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Gunner Scott released from WWE

Posted: Oct 12th 2006 By: CMBurnham

WWE released a press notice this afternoon stating that Gunner Scott had been released from his WWE contract because he "wasn't connecting with the audience".

Scott was signed to a WWE contract at the end of 2003. He last competed in Oklahoma on Decemeber 13, 2003, losing to then-SRPW Champion Brandon Groom. After that, Scott, with his wife Kaci Kannon, relocated to Louisville to begin training for a shot on 1 of the WWE brands. While in Ohio Valley Wrestling, he became (at the time of this article) the only Triple Crown winner in OVW, holding the Heavyweight Title twice, the tag team title with current RAW Superstar Chris Masters and winning a tournament to become the inaugural OVW Television Champion.

Scott made sporadic appearances on WWE Television before being called up to the Smackdown brand shortly after Wrestlemania this year. He defeated current WWE Smackdown World Champion King Booker in his Smackdown debut, sparking a brief feud between them. He was also taken under the wing of former WWE RAW World Champion Chris Benoit, who seemed ready to guide him through the initial months of his new opportunity. But shortly after this partnership was formed, Benoit chose to take 5 months off to recouperate from injuries and "burn-out", most notably the death of his close friend Eddie Guerrero. Benoit's departure left Scott without his mentor and, while he continued to appear on WWE TV, it was often on Velocity in matches that weren't terribly important. Scott's last WWE TV appearance was a loss to current WWE United States Champion Ken Kennedy, followed by a burial by the Great Kahli.

Scott relocated back to OVW and waited patiently for another opportunity to show the WWE that he belonged on 1 of the 3 brands. While back in OVW, he had notable feuds with Eddie Craven and then-OVW Television Champion Seth Skyfire. His first tenure in OVW had produced unforgettable feuds with current ECW star C. M. Punk and WWE RAW World Tag Team Champion, Spirit Squad member Kenny (then known as Ken Doane).

Scott did make an appearance in 2004 at a TPW event while recovering from a shoulder injury. He came to assist his cousin, current NWA-U Oklahoma, COMPOUND Pro and FCW Champion Rocco Valentino in a match against Anthony Jackson and Romero Contreras, allowing Rocco to retain the TPW Oklahoma Title. Scott also made several appearances on the TornadoVision internet broadcasts and was most recently a co-host with Rocco Valentino and Jackson Lee for some internet broadcasts of COMPOUND matches.

Scott's immediate plans are not known. He could stay in OVW and try to earn a developmental spot again. He has made an appearance for NWA-TNA before and might head down there. And with family in Oklahoma, the possibility always exists that the VIP Crew could reunite in COMPOUND Pro, FCW or NWA-U.