MONTY SOPP

'Monty "Kip" Sopp' (born November 1, 1963) is an American professional wrestler, best known as '"Badd Ass" Billy Gunn' (also spelled as "Bad Ass") from his years working for World Wrestling Entertainment. He is currently working on the independent circuit as 'The G-Man' and for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name 'Kip James' as one half of the Voodoo Kin Mafia with long-time friend BG James.

Career

World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment (1993-2004)

The Smoking Gunns

When Sopp first arrived in the World Wrestling Federation, he used the name 'Billy Gunn' and teamed with his storyline brother, Bart Gunn, as 'The Smokin' Gunns'. In early 1995, they won their first WWF Tag Team Championship by defeating the makeshift team of Bob Holly and The 1-2-3 Kid. World Tag Team Title History They held the titles until WrestleMania XI when they were defeated by the team of Owen Hart and Yokozuna.^[1] They won the titles again in September 1995.
On February 15, 1996, The Gunns vacated the titles because Sopp was in need of neck surgery.^[2] After Sopp returned from hiatus, The Smoking Gunns won the Tag Titles for the third time by defeating The Godwinns in May. After the match, The Godwinns' manager Sunny turned on her team in favor of The Gunns.^[3] She and Sopp went on to have an on-screen relationship.
In September, The Gunns lost their titles to the team of Owen Hart and The British Bulldog. After the match, Sunny abandoned The Gunns, saying that she would only manage title holders. Sopp, frustrated with both losing the titles and Sunny, walked out on Bart and broke up The Smoking Gunns.

The New Age Outlaws

After briefly feuding with his kayfabe brother, Sopp adopted a new gimmick, 'Rockabilly', and became the protégé of The Honky Tonk Man. During this time, he had a short lived feud with "The Real Double J" Jesse James. On ''Shotgun Saturday Night'', James realized both of their careers were going nowhere and suggested that they became a tag team. Sopp agreed and smashed a guitar over the Honky Tonk Man's head.
James and Sopp, rechristened "The Road Dogg" Jesse James and '"Badd Ass" Billy Gunn' became 'The New Age Outlaws'. This new team was in the spirit of the new Attitude Era: brash, vulgar, egotistical, and loud-mouthed. They quickly rose to the top of the tag team ranks and won the WWF Tag Team Championship from The Legion Of Doom on November 24.^[4] They also defeated the LOD in a rematch at .^[5]
The Outlaws slowly began to align themselves with D-Generation X, who were impressed with their new attitude. At the 1998 Royal Rumble, The New Age Outlaws interfered in a Casket match to help Shawn Michaels defeat The Undertaker. At No Way Out Of Texas (1998), The Outlaws teamed up with Triple H and Savio Vega (who replaced the injured Shawn Michaels) to face Chainsaw Charlie, Cactus Jack, Owen Hart, and Stone Cold Steve Austin. However, they were defeated.^[5]
A few weeks later, The Outlaws shocked everybody when they locked Cactus Jack and Chainsaw Charlie in a dumpster and pushed it off the stage. This led to a Dumpster Match at WrestleMania XIV where Cactus and Chainsaw defeated The Outlaws for the Tag Titles.^[5] The next night on ''RAW'', The New Age Outlaws won the Tag Team Championship for a second time by defeating Chainsaw Charlie and Cactus Jack in a Steel cage match, but only after interference from Triple H, Chyna and X-Pac. RAW 1998 Results Online World of Wrestling After the match, The Outlaws officially became members of 'D-Generation X'.

D-Generation X

After joining DX, The Outlaws successfully defended their Tag Titles against the Legion Of Doom 2000 at Unforgiven 1998.^[5] DX began to feud with Owen Hart, who joined the stable The Nation. At Over The Edge 1998, The Outlaws and Triple H were defeated by Nation members Owen, Kama Mustafa, and D'Lo Brown in a Six Man Tag Match.^[5] The Outlaws would also successfully defend their titles against The New Midnight Express (Bombtastic Bob & Bodacious Bart) at King Of The Ring 1998.^[5]
During this time, The Nation quietly disbanded and The Outlaws began a feud with Kane and Mankind. Eventually, Kane & Mankind won the Tag Titles but could not get along. At SummerSlam 1998, Mankind faced The Outlaws in a Handicap Match after Kane no-showed the title defense. Pro Wrestling Illustrated presents: 2007 Wrestling almanac & book of facts The Outlaws defeated Mankind to win the titles for the third time. The Outlaws then helped X-Pac in his feud with Jeff Jarrett and Southern Justice. In December, The Outlaws lost their titles to The Big Boss Man and Ken Shamrock from The Corporation.

Singles Competition 1999

The Outlaws then began to focus more on singles competition. The Road Dogg won the WWF Hardcore Championship in December 1998, and Sopp set his sights on the WWF Intercontinental Championship. WWF Hardcore Championship Title History At the 1999 Royal Rumble, Sopp unsuccessfully challenged Ken Shamrock for the Intercontinental Title.^[5] The next month at St. Valentine's Day Massacre, Sopp was the ''Special Guest Referee'' for the Intercontinental Championship Match between Val Venis and the champion Ken Shamrock, where Sopp made a fast count and declared Venis the new champion before attacking both men.^[5]
In March, Sopp won the WWF Hardcore Championship from Hardcore Holly. At WrestleMania XV, Sopp lost the title to Holly in a Triple Threat Match which also included Al Snow.^[5] The New Age Outlaws then reunited to defeat Jeff Jarrett and Owen Hart at Backlash 1999.^[5] After Backlash, Sopp left DX, aligned himself with Triple H and Chyna, and became known as 'Mr. Ass'. He defeated his former partner, Road Dogg, in a match at Over the Edge 1999.^[5] Sopp then won the King of the Ring 1999 Tournament by defeating Ken Shamrock, Kane, and his former DX ally, X-Pac.^[5] After King of the Ring, Sopp, Triple H, and Chyna went on to feud with X-Pac and Road Dogg over the rights to the DX name. This feud culminated at Fully Loaded 1999 when X-Pac and Road Dogg defeated Sopp and Chyna.^[5]
Sopp then began a feud with The Rock. At Summerslam 1999, The Rock defeated Sopp in a Kiss My Ass Match.^[5]

The Reformation of The New Age Outlaws and DX

Sopp then briefly feuded with Jeff Jarrett for the Intercontinental Title before reuniting with Road Dogg to reform The New Age Outlaws. The Outlaws won their fourth tag team championship by defeating The Rock 'n' Sock Connection in September 1999. After defeating teams such as Edge and Christian, Hardcore Holly and Crash Holly, and The Acolytes, The Outlaws reunited with X-Pac and Triple H to reform D-Generation X. The reformed DX then feuded with the likes of Steve Austin, The Rock, Kane, Mankind, Shane McMahon and Vince McMahon. During this time, The Outlaws won their fifth WWF Tag Team Championship after defeating Mankind and Al Snow.
At the 2000 Royal Rumble, The New Age Outlaws retained their titles against The Acolytes after and interference from X-Pac.^[5] The Outlaws then had a heated feud with The Dudley Boyz, who won the WWF Tag Team Championships from The Outlaws at No Way Out 2000.^[5] After suffering a torn rotator cuff in a match with The Dudley Boyz, Sopp was kicked out of DX for "losing his cool." Sopp then took time off to tend to his arm injury, before returning later in the year.

Singles Competition 2000-2001

Sopp made his return in October and immediately teamed with Chyna to feud with The Right to Censor, who wanted to "censor" his Mr. Ass gimmick. At No Mercy 2000, Right to Censor members Steven Richards and Val Venis defeated Chyna and Sopp.^[5] Due to a stipulation, Sopp could no longer use the Mr. Ass gimmick, so he renamed himself 'Billy G.' for a few weeks before settling on '"The One" Billy Gunn'. Gunn then feuded with Eddie Guerrero and The Radicalz. At Survivor Series 2000, Sopp teamed with Road Dogg, Chyna, and K-Kwik in a losing effort against The Radicalz.^[5] A few weeks later on ''SmackDown!'', Sopp won the Intercontinental Championship from Guerrero. Intercontinental Championship Title History The title reign was short lived, however, as Chris Benoit defeated him two weeks later at Armageddon 2000.
After feuding with Benoit, Sopp interfered in the WWF Hardcore Championship Match at No Way Out 2001, and taking advantage of the 24/7 Rule, pinned Raven for the title. The reign was short lived, as Raven won it back a few minutes later. Sopp competed in the Hardcore Division until June, when he turned heel and had a short feud with the 2001 King Of The Ring, Edge. After the feud, Sopp quietly turned face again and formed a short lived tag team with Big Show. At Show's request, the team was called "The Show Gunns". At InVasion 2001, The Show Gunns and Albert lost to the team of Shawn Stasiak, Hugh Morrus, and Chris Kanyon.^[5] The Show Gunns quietly disbanded and Sopp feuded with the The Alliance midcarders.

Billy & Chuck

In a 2001 match on ''Sunday Night Heat'', Sopp was defeated by Chuck Palumbo, who recently left the The Alliance to join the WWF. After the match, Sopp suggested that they form a tag team. Palumbo agreed and 'Billy and Chuck' quickly rose to the top of the tag team division. They also grew increasingly affectionate toward each other, showing evidence of a (kayfabe) homosexual relationship.
In February 2002, Billy & Chuck defeated Spike Dudley and Tazz to win the Tag Titles for the first time as a team. After winning the titles, Billy & Chuck found a "Personal Stylist" in the ambiguously flamboyant Rico. After defeating The APA, The Dudley Boyz, and The Hardy Boyz in a Four Corners Elimination Match at WrestleMania X8, and Al Snow and Maven at Backlash 2002, Billy & Chuck feuded with Rikishi.^[5]^[5] At Judgment Day 2002, Rikishi & Rico (Rikishi's Mystery Partner of Mr. McMahon's choosing) defeated Billy & Chuck for the Tag Titles after Rico accidentally hit Chuck with a Roundhouse Kick.^[5] Billy & Chuck quickly won the titles back two weeks later on ''SmackDown!'' with Rico's help. They held the championship for about a month before losing it to the team of Edge and Hulk Hogan.
Later that summer, after Sopp lost a match to Rey Mysterio, Chuck proposed to Sopp asking him to be his "partner for life" and gave him a wedding ring. Sopp agreed, and Billy & Chuck became the most-talked-about duo in WWE. On September 12, 2002 episode of ''SmackDown!'', Billy & Chuck had their wedding ceremony. SmackDown! September 12, 2002 Results Online World of Wrestling However, just before they tied the knot, they revealed that entire ordeal was a publicity stunt and disavowed their on-screen homosexuality, admitting that they were just friends, and the "preacher" revealed himself to be ''RAW'' General Manager Eric Bischoff (who was wearing a skin mask), who then summoned Three Minute Warning to beat up Billy & Chuck. Rico, furious that Billy & Chuck gave up their gimmick, became the manager of Three Minute Warning and defected to ''RAW''. At Unforgiven 2002, Three Minute Warning defeated Billy Gunn & Chuck Palumbo.^[27] Their final match together occurred on ''SmackDown!'' in the first round of a tournament for the newly created WWE Tag Team Championship. They lost the match to the team of Ron Simmons and Reverend D-Von.^[28] Afterwards, Sopp took a few months off because of a shoulder injury and the team of Billy & Chuck quietly disbanded.

2003-2005

After returning in the summer of 2003, Sopp reprised the "Mr. Ass" gimmick and Torrie Wilson became his new manager. He started a feud with Jamie Noble which led to an "Indecent Proposal" Match at Vengeance 2003, which Noble won and due to a stipulation, won a night with Torrie.^[5] On ''SmackDown!'', it looked as if Torrie was going to have a Ménage à trois with Noble and Nidia until Sopp broke into the hotel room ready to brawl with Noble. When the cameras came back, all four of them were laying in bed after having a foursome. Sopp then started a short lived tag team with Noble before taking time off again because of shoulder injury.
Sopp returned to action at the 2004 Royal Rumble but was eliminated by Goldberg.^[5] Sopp then wrestled mainly on ''WWE Velocity'', before forming a tag team with Hardcore Holly, which quickly rose to the top of ''Smackdown!'s'' tag team division. At Judgment Day 2004, they unsuccessfully challenged Charlie Haas and Rico for the WWE Tag Team Championship.^[5] Sopp then had a short feud with Kenzo Suzuki before challenging for the WWE United States Championship.
In September 2003, Sopp was reportedly "found passed out" at an airport and WWE sent him to a drug rehabilitation program. On November 1, 2004, Sopp, along with A-Train and Test, was released by the WWE. At the time of his release, he was one of the most tenured wrestlers with the company, behind only The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels. In June 2005, Sopp gave an interview in which he was heavily critical of WWE and the events that led to his release. Many of the negative comments were directed towards Triple H, who Sopp claimed "runs the show up there". Ironically, in a January 2007 interview, Sopp broke kayfabe and stated that he left WWE under good terms, and would gladly return if the money was right. Several pro-wrestling websites have reported that Sopp has received much backstage heat in TNA for these comments.

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2005-present)

On February 13, 2005, Sopp debuted in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling without a name (as 'Billy Gunn' is a WWE trademark) at Against All Odds 2005, helping Jeff Jarrett retain the NWA World Heavyweight Championship in a match with Kevin Nash.^[5] Sopp, using the name 'The New Age Outlaw', then formed a stable with Jarrett and Monty Brown known as Planet Jarrett. However, WWE threatened TNA with legal action if Sopp continued the use of the name "The New Age Outlaw", so he shortened his name to 'The Outlaw'.
Sopp began a campaign to make former ally B.G. James leave the 3Live Kru and defect to Planet Jarrett, reforming the old tag team with Sopp. On July 17 at No Surrender 2005 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.^[33] 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 versus Konnan and Killings at Sacrifice 2005, attacked Sopp enabling a 3Live Kru victory.^[5]
In September at Unbreakable 2005, Sopp teamed with Brown to defeat the team of Apolo and Lance Hoyt. Pro Wrestling Illustrated presents: 2007 Wrestling almanac & book of facts There was clear tension between the partners because Brown was unhappy at the series of losses at the hands of the 3Live Kru, and Sopp was irked by Brown's decision to leave Planet Jarrett. Despite the victory, the partners argued after the match.
On the October 8, 2005 episode of ''iMPACT!'', 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.^[35] He saved James, and then engaged in a staredown with Konnan and Killings. Sopp saved James from Team Canada once again at Bound for Glory 2005. Pro Wrestling Illustrated presents: 2007 Wrestling almanac & book of facts Though Killings showed signs of gratitude, Konnan remained skeptical 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.

The James Gang

On the November 26, 2005 episode of ''iMPACT!'', B.G. brought Kip and the 3Live Kru to ringside and asked Killings and Konnan whether Kip could join the stable. TNA iMPACT November 26, 2005 Results Online World of Wrestling Following a heated argument between Konnan and B.G., both Killings and Konnan gave their approval, and the 'Four Live Kru' was born. However, at Turning Point 2005, Konnan attacked both B.G. and Kip, costing them their match against Team Canada and initiating a feud between himself and the remainder of the Kru.^[36] Shortly thereafter, B.G. James's father, Bob Armstrong, attempted to reconcile the group, but was instead attacked by Konnan and his new stablemates, Homicide and Hernandez. Killings later stated that he had severed his ties with the Kru. With Konnan and Killings no longer members of the Kru, Kip and B.G. began referring to themselves as 'The James Gang'.
By November 2006, Kip and B.G began to show displeasure in TNA and threatened to go find work elsewhere if they did not receive gold soon. They began performing the crotch chop, a reference to the WWE's DX. On the November 2 edition of ''iMPACT!'', Kip and B.G. threatened to quit. TNA iMPACT November 2, 2006 Results Online World of Wrestling Kip grabbed the mic and tried to say something to the TNA administration and Spike TV, but each time his mic was cut off. Kip then tried to use the announcer's headset, but it was cut off as well. Frustrated, he started yelling loudly to the crowd, but he was cut off again as the show went to a commercial break. When the show returned, the announcers speculated that they may have been frustrated due to the influx of new talent entering TNA. It was reported that the segment was a worked shoot that Vince Russo had written in order to renew interest upon their eventual return. Kip and BG appeared in an internet video on TNA's website where they addressed the owner of WWE Vince McMahon.

Voodoo Kin Mafia

A few weeks later on ''iMPACT!'', The James Gang reemerged under a new name 'Voodoo Kin Mafia'; the group name 'Voodoo Kin Mafia' share the same initials as WWE owner Vincent Kennedy McMahon. They mentioned their new right of 'creative control', meaning they could do whatever they wanted. They also declared 'war' on Paul Levesque, Michael Hickenbottom, and Vincent K. McMahon (Triple H, Shawn Michaels, and WWE owner Vince McMahon respectively). Kip then declared that 'Triple Hollywood' and 'Shawn Kiss-my-bottom' were failing as the group they (Kip and BG) used to be a part of: D-Generation X.^[37] After the initial shock value of this incident wore off, VKM began a feud with Christy Hemme. Hemme then searched for a tag team to square-off against VKM. The final tag team was Damaja and Basham, who appeared on a episode of ''iMPACT!'' and beat down VKM. They also held up Kip James so Hemme could slap him. However, on June 27, at Slammiversary 2007 they beat Hemme's team. After the match, VKM were betrayed by their associate Lance Hoyt. At Victory Road, they introduced there new manager, the Voodoo Queen, Roxy Laveaux, to embarrass Christy Hemme.

Wrestling facts

★ 'Finishing and signature moves'
:
★ '''Fameasser''' / '''Famouser''' (Leg drop bulldog)
:
★ '''Super Fameasser''' / '''Super Famouser''' / '''Ass Kisser''' / '''Diving Fameasser''' (Diving leg drop bulldog)
:
★ '''One and Only''' / '''Missouri Boat Ride''' (Lifting Cobra clutch slam)
:
★ '''Gunnslinger''' (Swinging side slam)
:
★ Piledriver used as a finisher in wwe but a signature move since
:
★ Suplex powerslam
:
★ Fallaway slam
:
★ Cutter
:
★ Gutbuster
:
★ Gorilla press slam
:
★ Hip toss into neckbreaker
:
★ Tilt-a-whirl slam
:
★ Rolling fireman's carry slam
:
★ Running high angle corner body splash

★ 'Managers'
:
★ Chyna
:
★ The Honky Tonk Man
:
★ Rico
:
★ Ryan Shamrock
:
★ Sunny
:
★ Torrie Wilson
:
★ Roxy Laveaux

★ 'Nicknames'
:
★ "Bad Ass"
:
★ "Mr. Ass"
:
★ "The One"
:
★ "Superstar"
:
★ "Ass Man"

Championships and accomplishments

★ 'International Wrestling Federation'
:
★ IWF Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Brett Colt

★ 'Maryland Championship Wrestling
:
★ MCW Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with B.G. James

★ 'World Wrestling Federation'
:
★ WWF Hardcore Championship (2 times)
:
★ WWF Intercontinental Championship (1 time)
:
★ WWF World Tag Team Championship (10 times) - with Bart Gunn (3), The Road Dogg (5), and Chuck (2)
:
★ King of the Ring (1999)

★ 'World Pro Wrestling'
:
★ WPW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

★ 'Pro Wrestling Illustrated'
:
★ PWI Tag Team of the Year award in 2002 - with The Road Dogg.
:
★ PWI ranked him # '231' of the 500 best singles wrestler of the PWI Years in 2003.
:
★ PWI ranked him # '43' of the 100 best tag teams of the PWI Years - with The Road Dogg, in 2003.
:
★ PWI Tag Team of the Year award in 2002 - with Chuck Palumbo

Other media

★ Sopp appeared in an episode of ''Sabrina The Teenage Witch'' as a wrestler who Sabrina Spellman was obliged to wrestle in order to let her cat's daughter marry her fiance, who was the son of Sopp's character.

★ In late 2006 into early 2007, he would appear on a commercial in the UK for the hot chocolate drink Options as the "ooh la la vanilla" flavour.

Personal life

In November 1990, Sopp was arrested in Florida for disorderly conduct.^[38]
Sopp married his wife Tina on March 3, 1990. Together they have two sons: Colten, who was born on May 18, 1994, and Austin, who was born on September 26, 1995. The two separated in January 2000 and their divorce was finalized on February 15, 2001. Sopp's Divorce Papers TheSmokingGun
Sopp has done a shoot interview on Steroids. He said that he took steroids, but he explained that some guys take it out of proportion.^[39]

References

External links

★ Official Website

★ TNA Profile

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