Pat Kenney
Encyclopedia
Patrick Joseph Michael "Pat" Kenney (born May 26, 1968 in Wilmington, Delaware
), known also by his ring name
, Simon Diamond, is a retired American
professional wrestler
, currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
as a road agent. Best known for his appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling
between 1998 and 2001, Kenney is also a former baseball
player.
player as a teenager, and was drafted by the San Diego Padres
to play Major League Baseball
as a catcher
in 1986. Kenney decided not to sign the contract he was offered, opting to pursue a college
education first. Kenney took a job at the Out Of Bounds sports bar
as a bartender
and attended Virginia Commonwealth University
on a baseball
scholarship
, earning a bachelor's degree
in English
. He originally planned to play baseball professionally after graduating, but was forced to reconsider after suffering a severe shoulder injury.
Kenney's prior baseball career would later be used as an angle when he would visit the training camp of the 2005 world champions, the Chicago White Sox
.
executive for Pepsi, Kenney was introduced to wrestling trainer Jim Kettner. Kenney decided to become a professional wrestler, and was trained by Kettner in Salem, New Jersey
. Once his training was complete, he worked for Kettner's East Coast Wrestling Association
as "Lance Diamond", teaming with Steve Corino
.
(ECW), and wrestled his first match against Nova
in York, Pennsylvania
. In August 1998 he changed his name to "Simon Diamond", taking the name "Simon" from the real surname of his mentor, Dean Malenko
. Kenney was paired with Johnny Swinger in May 2000 during an ECW World Tag Team Championship
tournament and the two later formed a tag team which would endure for five more years.
Kenney and Swinger joined forces with C.W. Anderson in mid-2000, and began to ascend the ranks of the promotion. The impending bankruptcy of ECW in 2001 forced Kenney to seek employment elsewhere, and he began negotiations with World Championship Wrestling
(WCW) employee John Laurinaitis
, which fell through when WCW was purchased by the World Wrestling Federation
in March 2001.
Kenney worked for various independent
promotions
, including USA Professional Wrestling, Border City Wrestling
and World Wrestling All-Stars
. In Major League Wrestling
, he formed The Extreme Horsemen with his two former allies Steve Corino and C.W. Anderson. Justin Credible
was also a member, and James J. Dillon
briefly managed them before MLW folded.
(TNA) pay-per-view
, beginning a feud
with America's Most Wanted
(Chris Harris
and James Storm
). Enlisting the services of manager
Glenn Gilbertti, the duo won the NWA World Tag Team Championship
s on August 27, 2003, and held the titles until November 19, when the titles were held up following a controversial ending to a match with the 3 Live Kru.
Kenney and Swinger separated in 2004 and enagaged in a feud, which saw Kenney turn face
and embrace his Irish
heritage, wrestling as "Irish" Pat Kenney. After being briefly renamed The Empire Saint, Kenney was not booked by TNA for several months, during which time he spent three weeks competing in Japan
with the Zero-1
promotion.
Kenney returned to TNA on June 19, 2005 at Slammiversary as the heel
Simon Diamond once more. At Slammiversary, Kenney teamed with Trytan
(who he referred to as his "insurance policy
") to defeat Sonny Siaki
and Apolo
. The next month, Trytan was gone, and at No Surrender 2005 Diamond presented David Young, suggesting that, in Young, he had found "a diamond in the rough
". "Primetime" Elix Skipper
joined with Diamond and Young at Sacrifice on August 14.
In September 2005, Kenney spent two weeks in India
, where he and fellow TNA employees Sonjay Dutt
and Shark Boy
visited several cities, promoting
the debut of Impact!
on ESPN Star Sports
. On September 28 in Bhopal, a riot
broke out when 1,000 fans were excluded from an event after attendance exceeded expectations. None of the three TNA wrestlers were injured.
Kenney returned to America in October 2005, and on December 8 started an angle with Chicago White Sox catcher A. J. Pierzynski
. At Turning Point the Diamonds in the Rough (Diamond, Young and Skipper) were defeated in a six man tag team match by Chris Sabin
, Sonjay Dutt and Dale Torborg
, who had Pierzynski in their corner. Pierzynszki returned to TNA in March 2006 and was once again confronted by Diamond, who ended up getting hit with a chair by the White Sox catcher. Shortly thereafter Kenney became a road agent for TNA.
On November 3, 2008, Kenney was released from his contract with TNA, with them citing budgetary cuts as the reason.
On September 18, 2009, TNA Wrestling announced that Kenney had been rehired as a road agent to replace the fired Jim Cornette
and B.G. James.
Kenney returned to television on the July 15, 2010, edition of Impact!, aligning himself with fellow ECW alumni Tommy Dreamer
, Raven, Stevie Richards
, Rhino, Brother Devon, Al Snow
and Mick Foley
in their invasion of TNA. The following week, TNA president Dixie Carter agreed to give the ECW alumni their own reunion pay–per–view event, Hardcore Justice: The Last Stand
, as a celebration of hardcore wrestling
and a final farewell to the company. At the event Kenney returned to his Simon Diamond persona and teamed with Johnny Swinger and Kid Kash in a six man tag team match, where they were defeated by Little Guido
, Tony Luke and Tracy Smothers
of the Full Blooded Italians
.
in October 1998. Before dating, the two had been good friends for almost two years. They had planned to be married by the end of 2000 or into 2001. They did not wed, but stayed engaged for several years afterwards. After seven years together, their relationship began to come to an end. Kenney is currently married to a woman named Candice, who gave birth to the couple's first child, Quinn Ann Kenney, on April 12, 2010.
In 2001, Kenney filed a sexual abuse lawsuit against a former priest at his high school
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
), known also by his ring name
Ring name
A ring name is a stage name used by a professional wrestler, martial artist, or boxer. While some ring names may have a fictitious first name and surname, others may simply be a nickname, such as The Undertaker.-Wrestling:...
, Simon Diamond, is a retired American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional wrestler
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
, currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
as a road agent. Best known for his appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
between 1998 and 2001, Kenney is also a former baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player.
Baseball career
Patrick Kenney was an avid baseballBaseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player as a teenager, and was drafted by the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
to play Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
as a catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
in 1986. Kenney decided not to sign the contract he was offered, opting to pursue a college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
education first. Kenney took a job at the Out Of Bounds sports bar
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
as a bartender
Bartender
A bartender is a person who serves beverages behind a counter in a bar, pub, tavern, or similar establishment. A bartender, in short, "tends the bar". The term barkeeper may carry a connotation of being the bar's owner...
and attended Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Commonwealth University is a public university located in Richmond, Virginia. It comprises two campuses in the Downtown Richmond area, the product of a merger between the Richmond Professional Institute and the Medical College of Virginia in 1968...
on a baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
, earning a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in English
English studies
English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
. He originally planned to play baseball professionally after graduating, but was forced to reconsider after suffering a severe shoulder injury.
Kenney's prior baseball career would later be used as an angle when he would visit the training camp of the 2005 world champions, the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
.
Wrestling career
In 1991, while working as a marketingMarketing
Marketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments...
executive for Pepsi, Kenney was introduced to wrestling trainer Jim Kettner. Kenney decided to become a professional wrestler, and was trained by Kettner in Salem, New Jersey
Salem, New Jersey
Salem is a city in Salem County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the city population was 5,146. It is the county seat of Salem County, the most rural county in the state of New Jersey. The name Salem is related to the Hebrew word shalom, meaning "peace".The town and...
. Once his training was complete, he worked for Kettner's East Coast Wrestling Association
East Coast Wrestling Association
East Coast Wrestling Association is an American professional wrestling promotion, founded by promoter Jim Kettner in 1967. It is home to the annual Super 8 Tournament, one of the longest-running independent wrestling tournaments in the country...
as "Lance Diamond", teaming with Steve Corino
Steve Corino
Steven Eugene "Steve" Corino is a Canadian professional wrestler, who currently works for Pro Wrestling Zero1, Ring of Honor and numerous other independent promotions. Corino is a former NWA World Heavyweight Champion and ECW World Heavyweight Champion.-Early years :Corino began wrestling in 1994...
.
Extreme Championship Wrestling
In May 1998 Kenney was hired by Extreme Championship WrestlingExtreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
(ECW), and wrestled his first match against Nova
Mike Bucci
Michael "Mike" Bucci is an American semi-retired professional wrestler. Bucci is probably best known for his appearances in Extreme Championship Wrestling as Nova, Super Nova, and "Hollywood" Nova and World Wrestling Entertainment as Simon Dean...
in York, Pennsylvania
York, Pennsylvania
York, known as the White Rose City , is a city located in York County, Pennsylvania, United States which is in the South Central region of the state. The population within the city limits was 43,718 at the 2010 census, which was a 7.0% increase from the 2000 count of 40,862...
. In August 1998 he changed his name to "Simon Diamond", taking the name "Simon" from the real surname of his mentor, Dean Malenko
Dean Malenko
Dean Simon is a retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Dean Malenko. He is currently signed to WWE working as a road agent. He is best known for his time with Extreme Championship Wrestling , New Japan Pro Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling...
. Kenney was paired with Johnny Swinger in May 2000 during an ECW World Tag Team Championship
ECW Tag Team Championship
The Extreme Championship Wrestling World Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling world tag team championship in Extreme Championship Wrestling...
tournament and the two later formed a tag team which would endure for five more years.
Kenney and Swinger joined forces with C.W. Anderson in mid-2000, and began to ascend the ranks of the promotion. The impending bankruptcy of ECW in 2001 forced Kenney to seek employment elsewhere, and he began negotiations with World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
(WCW) employee John Laurinaitis
John Laurinaitis
John Joseph Laurinaitis is the Executive Vice President of Talent Relations for WWE and appears on WWE's Raw Brand as interim General Manager. He was previously a professional wrestler under the ring name Johnny Ace, and wrestled for such promotions as the National Wrestling Alliance and All...
, which fell through when WCW was purchased by the World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
in March 2001.
Kenney worked for various independent
Independent circuit
In professional wrestling, the independent circuit or indy circuit refers to the many independent promotions which are much smaller than major televised promotions. They are roughly analagous to a minor league for pro wrestling, or community or regional theatre.Specific promotions on the...
promotions
Professional wrestling promotion
A professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling. Promotion also describes a role which entails management, advertising and logistics of running a wrestling event...
, including USA Professional Wrestling, Border City Wrestling
Border City Wrestling
Border City Wrestling was an independent professional wrestling promotion once based in Windsor, Ontario. It was the base promotion for several Total Nonstop Action Wrestling wrestlers, including all of the former Team Canada, Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley. Many BCW employees were trained by Scott...
and World Wrestling All-Stars
World Wrestling All-Stars
The World Wrestling All-Stars was a professional wrestling promotion founded by Australian concert promoter Andrew McManus in 2001. The promotion was operated by McManus' International Touring Company. WWA was one of several promotions to come into existence shortly after the closings of Extreme...
. In Major League Wrestling
Major League Wrestling
Major League Wrestling is a professional wrestling promotion that markets its presentation around hybrid wrestling, which encompasses and showcases many different forms of wrestling. MLW's mission is to present itself as an alternative to sports entertainment...
, he formed The Extreme Horsemen with his two former allies Steve Corino and C.W. Anderson. Justin Credible
Peter Polaco
Peter Joseph Polaco is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation under the ring name Justin Credible. He is also known for his earlier stint with the WWF under the ringname Aldo Montoya...
was also a member, and James J. Dillon
James J. Dillon
James J. "J.J." Dillon is a retired American professional wrestler and manager.He is best known for being the strategic leader of the original Four Horsemen that consisted of Nature Boy Ric Flair, Tully Blanchard, Arn and Ole Anderson. He is most remembered as a manager in pro wrestling...
briefly managed them before MLW folded.
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
On July 9, 2003, Kenney and Swinger appeared on a Total Nonstop Action WrestlingTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
(TNA) pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
, beginning a feud
Feud (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling feud is a staged rivalry between multiple wrestlers or alliances of wrestlers. They are integrated into ongoing storylines, particularly in events which are televised...
with America's Most Wanted
America's Most Wanted (professional wrestling)
America's Most Wanted was a professional wrestling tag team consisting of "Wildcat" Chris Harris and "Tennessee Cowboy" James Storm, who competed in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
(Chris Harris
Chris Harris (wrestler)
Christopher Eric "Chris" Harris is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he was formerly one-half of the tag team America's Most Wanted along with partner & Former TNA World Heavyweight Champion James Storm.-World Championship...
and James Storm
James Storm
James Allen Cox is an American professional wrestler who competes under the ring name "The Cowboy" James Storm. Since 2002, Storm has been employed by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he, along with A.J...
). Enlisting the services of manager
Manager (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
Glenn Gilbertti, the duo won the NWA World Tag Team Championship
NWA World Tag Team Championship
The National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Championship is the professional wrestling world tag team championship within the NWA framework.-History:...
s on August 27, 2003, and held the titles until November 19, when the titles were held up following a controversial ending to a match with the 3 Live Kru.
Kenney and Swinger separated in 2004 and enagaged in a feud, which saw Kenney turn face
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
and embrace his Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
heritage, wrestling as "Irish" Pat Kenney. After being briefly renamed The Empire Saint, Kenney was not booked by TNA for several months, during which time he spent three weeks competing in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
with the Zero-1
Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX
Pro Wrestling Zero1 , formerly known as Pro Wrestling Zero-One and Pro Wrestling Zero1-Max, is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion founded in 2001. It was affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance from 2001 until late 2004 and again from 2011 onwards...
promotion.
Kenney returned to TNA on June 19, 2005 at Slammiversary as the heel
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
Simon Diamond once more. At Slammiversary, Kenney teamed with Trytan
Ryan Wilson
Ryan Wilson is an American professional wrestler who formerly worked for World Wrestling Entertainment in the Ohio Valley Wrestling developmental promotion as Jacob Duncan where he was a former OVW Heavyweight Champion...
(who he referred to as his "insurance policy
Insurance contract
In insurance, the insurance policy is a contract between the insurer and the insured, known as the policyholder, which determines the claims which the insurer is legally required to pay. In exchange for payment, known as the premium, the insurer pays for damages to the insured which are caused by...
") to defeat Sonny Siaki
Sonny Siaki
Sonny Siaki is a retired American professional wrestler. Unlike many Samoans in professional wrestling, he is not part of the large Anoa'i or Fatu family.-Early life:...
and Apolo
Germán Figueroa
Germán Figueroa is a Puerto Rican professional wrestler, better known as Nuevo Gran Apolo, or simply Apolo. Figueroa began performing in Puerto Rico's independent circuit, before entering the International Wrestling Association and World Wrestling Council...
. The next month, Trytan was gone, and at No Surrender 2005 Diamond presented David Young, suggesting that, in Young, he had found "a diamond in the rough
The Diamonds in the Rough
The Diamonds in the Rough was a professional wrestling stable in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, led by the eponymous Simon Diamond and consisting primarily of lower- to mid-card wrestlers...
". "Primetime" Elix Skipper
Elix Skipper
Elix Skipper is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling, where he was a one-time Cruiserweight Champion and a one-time Cruiserweight Tag Team Champion, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is a four-time NWA World Tag Team...
joined with Diamond and Young at Sacrifice on August 14.
In September 2005, Kenney spent two weeks in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, where he and fellow TNA employees Sonjay Dutt
Sonjay Dutt
Retesh Bhalla is an American professional wrestler of Indian Punjabi descent, better known by his ring name, Sonjay Dutt. He is best known working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, and is also known for his stints with Combat Zone Wrestling, Major League Wrestling, and other various independent...
and Shark Boy
Shark Boy
Dean Mathew Roll is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Shark Boy and his experience in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling .-Early career:...
visited several cities, promoting
Promotion (marketing)
Promotion is one of the four elements of marketing mix . It is the communication link between sellers and buyers for the purpose of influencing, informing, or persuading a potential buyer's purchasing decision....
the debut of Impact!
TNA iMPACT!
Impact Wrestling is a professional wrestling television program for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling that currently airs in the United States and Canada on Spike...
on ESPN Star Sports
ESPN Star Sports
ESPN Star Sports is a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and News Corporation...
. On September 28 in Bhopal, a riot
Riot
A riot is a form of civil disorder characterized often by what is thought of as disorganized groups lashing out in a sudden and intense rash of violence against authority, property or people. While individuals may attempt to lead or control a riot, riots are thought to be typically chaotic and...
broke out when 1,000 fans were excluded from an event after attendance exceeded expectations. None of the three TNA wrestlers were injured.
Kenney returned to America in October 2005, and on December 8 started an angle with Chicago White Sox catcher A. J. Pierzynski
A. J. Pierzynski
Anthony John "A. J." Pierzynski is an American Major League Baseball catcher who is currently with the Chicago White Sox. Pierzynski previously played with the Minnesota Twins and San Francisco Giants . Pierzynski was also a wrestler for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.-Early life:Anthony John...
. At Turning Point the Diamonds in the Rough (Diamond, Young and Skipper) were defeated in a six man tag team match by Chris Sabin
Chris Sabin
Joshua Harter is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Chris Sabin. He is currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where he currently teams with Alex Shelley as The Motor City Machine Guns.After being trained by Scott D'Amore, Sabin debuted in 2000 for...
, Sonjay Dutt and Dale Torborg
Dale Torborg
Dale Christian Torborg is an American baseball trainer and former professional wrestler. He is the son of former Major League Baseball manager Jeff Torborg. He is currently the conditioning coordinator for the Chicago White Sox....
, who had Pierzynski in their corner. Pierzynszki returned to TNA in March 2006 and was once again confronted by Diamond, who ended up getting hit with a chair by the White Sox catcher. Shortly thereafter Kenney became a road agent for TNA.
On November 3, 2008, Kenney was released from his contract with TNA, with them citing budgetary cuts as the reason.
On September 18, 2009, TNA Wrestling announced that Kenney had been rehired as a road agent to replace the fired Jim Cornette
Jim Cornette
James Mark "Jim" Cornette is an American professional wrestling manager, commentator, promoter, and booker. As a manager, he has worked for Jim Crockett Promotions, World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Federation and from 1991 to 1995, was the owner of Smoky Mountain Wrestling...
and B.G. James.
Kenney returned to television on the July 15, 2010, edition of Impact!, aligning himself with fellow ECW alumni Tommy Dreamer
Tommy Dreamer
Thomas James "Tom" Laughlin is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Tommy Dreamer. He is currently working for various promotions on the independent circuit. He is best known for his time spent with Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment...
, Raven, Stevie Richards
Stevie Richards
Michael Manna is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Stevie Richards. Also known by his ring names, Steven Richards and Dr...
, Rhino, Brother Devon, Al Snow
Al Snow
Allen Ray Sarven is an American professional wrestler and actor better known by his ring name of Al Snow. He is best known for his work in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment and currently works for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as a road agent.-Early career:Sarven...
and Mick Foley
Mick Foley
Michael Francis "Mick" Foley, Sr. is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, author, comedian, actor, voice actor and former color commentator. He has worked for many wrestling promotions, including WWE, WCW, ECW and TNA. He is often referred to as "The Hardcore Legend", a nickname he...
in their invasion of TNA. The following week, TNA president Dixie Carter agreed to give the ECW alumni their own reunion pay–per–view event, Hardcore Justice: The Last Stand
Hardcore Justice (2010)
Hardcore Justice was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on August 8, 2010 at the TNA Impact! Zone in Orlando, Florida...
, as a celebration of hardcore wrestling
Hardcore wrestling
Hardcore wrestling is a form of professional wrestling that eschews traditional concepts of match rules in favor of matches that take place in unusual environments, using foreign objects that are not normally permitted...
and a final farewell to the company. At the event Kenney returned to his Simon Diamond persona and teamed with Johnny Swinger and Kid Kash in a six man tag team match, where they were defeated by Little Guido
James Maritato
James Maritato is an American professional wrestler, of Italian origin, currently working on the independent circuit. He is best known for his work in World Wrestling Entertainment and Extreme Championship Wrestling under the ring names Little Guido Maritato and Nunzio.-Starting out:While...
, Tony Luke and Tracy Smothers
Tracy Smothers
Tracy Smothers is an American professional wrestler.-Early career:Tracy started his career in the Memphis promotion on Saturday morning TV. Steve Armstrong and Tracy Smothers started teaming as The Southern Boys in Florida Championship Wrestling in 1987 where they feuded with The New Breed...
of the Full Blooded Italians
Full Blooded Italians
The Full Blooded Italians is a professional wrestling stable and tag team that wrestled for Extreme Championship Wrestling in the late 1990s and for World Wrestling Entertainment during the mid-2000s.-Extreme Championship Wrestling:...
.
Personal life
Kenney began dating Dawn MarieDawn Marie Psaltis
Dawn Marie Psaltis is an American former professional wrestler and professional wrestling valet. She is perhaps best known for her appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling and the SmackDown! brand of World Wrestling Entertainment under her ring name Dawn Marie, where she was a WWE...
in October 1998. Before dating, the two had been good friends for almost two years. They had planned to be married by the end of 2000 or into 2001. They did not wed, but stayed engaged for several years afterwards. After seven years together, their relationship began to come to an end. Kenney is currently married to a woman named Candice, who gave birth to the couple's first child, Quinn Ann Kenney, on April 12, 2010.
In 2001, Kenney filed a sexual abuse lawsuit against a former priest at his high school
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Gem Cutter (Three-quarter facelock bulldogCutter (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling, a cutter is a common term that refers to the three-quarter facelock bulldog maneuver. The move is also described as an inverted neckbreaker, though it is not one, it only bears an inverted style to it...
) - Simonizer (Fireman's carry reverse DDT)
- Signature moves
- Discus punch
- Simon Series (Two snap suplexes followed by either a sitout inverted suplex slam or a bridging northern lights suplex)
- STO
- Superkick
- With Johnny Swinger
- Problem Solver (Flapjack DDT)
- ManagersManager (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
-
- BobcatCynthia LynchCynthia Lynch is an American professional wrestler. She is perhaps best known for her time in the World Wrestling Federation as one of the The Godfather's many "hos"...
- Jim CornetteJim CornetteJames Mark "Jim" Cornette is an American professional wrestling manager, commentator, promoter, and booker. As a manager, he has worked for Jim Crockett Promotions, World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Federation and from 1991 to 1995, was the owner of Smoky Mountain Wrestling...
- J.J. DillonJames J. DillonJames J. "J.J." Dillon is a retired American professional wrestler and manager.He is best known for being the strategic leader of the original Four Horsemen that consisted of Nature Boy Ric Flair, Tully Blanchard, Arn and Ole Anderson. He is most remembered as a manager in pro wrestling...
- Vincent Giambi
- Glenn Gilbertti
- Bill ApterBill ApterBill Apter is a journalist specializing in professional wrestling and best known for the kayfabe or so-called "mark" magazines for which he edited and photographed matches from the 1970s to the present. The magazine he became most prominently known for was Pro Wrestling Illustrated...
- Gail KimGail KimGail Kim is a Canadian professional wrestler of Korean descent, who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where she is the current TNA Women's Knockout Champion and one half of the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champions with Madison Rayne...
- Dawn MarieDawn Marie PsaltisDawn Marie Psaltis is an American former professional wrestler and professional wrestling valet. She is perhaps best known for her appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling and the SmackDown! brand of World Wrestling Entertainment under her ring name Dawn Marie, where she was a WWE...
- Terri RunnelsTerri RunnelsTerri Lynne Boatright Runnels is a former World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Federation professional wrestling manager, television host and occasional wrestler....
- Angel Williams
- TaliaVelvet SkyJamie Szantyr is an American professional wrestler currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Velvet Sky. She is a former TNA Women's Knockout Champion and TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champion with her former Beautiful People partners Madison Rayne and Lacey Von Erich...
- Patricia Steinman
- Judd the Studd
- Barry Casino
- Noel Harlow
- Mitch
- Humphrey j DuPont IV
- Bobcat
- Wrestlers managed
- David YoungDavid Young (wrestler)David Williams , better known by his ring name, David Young, is an American professional wrestler. Though he has mainly appeared with NWA Wildside and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, Young has also competed for Ring of Honor, Asistencia Asesoría y Administración and ZERO-ONE...
- Elix SkipperElix SkipperElix Skipper is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling, where he was a one-time Cruiserweight Champion and a one-time Cruiserweight Tag Team Champion, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is a four-time NWA World Tag Team...
- Los Ben Dejos (Ben Dejo and Marty Con)
- NicknameNicknameA nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
s - "Irish"
- "Superstar"
- "The Empire Saint"
- Entrance themesMusic in professional wrestlingMusic in professional wrestling serves a variety of purposes. The most common uses of music in professional wrestling is that of the entrance theme, a song or piece of instrumental music which plays as a performer approaches the ring...
- "Simon Says" by Drain STHDrain STH-Biography:Noted today for their Seattle/Grunge sound, Stockholm all female quartet Drain STH have undergone many direction changes in both musical style and image. Guitarist Flavia Canel and drummer Martina Axén have been together in many acts starting with punk band Livin' Sacrifice...
Championships and accomplishments
- East Coast Wrestling AssociationEast Coast Wrestling AssociationEast Coast Wrestling Association is an American professional wrestling promotion, founded by promoter Jim Kettner in 1967. It is home to the annual Super 8 Tournament, one of the longest-running independent wrestling tournaments in the country...
- ECWA Heavyweight ChampionshipECWA Heavyweight ChampionshipECWA Heavyweight Championship is the top title contested in the independent professional wrestling promotion East Coast Wrestling Association.-References:...
(1 time) - ECWA Mid-Atlantic Championship (1 time)
- ECWA Tag Team ChampionshipECWA Tag Team ChampionshipECWA Tag Team Championship are the tag team titles contested in the independent professional wrestling promotion, East Coast Wrestling Association.- Title history :...
(2 times) – with Cheetah Master (1) and Steve CorinoSteve CorinoSteven Eugene "Steve" Corino is a Canadian professional wrestler, who currently works for Pro Wrestling Zero1, Ring of Honor and numerous other independent promotions. Corino is a former NWA World Heavyweight Champion and ECW World Heavyweight Champion.-Early years :Corino began wrestling in 1994...
(1) - ECWA Hall of Fame (Class of 1995)
- Super 8 TournamentECWA Super 8 TournamentThe Super 8 Tournament is an annual professional wrestling tournament held by the East Coast Wrestling Association. The tournament is contested by eight wrestlers in a one-night single-elimination format.-History:...
(1998)
- Independent Wrestling Federation (New Jersey)
- IWF Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Tournament of Champions (2000)
- Major League WrestlingMajor League WrestlingMajor League Wrestling is a professional wrestling promotion that markets its presentation around hybrid wrestling, which encompasses and showcases many different forms of wrestling. MLW's mission is to present itself as an alternative to sports entertainment...
- MLW Global Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with C.W. Anderson
- MLW Global Tag Team Championship Tournament (2003)
- Maximum Pro Wrestling
- MPW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- MPW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Johnny SwingerJoseph DorganJoseph Robert "Joe" Dorgan is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as Johnny Swinger and with World Wrestling Entertainment as Johnny Parisi....
- National Wrestling AllianceNational Wrestling AllianceThe National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
- National
- NWA North American Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA North American Heavyweight ChampionshipThe NWA North American Heavyweight Championship is the second most prestigious title in the National Wrestling Alliance that was created in 1994 after World Championship Wrestling withdrew from the NWA. There were other versions of this title before this one was created...
(1 time) - NWA United States Tag Team ChampionshipNWA United States Tag Team Championship (New Jersey version)The New Jersey version of the NWA United States Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling tag team championship contested for in the American-based promotion National Wrestling Alliance 's Jersey subsidiary. The title was only contestable by tag teams in tag team matches...
(1 time) – with Steve Corino
- NWA North American Heavyweight Championship
- Regional
- NWA 2000 Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Pennsylvania Championship Wrestling
- PCW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- PCW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Reckless Youth
- PCW United States Championship (3 times)
- Pro-Pain Pro Wrestling
- 3PW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Mike KruelMike KruelMichael "Mike" Mayo, Jr. is an American professional wrestler, better known under his ring name Mike Kruel. He began his career in the independent circuit, wrestling in Pro-Pain Pro Wrestling, Ring of Honor, East Coast Wrestling Association and USA Pro Wrestling, while occasionally making...
- Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- PWI ranked him #78 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2004
- Total Nonstop Action WrestlingTotal Nonstop Action WrestlingTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
- NWA World Tag Team ChampionshipNWA World Tag Team ChampionshipThe National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Championship is the professional wrestling world tag team championship within the NWA framework.-History:...
(1 time) – with Johnny Swinger
- USA Pro Wrestling
- USA Pro Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Matt StrikerMatthew KayeMatthew Kaye is an American actor, wrestling commentator and semi-retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Matt Striker. He is signed to WWE, where he serves as the host of WWE NXT....