Brent Albright

Brent Alan Albright (November 28, 1978) is an American professional wrestler, perhaps best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment, during which he appeared on Friday Night SmackDown! as Gunner Scott. He is a former one-time NWA World Heavyweight champion, having defeated Adam Pearce in New York, New York at the Ring of Honor's Death Before Dishonor VI event on August 2, 2008.
==Career==
===World Wrestling Entertainment (2004-2006)===
====Ohio Valley Wrestling (2004-2006)====
Albright signed a development contract in early 2004 and was sent to Ohio Valley Wrestling. During his time with Ohio Valley Wrestling, Albright was both OVW Heavyweight Champion and OVW Television Champion, as well as co-holder of the OVW Southern Tag-Team Championship with World Wrestling Entertainment wrestler Chris Masters. Albright was the first 'Triple Crown' winner in OVW, winning all 3 major titles.
Albright was the first-ever OVW 'Beat the Champ' TV champion, which is now simply called the OVW TV title. He defeated Seth Skyfire on January 26, 2005 to win the title. He held that title until April 30, 2005 when he won his first Ohio Valley Wrestling Championship by defeating Matt Morgan with the 'Crowbar'. Albright vacated the TV title shortly after winning the OVW title. He was also the first 'Dual Title Holder' in OVW history. He held the OVW championship until August 3, when he lost to Johnny Jeter.
Shortly after losing the OVW title, Albright began a feud with Ken Doane over the OVW TV title in a feud that started over Doane accusing Albright of disrespecting the TV title. In October 2005, in the midst of the feud with Doane, Albright also began feuding with CM Punk, who had recently debuted in OVW, when Punk refused to shake Albright's hand after he had pinned him in a match. This would be the issue that their feud centered around. Albright would offer his hand however Punk would refuse to shake it. Punk would then mock Albright and extend his hand out for a handshake, but then pull it back at the last second. In the end, Albright picked up the victory and forced CM Punk to finally shake his hand. Punk would actually attack Albright prior to his TV title match against Doane and then took Albright's place, going on to win the TV title when Albright accidentally hit Doane with a chair.
Albright and Punk would fight week after week with a challenge for the TV Title. And week after week, Albright's frustrations grew more as he would somehow manage to find a way to defeat Punk in the ring but on each occasion Punk would find a way to maintain his title, using either a time limit or an injury to hang on to the belt. Punk would continue to tell Albright that he was the better wrestler in the ring, but Punk was the smarter wrestler and was still the champ. He would tell Albright "You got Punk'd".
In December 2005, Albright, Ken Doane and CM Punk competed in the first ever Triple Threat match in Ohio Valley Wrestling for the TV Title. Punk won the match when he made Albright tap out to the Anaconda Vice while Albright also had Doane in a Sharpshooter. On January 4, 2006, Albright was in a rematch with Doane and Punk for the title. Doane was forced to leave the match early due to injury and was replaced by Aaron Stevens. Albright seemingly gained his revenge on Punk, eliminating him from the match with the crowbar, only to have Punk return and attack him, leading to Stevens winning the championship.
On the January 11, 2006 OVW show, Albright won a chance for a match against Stevens for the TV Title at an upcoming WWE house show in Louisville, Kentucky by actually teaming up with CM Punk in a match against Paul Burchill and Ken Doane. Punk and Albright won the match when Punk made Burchill tap out to the Anaconda Vice, but Albright went on to lose the rematch against Stevens. The feud between Punk and Albright took a new turn when the two began teaming together weekly, competing with each other in a game of oneupmanship. Punk challenged Albright to see who could make their opponent tap out the quickest in a match with The Highlanders. Albright made Rory tap out in less than a minute, only to be attacked by Punk and choked out with the Anaconda Vice. Afterwards, just like many times before, Punk would tell Albright that he had been 'Punk'd'. After saving Punk from a 5 on 1 attack by the Spirit Squad, Albright told Punk that they would never be able to settle their differences as long as the Spirit Squad was around. The next week, Punk and Albright teamed up to take on all 5 members of the Spirit Squad in a match that saw Albright set-up Punk. Albright turned on Punk, giving the impression that being 'Punk'd' for months had finally gotten into his head to the point to where he was obsessed with returning the favor on Punk. Albright introduced a new element to their feud upon his heel turn: his grandfather's thick leather strap, which Albright used to continually whip Punk.
On the March 1, 2006 OVW show, CM Punk and Brent Albright met in the finals of a tournament to crown a new OVW Heavyweight Champion (vacated by Matt Cappotelli). Punk suffered a knee injury in the match, and consequently had to be carried out on a stretcher, only to be attacked and whipped by Albright with the strap. Albright dragged Punk back to the ring, and after surviving a comeback by Punk, managed to lock in the STF. Though Punk did not tap out, Albright managed to hold the lock in so that Punk would pass out, giving Brent the victory and making him a two-time OVW Heavyweight Champion. The next week, Albright vowed that Punk would never get a title shot at the OVW title unless he shook Albright's hand. A defeated Punk came out, but instead of shaking Albright's hand he hand-cuffed him to the top rope and viciously strapped him with Albright's own leather strap. This led to a strap match between the two on the May 3, 2006 OVW show, where Albright lost the title to Punk.
====SmackDown! (2006)====
Albright made his WWE debut on the April 7, 2006 edition of SmackDown!. He was billed as Gunner Scott, getting no (on screen) entrance and was portrayed as a jobber until he suddenly defeated Booker T (due to the Boogeyman's music being played and distracting Booker T). Later during the show, Chris Benoit met him backstage and praised him on his winning debut, possibly setting the stage for Scott being groomed as Benoit's protégé.
On the May 19, 2006 edition of SmackDown! Gunner Scott would team up for the first time with his "mentor", Benoit, to take on Booker T and Finlay. Scott would win the match, pinning Booker T once again with another distraction in the form of Bobby Lashley. On the June 16 episode, Albright teamed up with Matt Hardy to take on Finlay and William Regal in a losing effort.
On June 28, 2006, Albright was sent back down to OVW. His last appearance on SmackDown! was on the June 30 episode, against Mr. Kennedy in a losing effort. After the match he was placed in a body bag by The Great Khali.
After that, Albright returned to OVW and went back to using Brent Albright as his ring name. He engaged in a feud with Charles Evans for Evans' OVW Television Championship. He would eventually be released from his WWE contract on October 12, 2006.
===Ring of Honor===
Albright made his debut for Ring of Honor on October 27, 2006, in Dayton, Ohio with a loss to Christopher Daniels. In his second outing he participated in a gauntlet match where he defeated both Trik Davis and Jason Blade, after which the crowd chanted "Please Come Back" and "Welcome Home".
After competing in Ring of Honor for over a month to earn a roster spot, he finally did on November 26, 2006.
Shortly after earning a roster spot, he turned heel after attacking Colt Cabana on the orders of Lacey. He became known as "The Gun for Hire" Brent Albright, willing to take payments to inflict injury on an opponent. At the International Challenge, he received a payment from Bryan Danielson to injure Homicide's shoulder shortly before their ROH World Championship match at Final Battle 2006.
He was, alongside B.J. Whitmer and Adam Pearce, a member of ROH's Hangmen 3 stable. In April 2008 "Sweet N'Sour" Larry Sweeney bought all three men's contracts and merged them into Sweet N'Sour Inc. Whitmer balked and was booted from the group. On May 10, 2008 Albright quit the group himself following a Tag Team Scramble match where he and Chris Hero lost to Delirious and Pelle Primeau. He suplexed every member of the group minus Sweeney who escaped.
After not appearing in ROH for nearly six months, Albright returned to the company at the March 5 tapings of Ring of Honor Wrestling.
===National Wrestling Alliance===
Brent made the finals of the NWA Reclaiming the Glory tournament to crown a new NWA World Heavyweight Champion. On September 1, 2007 he lost to "Scrap Iron" Adam Pearce in the tournament finale in Bayamon, Puerto Rico and began chasing Pearce for the title. On August 2, 2008 in New York City Albright defeated Adam Pearce to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, however Pearce quickly regained the belt on September 20 at the New Alhambra Arena in Philadelphia.
Brent Albright also wrestles for NWA Showcase and has had matches against Trevor Murdock, and many other top NWA wrestlers.
==Personal life==
Albright is married to his former in ring manager Kaci Cannon (Stephanie Capshew). They have two children, a son (born 2001) and a daughter (born 2008). Albright and his family returned to Oklahoma, where they currently reside, shortly after his release from WWE. Albright's younger brother, Blake, also wrestles professionally on the independent scene.
Albright graduated from Union High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1997.
==In wrestling==
*Finishing moves
**Crowbar (Fujiwara armbar)
**Belly to belly suplex
**Half Nelson Suplex
**Sharpshooter
**Standing chickenwing / hammerlock combination, followed by repeated knee strikes to the head
*Signature moves
**6-1-Knee (Swinging knee lift to a rope hung opponent)
**Ankle lock
**Backhand chop
**Cross-legged fisherman buster onto the knee
**Crucifix powerbomb
**Diving crossbody block
**Military press powerslam
**Multiple suplex variations
***Bridging / Release cradle
***Bridging / Release / Rolling German
***Delayed vertical
***Exploder
***Gutwrench
***Overhead belly to belly
***Snap
**One shoulder powerbomb
**Slingshot DDT
*Managers
**Kaci Cannon
**Steve Hartley
**Larry Sweeney
*Nicknames
**"The Shooter"
**"The Gun For Hire"
*Entrance themes
**"Clayed and Stitched" by 8 Degrees
**"I Don't Wanna Stop" by Ozzy Osbourne
==Championships and accomplishments==
*National Wrestling Alliance
:World
:*NWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
:Regional
:*NWA Oklahoma Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
:*NWA Universal Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
*Ohio Valley Wrestling
**OVW Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
**OVW Television Championship (1 time)
**OVW Southern Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Chris Masters
*Oklahoma Championship Wrestling
**OCW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
**OCW Tag Team Championship (3 times) - with Rocco Valentino
*Oklahoma Wrestling Alliance
**OWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
**OWA Ironman Championship (2 times)
*Pro Wrestling Illustrated
**PWI ranked him #165 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2010
*Steel Rage Pro Wrestling
**SRPW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
==External links==
* Profile
Category:American wrestlers
Category:Oklahoma wrestlers
Category:NWA World Heavyweight Champions
Category:OVW Triple Crown champions
Category:1978 births
Category:1998 debuts
Category:All Pro Wrestling alumni
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Category:IWA Mid-South alumni
Category:IWA Puerto Rico alumni
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Category:National Wrestling Alliance alumni
Category:NWA Bluegrass alumni
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Category:NWA Midwest alumni
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Category:Ohio Valley Wrestling alumni
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Category:World Wrestling Entertainment alumni
Category:Living people
Category:Male wrestlers
Category:Ring of Honor alumni
Category:Impact Zone Wrestling alumni
Category:NWA Oklahoma alumni
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Category:World Wrestling Council alumni