus showed signs of aface turn and finalized their turn on March 19 atManhattan Mayhem IV, after defeating the Briscoe Brothers.[20][21] However, in a bloody rematch at the second show ofHonor Takes Center Stage, The Briscoe Brothers won. On September 17 atDeath Before Dishonor IX, the All Night Express defeated the Briscoe Brothers in aladder match to become the number one contenders to the ROH World Tag Team Championship.[22] On June 24 atBest in the World 2012: Hostage Crisis, King and Titus defeatedWrestling's Greatest Tag Team (Charlie Haas andShelton Benjamin) to win the ROH World Tag Team Championship for the first time.[23] After making an appearance for TNA, ROH severed its ties with King on July 5 and five days later officially stripped him and Titus of the ROH World Tag Team Championship.[24][25]
When asked about his leaving ROH, King said that "I left because there was a bigger opportunity," and "I also left because I had given ROH what I felt was a long enough period of time to convince me to stay and they did a pretty piss poor job of that."[26]
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On June 24, 2012, King's contract with ROH expired.[27][28] the July 5 episode of TNA'sImpact Wrestling, King wrestled in a match, defeating Lars Only to qualify for theTNA X Division Championshiptournament atDestination X.[29] Subsequently, ROH stated that they considered this an unacceptable "breach of his verbal agreement" and severed ties with him.[27] On July 8 atDestination X, King defeatedDouglas Williams to qualify for the finals of the X Division Championship tournament.[30] Later that same event, King was defeated byZema Ion in the finalUltimate X match, which also includedMason Andrews andSonjay Dutt.[30] King returned toImpact Wrestling on July 26, when he was handpicked byTNA World Heavyweight Champion Austin Aries as the number one contender to Zema Ion's X Division Championship. King ended up losing the match following interference from Aries' rivalBobby Roode.[31] The following week, King teamed with Aries in a tag team match, where they defeated Ion and Roode, with King pinning the X Division Champion for the win.[32] Following the match, King was named the number one contender to the X Division Championship.[33] King received his title opportunity on August 12 atHardcore Justice, but was defeated by Ion.[34] The following day it was reported that King had signed a contract with TNA.[35] On the December 6 episode ofImpact Wrestling, King defeatedKid Kash and Zema Ion to become number one contender for the X Division Championship.[36] Three days later atFinal Resolution, King failed in his title challenge againstRob Van Dam.[37] On the following episode ofImpact Wrestling, King defeated Van Dam in a non-title match, pinning him with his feet on the ropes.[38] The following week, King teased tension between himself and Van Dam after he abandoned Van Dam in a tag team match againstMatt Morgan andJoey Ryan.[39] On the January 10, 2013, episode ofImpact Wrestling, King defeated Zema Ion to earn the right to faceChristian York in a number one contenders match for the X Division Championship atGenesis.[40] However, three days later at the pay-per-view, King was defeated by York.[41] On the February 7 episode ofImpact Wrestling, King unsuccessfully challenged Rob Van Dam for the X Division Championship in a three-way match, also involving Zema Ion.[42] Two weeks later, King received another shot at the X Division Championship, but was again defeated by Van Dam.[43]
On the February 28 episode ofImpact Wrestling, King finally defeated Van Dam to win his first X Division Championship, in a match where if King had lost, he would have been out of the X Division.[44] King made his first successful title defense on March 10 atLockdown, defeating Christian York and Zema Ion in a three-way match.[45] On the March 21 episode ofImpact Wrestling, King defeated Sonjay Dutt and Zema Ion in a three-way match to retain the X Division Championship.[46] King then defended the title againstPetey Williams and Zema Ion on the April 18 episode ofImpact Wrestling and against Williams andChris Sabin on the May 16 episode.[47][48] On June 2 atSlammiversary XI, King lost the X Division Championship to Chris Sabin in a three-way Ultimate X match, also involvingSuicide.[49] King lost his rematch on the June 27 episode ofImpact Wrestling, after he was pinned by an impostor Suicide (later revealed to be Austin Aries) in a three-way match, which also included then-champion Chris Sabin and removed him from the title contention.[50] King returned on the September 26 episode ofImpact to confront Aries over the fake Suicide stunt, and after attacking Aries, Aries ordered a match right afterwards, which Aries won, and left King with a bad cut on his forehead.
On the March 20 edition of Impact Wrestling, a promo for King's return was announced, dubbing him a new nickname "King of the Night". The following week King returned to television as aheel requesting a match from MVP. The week after, King wrestled his first televised match in over six months against MVP which ended in a no-contest after the two started brawling, igniting a feud. King continued to antagonize MVP over the next several weeks until MVP turned heel on the May 5 edition of Impact, the following week after which the two formed an alliance alongsideBobby Lashley.
Over the next few editions of Impact, King became a member of the higher-card status of the roster, attacking people such asThe Wolves,Bobby Roode andEric Young. On the June 19 edition of Impact King was given a match against Young for his first shot at theTNA World Heavyweight Championship. King lost, but helped Lashley defeat Young for the title later that night. On September 17, 2014, King and MVP antagonized former Army Sergeant and amputee wrestlerChris Melendez on his debut, resulting in a match in which King lost to Melendez and a post-match attack by King which was stopped byMr. Anderson.[51]
On September 18, 2014, at the tapings for the October 28 edition of Impact Wrestling, Lashley lost the World Heavyweight Championship to Roode. On January 7, 2015, King and MVP helped Lashley beat Roode to regain the championship, along with new members Samoa Joe and Low Ki as well as Roode's friend Eric Young turning on him. On the following night's tapings of the January 16, 2015, episode of Impact Wrestling, the group was officially presented as theBeat Down Clan, with the trio of MVP, Lashley and King established as having been its foundation; however, Lashley refused to act as the new unit's centerpiece, resulting in King joining the others in attacking Lashley on MVP's orders.
AtImpact: Hardcore Justice, Kenny King won a ladder match to begin his second reign as X Division Champion. On May 11, 2015, King lost the X Division Championship against Spud. On June 24, 2015, (aired July 1) Beat Down Clan defeated The Rising in a 4-on-3 Handicap match, forcing The Rising to dissolve. Also, Hernandez made his return to TNA, joining BDC in the progress. The Beat Down Clan was quickly dissolved after contract disputes with Hernandez and MVP and King was taken off television.
After a two-month hiatus, King made his TNA return on the September 2 episode ofImpact Wrestling, King went one on one against and lost toBram in a losing effort. On September 23 episode of Impact Wrestling. King received a shot at the X Division Championship against Tigre Uno which he lost. After the match King left TNA.[52]
After the Beat Down Clan dissolved, all members left TNA with the exception of King. He returned to a full-time TNA schedule and competed in 'Group Wildcard' in theTNA World Title Series along withMahabali Shera,Crazzy Steve andAiden O'Shea. The series and the subsequent tournament were taped in July and aired on Impact throughout the later part of 2015, after King had already returned to Ring of Honor. Due to his success in group play, King qualified for the 16-person World Championship tournament, but he was defeated in the first round by Eric Young, failing to qualify for the round of 8, In September 2015, Kenny King left TNA, confirming his departure from the company.
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King made a surprise return to ROH on September 18, 2015, atAll Star Extravaganza VII, reuniting with hisAll Night Express partner Rhett Titus in a tag team match, where they defeated theBriscoe Brothers.[53]
In 2016, All Night Express united withCaprice Coleman to form an alliance known as the Cabinet. The Cabinet overcame Jason Kincaid, Leon St. Giovanni, and Shaheem Ali in the first round of theROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championship tournament, only to meet defeat at the hands ofA. C. H., Jay White, andKushida. The Cabinet was originally portrayed as something not be taken seriously, but in late 2016, the trio turned serious and renamed themselves "The Rebellion",[54] eventually also adding Shane Taylor as a member.[55] The Rebellion remained together until June 2017, when they were defeated by Search and Destroy in a match, where the losing team had to disband.[56] This signaled both a singles push for King and aface turn.
On September 22 atDeath Before Dishonor XV, King defeated Kushida to win theROH World Television Championship for the first time.[57] On December 15, 2017, at Final Battle Kenny King lost the ROH Television Title in a Fatal 4 Way elimination match against Silas Young, Shane Taylor and Punishment Martinez. However, King regained the title on February 10, 2018.[58] King lost the title atSupercard of Honor XII toSilas Young in aLast Man Standing match.
In mid 2018, King began to make a slow heel turn, starting with cheating to beatBullet Club memberMarty Scurll. In the following weeks, King also defeatedChase Owens and"Hangman" Adam Page with similar underhanded tactics, leading King to call himself the Bullet Club "silencer."
In late 2019, King had joined withRush andDragon Lee to form the heel stableLa Faccion Ingobernable (later joined byLa Bestia del Ring). ROH was on hiatus through the better part of 2020 due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, but in 2021, King and Lee would defeat The Foundation (Jay Lethal andJonathan Gresham) to win theROH World Tag Team Championship in a Pure Rules match that was aired on the February 27 episode ofRing of Honor Wrestling. This marked King's second reign as Tag Team Champions.
On August 9, 2017, Mexican promotionConsejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) announced Kenny would replace King Haku because of immigration complications, making his debut for the promotion in the 2017CMLL International Gran Prix.[59] On September 1, King was eliminated from the International Gran Prixtorneo cibernetico byValiente.[60]
On the February 3, 2022, episode ofImpact!, King made his return toImpact Wrestling, as a member ofHonor No More.[61][62] On June 19, atSlammiversary, he competed in an Ultimate X match for the X Division Championship, which was won byMike Bailey.[63]
On January 19, 2023, since his second return he also faced Mike Bailey in a No Ropes PIT FIGHT Knockout or Submission ONLY match but was not successful.[64][65] Kenny also facedKevin Knight in a one-on-one match on March 2, 2023, and was successful.[66]
On July 15 atSlammiversary, King defeatedJoe Hendry to win theImpact Digital Media Championship.[67] On August 20 atMultiverse United 2, King successfully defended his title in his first title defense againstYoshinobu Kanemaru. On August 27 atEmergence, Kenny successfully defended the Impact Digital Media Championship againstJohnny Swinger. On September 8 atVictory Road, King lost the championship toTommy Dreamer in aTitle vs. Career match, ending his reign at 55 days.[68] atBound for Glory, King competed in the 20-personIntergenderCall Your Shot Gauntlet which was won byJordynne Grace. He left Impact on November 16, 2023.
Layne has a daughter. He is ofGuyanese heritage through his father.[69]
On July 22, 2003, Layne appeared in thetelevision programThe Strip as "Felix" in the episode "Father's Day Blues". Layne also appeared on the short lived Nickelodeon series,My Brother and Me on the episode titled "Dee Dee's Haircut". He was in season 2 episode 15 ofThe Real Housewives of Beverly Hills appearing as a Chippendale's dancer in Las Vegas. Layne appeared on the dating game showBaggage on March 9, 2011; he was one of three potential men for the female contestant to choose. He lasted until the final elimination round. Layne was announced as a contestant on the13th season ofThe Bachelorette, which premiered in May 2017. He pulled himself out of the competition in ninth place as he was missing his daughter. On June 26, 2018, it was announced that Layne will be on the5th season ofBachelor in Paradise.[70]
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