page_title: Ken Anderson (wrestler)
section_title: United States Champion (2005–2007)
hierarchical_section_title: Ken Anderson (wrestler) / Professional wrestling career / World Wrestling Entertainment / United States Champion (2005–2007)
caption_attribution_description: Mr. Kennedy (Ken Anderson) stands-over a battered Hardcore Holly. Taken during the WWE Raw - Survivor Series Tour, at Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia. Kennedy wrestled Bob 'Hardcore' Holly; the match was won by Kennedy pinning Holly with a roll-up.
context_page_description: Kenneth Anderson is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling trainer, and ring announcer, who is currently signed to National Wrestling Alliance as a wrestler and with Top Rank Boxing as their announcer. Anderson is known for his tenure with WWE from 2005–2009 under the ring name Mr. Kennedy and his work in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as Mr. Anderson.
  Anderson started his career on the independent circuit, until he was signed to a development contract with World Wrestling Entertainment and was assigned to Ohio Valley Wrestling, WWE's farm territory. He was promoted to the main roster in 2005. One year after his debut, he won the WWE United States Championship, which he held for 42 days. At WrestleMania 23, he won the 2007 Money in the Bank, a briefcase with a title shot for the promotion's world title. However, he dropped the briefcase to Edge after suffering an injury. Kennedy would remain with the promotion until 2009.
  In 2010, Anderson signed with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he competed under the ring names Mr. Anderson and Ken Anderson.
context_section_description: Kennedy, as a heel, defeated Funaki in his SmackDown! debut on August 25. Kennedy also created an ongoing mini-feud with SmackDown! ring announcer Tony Chimel based on Kennedy believing that Chimel's announcing was not done well enough or with sufficient respect, and therefore performing his own introductions or forcing Chimel to introduce him again. Kennedy's self-ring introductions before the match became one of his trademarks. While working on both Velocity and SmackDown!, he was also still working in OVW. Kennedy made his pay-per-view debut at No Mercy, defeating Hardcore Holly and injuring Holly's ribs during the match.
  On the November 11 episode of SmackDown!, Kennedy faced Eddie Guerrero to compete for a spot on SmackDown!'s Survivor Series team. He lost the match when Guerrero tossed him a steel chair and played possum, a move which Guerrero had made famous. The referee turned around and saw Guerrero on the ground with Kennedy holding the chair, and consequently disqualified Kennedy, awarding the place on Team SmackDown! to Guerrero. This was Kennedy's first loss. In retaliation, Kennedy struck Guerrero over the head with the chair after the match. This was Guerrero's final televised match, as he died two days later. In interviews about the incident, Kennedy has stated that he considers this an "unfortunate honor".
  In December, Kennedy participated in WWE's overseas tour. On the second day in Italy, Kennedy suffered a legitimate latissimus dorsi tear. Kennedy was sidelined for nearly six months while he rehabilitated the injury. He continued to make appearances on SmackDown! and Velocity throughout January and February and even made an appearance on the January 11, 2006, episode of WWE Byte This! with Todd Grisham to maintain visibility.
  At the OVW tapings on May 17, Kennedy returned to in-ring action, facing OVW Heavyweight Champion CM Punk in a title match that Kennedy lost. Kennedy made his return to SmackDown! on the June 9 episode with a victory over Scotty 2 Hotty after using the "Kenton Bomb." On the July 14 episode of SmackDown!, Matt Hardy used a roll-up to defeat Kennedy, ending Kennedy's streak of never being defeated by pin or submission. On the July 21 episode of SmackDown!, Batista put out an open challenge to find an opponent for The Great American Bash, as his original opponent, Mark Henry, had been injured. Kennedy accepted the challenge and won the match by disqualification, however, he suffered a injury during the match after being thrown headfirst into the steel steps, resulting in an exposed cranium laceration which required twenty stitches to close. Kennedy helped Vince and Shane McMahon in their feud with D-Generation X, appearing at both SummerSlam and the August 28 episode of Raw to attack them.
  On the September 1 episode of SmackDown!, Kennedy defeated Finlay and Bobby Lashley in a triple threat match to win the WWE United States Championship, his first and only championship reign in WWE. On the September 8 episode of SmackDown!, Kennedy announced that he wanted to move over to the Raw brand, as SmackDown! did not interest him anymore since he had already defeated every top performer on the roster. This led to SmackDown! General Manager Theodore Long making a match between Kennedy and The Undertaker, who Kennedy had never faced, to be held at No Mercy. Kennedy won the match by disqualification. On the October 13 episode of SmackDown!, Kennedy, now with a win over The Undertaker, again stated his desire to move to Raw. However, Long again put him against an opponent who he had never faced—this time Chris Benoit—with Kennedy's title on the line. Long said that if Kennedy were to defeat Benoit, he would be given his release and be allowed to go to Raw. Ultimately, Kennedy lost the match and the United States Championship to Benoit after submitting to the "Crippler Crossface" following a distraction by The Undertaker.
  In November, Kennedy joined forces with Montel Vontavious Porter (MVP) in matches against The Brothers of Destruction (Undertaker and Kane). On the November 3 episode of SmackD
caption: Mr. Kennedy standing over Hardcore Holly at a Raw house show
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