Kenny Dykstra
Doane in 2009
Birth nameKenneth George Doane Jr.
Born (1986-03-16) March 16, 1986 (age 38)[1][2]
Southbridge, Massachusetts,
United States[1][2]
Alma materNichols College
FamilyKen Doane Sr. (father)
Vicky Doane (mother)
Mike Doane (brother)
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)El Diablo[1]
Ken Doane[1][3]
Kenn Doane[4]
Kenn Phoenix[1]
Kenny[5][6]
Kenny Dykstra[6]
Stan Shooter[7]
Billed height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)[6]
Billed weight230 lb (100 kg)[6]
Billed fromWorcester, Massachusetts[8]
Trained byKiller Kowalski[3]
Ohio Valley Wrestling[3]
Debut2001[3]

Kenneth George Doane Jr.[1] (born March 16, 1986)[1][2] is an American professional wrestler. He previously performed for WWE as Kenny Dykstra and Kenny.[5]

Doane was trained by former professional wrestler Killer Kowalski, and made his wrestling debut at the age of fifteen in 2001. He began working for Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW), per WWE request. In May 2003, Doane made his WWE television debut as "Ken Phoenix". During his time in OVW, he won the Television Championship once. After losing the title, Doane became part of The Spirit Squad faction. The team debuted on Raw in January 2006, and won the World Tag Team Championship three months later.

Doane was the only member of the Spirit Squad to remain on WWE television following their split, though fellow member Nicky would later return to WWE in 2008 as Dolph Ziggler. Debuting the new ring name of "Kenny Dykstra", he was drafted to the SmackDown! brand in June 2007, but was released from his WWE contract in November 2008. He later began working on the independent circuit, wrestling for promotions including Dragon Gate USA and Evolve.

Professional wrestling career

Early career (2001–2005)

Doane made his professional wrestling debut in 2001 at the age of fifteen.[3][6] He started his professional wrestling career in the New England area under the name "Broadway" Kenn Phoenix.[9] He was later trained by professional wrestler and trainer Killer Kowalski in Malden, Massachusetts.[6][8] After being contacted by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), he was asked to make appearances for their developmental territory Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW). Doane made his first national television appearance in WWE at the age of 17 on the May 12, 2003 episode of WWE Raw as Ken Phoenix. Along with his brother, Mike Phoenix, he was a participant in Rodney Mack's ongoing "5-Minute White Boy Challenge" where Mack defeated Caucasian wrestlers in under five minutes. Mack defeated the pair in 1:31, forcing them both to submit to his new Blackout finishing hold.[10] He made another appearance, losing to Lance Storm on an episode of Sunday Night Heat before being officially signed to a developmental deal and to OVW full-time on June 4, 2004.[6] On June 3, 2005, Doane had his first match, at the promotion, against Kenzo Suzuki, whom Doane defeated.[6] Three weeks later, on June 25, 2005, he won the Television Championship from Deuce Shade.[11] He had successful title defenses, but Doane lost the title to CM Punk on November 9, 2005.[6]

World Wrestling Entertainment

Raw (2005–2007)

After losing the Television Championship, Doane became a part of the Spirit Squad, a faction using the in-ring personas of male cheerleaders, using the name "Kenny".[6] On the January 23, 2006, episode of Raw, the group helped Jonathan Coachman win a Royal Rumble qualifying match against Jerry "The King" Lawler by performing cheers for Coachman and distracting Lawler.[12] They later became a part of the ongoing scripted feud between WWE chairman Vince McMahon and Shawn Michaels. The villainous McMahon brought in the Squad to attack Michaels on numerous occasions, including placing them in multiple handicap matches.[13][14]

Members of the Spirit Squad in the ring, including Kenny on the right.

They also continued wrestling in the tag team division, and on April 3, on Raw, the Squad won the World Tag Team Championship when Kenny and Mikey, with outside help from the other three Squad members, defeated the team of Big Show and Kane.[15][16] After winning the championship, all five members of the team were recognized as the champions, allowing any combination of them to defend the championship.[2] Also, Kenny became the second youngest wrestler to win a title in WWE at the age of 20 years, 18 days (he was surpassed by Tyler Bate in 2017).[17]

Three weeks later, McMahon scheduled another handicap match, with the Spirit Squad facing Michaels.[18][19] The match never started, however; instead the Spirit Squad brutally beat down Michaels, ripping apart his ring attire and, as part of the storyline, shattered his knee with a chair.[18] McMahon then called Triple H to the ring to attack Michaels with a sledgehammer; however, Kenny snatched the sledgehammer away from him, disrespecting Triple H, which led to him attacking the group.[18] Triple H and Michaels revived their former team, D-Generation X (DX), and began a feud with the Spirit Squad.[20][21] DX played various sophomoric pranks on the team and the McMahons (Vince and his son Shane), as well as defeating the Spirit Squad in handicap tag team matches at Vengeance and a clean sweep in an elimination handicap match at Saturday Night's Main Event.[21][22][23][24]

At the same time as their feud with DX and their alignment with McMahon, the team also wrestled other teams in Raw's tag division over the World Tag Team Championship. The group successfully defended the tag team championship against the teams of Jim Duggan and Eugene, Charlie Haas and Viscera, and Snitsky and Val Venis.[22] They then entered a lengthy feud with The Highlanders,[25][26] whom they eventually defeated to retain the title at Unforgiven.[27]

The Squad as a whole later began a losing streak with separate members losing singles matches to Ric Flair on consecutive episodes of Raw.[28][29][30] After two consecutive losses to the debuting Cryme Tyme, Kenny attacked Mikey on the October 23 episode of Raw, and announced that he was going to defeat Flair. Kenny was successful, despite Flair attempting to even the odds by bringing other WWE Legends (Dusty Rhodes, Sgt. Slaughter, and "Rowdy" Roddy Piper) to the ring with him.[31][32] It was then announced that Flair and a legend, selected by interactive voting, would wrestle the team for the World Tag Team Championship at the Cyber Sunday pay-per-view in early November.[32] The fans chose Piper, and he and Flair defeated Kenny and Mikey to win the championship.[33]at Survivor Series (2006), The Spirit Squad faced off against the Legends (Ric Flair, Sgt. Slaughter, Dusty Rhodes, and Ron Simmons) in a Four-on-four Survivor Series elimination match where they lost.

The group disbanded on the November 27 Raw after losing a five-on-three match against Flair and DX.[34] Later that night, DX placed all five members into a crate stamped "OVW, Louisville, Kentucky", a reference to the developmental territory from which the Squad had come.[35]

After the breakup of the Spirit Squad, he was repacked as Kenny Dykstra - an homage to baseball player Lenny Dykstra - with a new attire and a new theme music.[5]"Kenny Dykstra's WWE Profile". World Wrestling Entertainment. Archived from the original on January 10, 2008. Retrieved January 27, 2010.</ref>[36] He became interested in joining the group Rated-RKO, which consisted of Edge and Randy Orton. In order to join, he was told to prove himself first.[37] He continued the feud with Ric Flair, managing to pick up three straight victories over Flair one being at New Year's Revolution (2007) before finally losing to him on the January 15, 2007 episode of Raw.[6] Dykstra competed in the 2007 Royal Rumble match and got eliminated by Edge. After his feud with Flair, Dykstra become a mainstay on Raw's sister show Heat, having feuds with both Eugene and Val Venis.

He then formed a tag team with Johnny Nitro,[38] but the duo split when Kenny was drafted to the SmackDown! brand on June 17, 2007, as part of the WWE Supplemental Draft while Nitro was drafted to ECW.[39]

SmackDown! and departure (2007–2008)

Dykstra made his debut on the July 6, 2007 episode of SmackDown! in a losing effort to the re-debuting Chuck Palumbo.[40] On the July 20, 2007 episode of SmackDown!, Dykstra participated in a 20-man battle royal for the World Heavyweight Championship and was eliminated by Chris Masters; later on that evening, he lost to Matt Hardy in singles competition.[41]

Dykstra formed an on-screen relationship with Victoria on the July 27 episode of SmackDown!.[42] The two teamed together in mixed tag team matches, usually against Jimmy Wang Yang and Torrie Wilson or Chuck Palumbo and Michelle McCool.[43] They also regularly accompanied each other to the ring for matches.[44][45]

After a leave of absence from television in the first half of 2008, Dykstra made his return on the August 15 episode of SmackDown, losing to WWE Champion Triple H. On November 10, 2008, WWE announced Doane had been released from his contract.[46]

Independent circuit (2009–present)

Doane in 2010.

In 2009, Doane began working for Dragon Gate USA under his real name.[3] On December 3, 2009, it was announced that Doane would be joining recently opened promotion Evolve as Kenn Doane.[4] He debuted at the promotions first show on January 16, 2010, in a loss to Jimmy Jacobs.[47]

On March 9, 2010, Doane, under his real name, wrestled in a tryout dark match for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, losing to Homicide.[6] On November 1, 2010, Doane announced that he had turned down a chance to wrestle another tryout match for TNA.[48] On November 15, 2011, Doane wrestled a dark match for WWE at the SmackDown tapings in Bridgeport, Connecticut, losing to Justin Gabriel.[49]

In October 2011, Doane took part in the first season tapings of Wrestling Retribution Project (WRP), performing under the ring name "Simply" Stan Shooter.[7]

In September 2014, Doane took part in Chikara's 2014 King of Trios tournament, using his Spirit Squad character and teaming with Johnny and Mikey.[50] After a win over Sinn Bodhi and the Odditorium (Qefka the Quiet and Sir Oliver Grimsly) on September 19, the Spirit Squad was eliminated from the tournament in the second round on September 20 by the Golden Trio (Dasher Hatfield, Icarus, and Mark Angelosetti).[51]

On November 12th 2016, wrestling as The Spirit Squad, Doane along with Mikey captured the NYWC Tag Team Championship from Hounds of Hatred (Boo Sullivan and Bam Sullivan) at Firestorm 3[52] 15 days later, Spirit Squad lost the titles back to Hounds of Hatred.[53] on December 17, 2016 at House of Hardcore 23, The Squad (Kenny and Mikey) were defeated by Tommy Dreamer and The Sandman.

Return to WWE (2016–2017)

Doane, as Kenny, made a return to WWE on the October 4 episode of SmackDown along with Mikey in their Spirit Squad characters, appearing in a segment where they would taunt Dolph Ziggler about his time in the Spirit Squad. They would then attack Ziggler on orders from the Intercontinental Champion The Miz and Maryse until Ziggler fought back and took them both out. Five days later, at the No Mercy pay-per-view, he and Mikey tried to distract Ziggler in his Career vs. title match under Maryse's command, but were unsuccessful in doing so.[54] On the October 11 episode of WWE Smackdown, Kenny and Mikey took on Dolph Ziggler in a 2-on-1 Handicap match; Ziggler won but was then attacked by The Miz and saved by Rhyno and Heath Slater. On the October 18 episode of WWE Smackdown, Kenny and Mikey and the Miz defeated Dolph Ziggler, Heath Slater and Rhyno in a six-man tag team match with Kenny pinning Slater. On October 25th Kenny and Mikey received a match up for the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship but wrestled to a losing effort. On the 1 November edition of SmackDown, Kenny and Mikey lost a match against American Alpha, with the latter being awarded spots of a Survivor Series line-up. Kenny and Mikey would team up once more for a 16-person tag match on the November 15th edition of Smackdown. After not being featured on television in many months due to not being offered a full contract, Kenny, along with Mikey, was officially removed from the SmackDown Live roster on March 25, 2017.[55]

Ring of Honor (2017)

On the ROH TV Tapings The Young Bucks issued an open challenge for the ROH World Tag Team Championship which was answered by Kenny and Mikey for the Spirit Squad. The next week Spirit Squad were unsuccessful at winning the ROH World Tag Team Championship from The Young Bucks.

Other media

Doane appeared on Seducing Cindy, a Fox Reality series[56] that follows Cindy Margolis, once the most downloaded woman on the Internet, as she searches for a new love. The program premiered on January 30, 2010.[57] Doane made it to the final five, one episode away from the season finale, but was eliminated.

In 2013, while rehabbing a knee injury, Doane penned his first children's book entitled Billy's Bully. The book was released in June 2013.[58]

Personal life

Doane was born to Ken and Vickie Doane[8] in Southbridge, Massachusetts. His parents were supportive of his decision in becoming a professional wrestler.[8] He has an older brother named Mike. Doane attended Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School in Charlton, Massachusetts.[8]

Doane was formerly engaged to fellow professional wrestler Mickie James.

In 2012, Doane enrolled in Nichols College where he started playing football. He plays as a tight end and linebacker.[59]

In wrestling

Doane performing the Sky High.
Doane performing a suplex.

Championships and accomplishments

Notes

a Kenny defended the championship with either Johnny, Mitch, Nicky, or Mikey under the Freebird Rule.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "IGN: Kenny Dykstra". IGN. Archived from the original on February 17, 2010. Retrieved May 20, 2008.
  2. ^ a b c d "Slam Sports — Wrestling — Kenny Dykstra". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved September 27, 2007.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Ken Doane". Dragon Gate USA. Retrieved July 25, 2009.[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ a b c d "Evolve profile". Evolve Wrestling. Archived from the original on December 31, 2009. Retrieved January 2, 2010. ((cite web)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ a b c d "Kenny Dykstra's WWE Profile". World Wrestling Entertainment. Archived from the original on January 10, 2008. Retrieved January 27, 2010.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Kenny Dykstra Bio". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved January 27, 2010.
  7. ^ a b c "First look at Ken Doane's character in WRP". Pro Wrestling Torch. December 8, 2011. Retrieved December 8, 2011.
  8. ^ a b c d e Wilson, Jim (February 12, 2007). "The road to WWE stardom". Worcester Telegram & Gazette. The New York Times Company. Retrieved March 23, 2010.
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  10. ^ Tylwalk, Nick (May 12, 2003). "WWE Raw Report — May 12, 03". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved January 27, 2010.
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