Paul London

London signed with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in mid–2003, working a few dark matches before being sent to the company's developmental territory, Ohio Valley Wrestling, on August 30. London made his official WWE television debut on the SmackDown! brand, losing to Brock Lesnar in a match for the WWE Championship on October 9. After the match, Lesnar continued to attack London until fellow cruiserweight Spanky (Brian Kendrick) made the save. The two competed as a tag team on SmackDown!'s sister show Velocity until Spanky left the company in January 2004.
London then began a tag team with Billy Kidman on January 29, 2004.[25] On the July 8 episode of SmackDown!, the duo won the WWE Tag Team Championship from the Dudley Boyz.[26] They defended the title against the Dudleys on several occasions before losing the championship to René Duprée and Kenzo Suzuki on September 9, due to Kidman leaving London to fight by himself.[27][28][29] Kidman's heel turn led to a feud between the two, which culminated at No Mercy where Kidman defeated London with a shooting star press. After the match, London was bleeding from the mouth and being stretchered when Kidman pulled him back into the ring with the stretcher and delivered another shooting star press to London's injured ribs.[30] This storyline was put in place after London had broken his nose wrestling Booker T on an episode of SmackDown! a few weeks prior to the event.[31] The nose required surgery and for London to miss a few months.[32] London returned on November 25, wrestling on Velocity until the end of the year.[33]On March 10, 2005, London became the number one contender for Chavo Guerrero's WWE Cruiserweight Championship, which he later won in a cruiserweight battle royal.[34][35] Guerrero challenged London for the title at Judgment Day, where London emerged victorious.[36] During another title match with Guerrero on June 23, The Mexicools stormed the ring, attacking both London and Guerrero.[37] On the July 14 episode of SmackDown!, London teamed with Scotty 2 Hotty and Funaki to face The Mexicools. The ending of the match saw Juventud perform the 450° splash on London for the win, but landing his knee onto London's face and legitimately injuring him in the process.[38][39] London lost the Cruiserweight Title on the August 4 edition of Velocity to Nunzio.[40] Later in the night, London cut a heel promo encouraging the fans to protest his title loss.[41] London went on a losing streak before returning as a face and teaming with the newly rehired Brian Kendrick.[42]On the December 16 edition of Velocity London and Kendrick remade their image, wearing theatrical masks to the ring and matching vests and shorts.[43] On the April 7, 2006 edition of SmackDown!, London and Kendrick defeated WWE Tag Team Champions MNM in a non-title match.[44] They continued their winning streak on the champions, including singles victories for both Kendrick and London on Johnny Nitro and Joey Mercury, respectively.[45][46][47] London and Kendrick won the WWE Tag Team Title at Judgment Day,[48] thus defeating MNM six times in a row in both singles and tag team matches.[49] On August 11, K. C. James and Idol Stevens defeated the champions in a non-title match, igniting a feud between the two teams.[50] During the rivalry, WWE Diva Ashley Massaro began accompanying London and Kendrick to the ring. She acted as a valet to the team, combating the actions of James and Stevens' manager Michelle McCool.[51]
On October 14, London and Kendrick became the longest reigning WWE Tag Team Champions of all time, surpassing MNM's previous record of 145 days. They, however, soon began a losing streak to the team of William Regal and Dave Taylor. Regal defeated both team members in singles matches, and on the December 8 edition of SmackDown!, Kendrick and London lost a tag team match to the pair. During a scheduled title defense at Armageddon, London and Kendrick not only retained against Regal and Taylor but won a Fatal Four-Way tag team ladder match which also involved MNM and The Hardys. On the January 12, 2007 edition of SmackDown! London and Kendrick were successful in retaining their championship against Regal and Taylor in a traditional tag team match.
On February 2, 2007, London and Kendrick suffered a non-title loss to the rookie team Deuce 'n Domino, though, they were able to successfully defend the titles at No Way Out. London and Kendrick lost the championship to Deuce 'n Domino on the April 20 edition of SmackDown!, ending their reign at 331 days (SmackDown! was recorded on April 17). During the match London missed a moonsault from the ring apron to the floor kayfabe injuring his ribs, leaving Kendrick to battle Deuce 'n Domino alone. Selling his injured ribs, London was absent from physical action until the May 11 edition of SmackDown, defeating Domino in singles competition. London and Kendrick unsuccessfully competed for the title on June 1 in a Triple Threat tag team match, which also involved Regal and Taylor, and lost a rematch on June 15 in a standard tag team match.
London, along with Kendrick, was drafted to the Raw brand on June 17, 2007 during the Supplemental Draft.[68] They won their debut match on Raw against The World's Greatest Tag Team on June 18.[69] On September 3, they won a number one contender's match for Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch's World Tag Team Championship.[70] At a house show in South Africa on September 5, London and Kendrick defeated Cade and Murdoch to win the World Tag Team Title, only to lose it back in a rematch three days later.[71][72] At the end of 2007, he was inactive due to a foot injury.[73] On the February 4, 2008 edition of Raw, London returned to action in a match with Kendrick against the team of Carlito and Santino Marella.[74] On the March 17 edition of Raw, London and Kendrick faced Umaga in a handicap match. During the match, Kendrick walked out and left London to get pinned,[75] however, no dissension came of the incident, as London and Kendrick continued to team up.[76]The team came to an end when Kendrick was drafted back to the SmackDown brand as part of the 2008 WWE Supplemental Draft.[77]London was released from his WWE contract on November 7, 2008.[78]
Category:Alumni