Monty Sopp
From Freepedia
| Monty Sopp | |
|---|---|
| Image:Monty Sopp.jpg | |
| Statistics | |
| Stage names | Kip Sopp Kip Winchester Billy Gunn Rockabilly Mr. Ass "Bad Ass" Billy Gunn The Gunnfather Billy G. "The One" Billy Gunn Billy The New Age Outlaw The Outlaw Kip James |
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) |
| Weight | 268 lb (122 kg) |
| Born | November 11, 1963 |
| Hometown | Austin, Texas |
| Debut | 1992 |
Monty 'Kip' Sopp (born November 11, 1963 in Austin, Texas) is an American professional wrestler, best known as "Bad Ass" Billy Gunn from when he competed in World Wrestling Entertainment. He is currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Kip James.
Contents |
Career
When Billy Gunn first arrived in World Wrestling Federation (now WWE) he teamed with his storyline brother, Bart Gunn, as The Smokin' Gunns. The Gunns would separate in late 1996. After feuding briefly with his brother, Gunn struggled to make an impact in the WWF and languished in dead-end gimmicks like "Rockabilly," the new protege of the Honky Tonk Man. When Gunn started teaming with another struggling singles wrestler, the "Road Dogg" Jesse James, to form The New Age Outlaws, however, he finally took the spotlight. The New Age Outlaws were in the spirit of the new Attitude Era: brash, vulgar, egotistical loud-mouths. Throughout late 1997 and the whole of 1998, the Outlaws would dominate the WWF Tag Team division. In fact, some would say that they may have been one of the most popular tag teams in the company's history (Next to The Hart Foundation and The Legion of Doom) In the aftermath of WrestleMania XIV, the outlaws joined the Triple H-led D-Generation X. The Outlaws fitted the DX role perfectly and helped elevate the group to superstardom. After 1998, the Outlaws would separate, then reunite until early 2000 when, after suffering a serious arm injury in a match with The Dudley Boyz, Billy Gunn was kicked out of DX after "losing his cool." Sopp then took some much needed time off to tend to his arm injury before returning later in the year. He teamed with Chyna and dropped the Mr. Ass gimmick after losing a series of battles against the Right to Censor.
In June 1999 Billy Gunn won the King of the Ring tournament defeating Ken Shamrock, Kane and X-Pac. This was the height of Gunn's popularity.
Gunn would later join with Chuck Palumbo in an ambiguously gay duo gimmick called Billy and Chuck and would later gain a manager and "stylist" in Rico. In the late summer of 2002, Billy & Chuck became the most-talked-about duo in the WWE when Chuck proposed to Billy, asking him to be his "partner for life." They had a marriage ceremony on the 2002 season premiere of SmackDown! Just before they tied the knot, however, they revealed that the entire ordeal was a publicity stunt, and both characters disavowed their on-screen homosexuality.
On November 1, 2004, Sopp along with A-Train and Test were released by the WWE. At the time of his release he was one of the most tenured wrestlers with the company, second only to The Undertaker and perhaps Hardcore Holly.
In June 2005 Sopp gave an interview in which he was heavily critical of the WWE and the events that lead to his release. Many of the negative comments were directed towards Triple H, who Sopp claimed "runs the show up there".
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
On February 13, 2005, Sopp debuted in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as The New Age Outlaw (as Billy Gunn is a WWE trademark) at the Against All Odds PPV, helping Jeff Jarrett retain the NWA World Heavyweight Championship in a match with Kevin Nash. Sopp then formed a stable with Jarrett and Monty Brown known as Planet Jarrett. His in-ring name was shortened to The Outlaw shortly thereafter, most likely because WWE had a trademark claim to The New Age Outlaws.
Sopp began a campaign to make B.G. James (the former Road Dogg) leave the 3Live Kru and defect to Planet Jarrett, reforming the New Age Outlaws with Sopp. On July 17 at No Surrender he renamed himself Kip James and was announced as "wrestling out of Marietta, Georgia" (the family seat of the James family) as a psychological ploy. As a result of his campaign, Sopp attracted the ire of 3Live Kru members Ron Killings and Konnan, leading to a series of tag team matches pitting Sopp and Monty Brown against Killings and Konnan, with a conflicted B.G. James unwilling to take sides. Sopp's efforts ultimately proved futile as James, appointed guest referee in a final match between Brown and Sopp and Konnan and Killings at Sacrifice on August 14, attacked him, enabling the 3Live Kru to defeat Sopp and Brown.
On September 11, 2005 at Unbreakable, Sopp teamed with Brown to defeat the team of Apolo and Lance Hoyt. There was clear tension between the partners, with Brown unhappy at the series of losses the feud with the 3Live Kru had produced and Sopp irked by Brown's decision to leave Planet Jarrett. Despite the victory, the partners argued after the match.
On the October 8 episode of iMPACT! on Spike TV, Sopp rekindled his feud with the 3Live Kru, running to the ring after a bout between the 3LK and Team Canada in order to prevent Team Canada captain Petey Williams from beating down B.G. James. He saved James, then engaged in a staredown with Konnan and Killings. Sopp saved James from Team Canada once again at Bound For Glory on October 23; though Killings showed signs of gratitude, Konnan remained sceptical as to his true intentions. Later that night, Sopp took part in an over-the-top-rope gauntlet match for the number one contendership to the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. After he was eliminated, he tried in vain to prevent Killings from being eliminated as well before being sent away from ringside by the referees.
In wrestling
Quotes
- "...and if you ain't down with that, we got two words for ya - suck it!"
Previous managers
Finishing and signature moves
- Jumping Legdrop / Fameasser / Famouser (Jumping legdrop on to the neck of a bent opponent)
- Ass Kisser / Diving Fameasser / Famouser (Jumping legdrop on to the neck of a bent opponent from an elevated position)
- The One and Only (Cobra clutch slam)
- Jackhammer Slam (Suplex powerslam)
- Gunn Slinger (Swinging side slam)
With Bart Gunn
- Sidewinder (Sidewalk slam / legdrop combo)
- Double Russian legsweep
- Back suplex into neckbreaker
- Back body drop into piledriver
With The Road Dogg
Championships and accomplishments
World Wrestling Federation
- 1-time WWF Intercontinental Champion
- 2-time WWF Hardcore Champion
- 10-time WWF/WWE World Tag-Team Champion (3-time with Bart Gunn, 5-time with The Road Dogg, 2-time with Chuck)
- 1999 King of the Ring
IWF (Florida)
- 1-time IWF Tag Team Champion (with Bart Gunn)
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- PWI ranked him number 231 of the 500 best singles wrestler of the "PWI Years"
- PWI ranked him number 43 of the best tag teams of the "PWI Years" (with The Road Dogg)
- 1998 Tag Team of the Year Award (with The Road Dogg)
- 2002 Tag Team of the Year Award (with Chuck Palumbo)
| Preceded by: Eddie Guerrero | WWE Intercontinental Champions | Succeeded by: Chris Benoit |
External links
