Kevin Kelly

Real name: Kevin Foote
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 240 lbs.
Date of birth: May 9, 1967
Hometown: New York City
Pro debut: 1992

– Kelly got into broadcasting through college radio
– Kelly’s first wrestling appearances came as a ring announcer for Eddie Mansfield’s IWF promotion out of Florida
– Kelly received a WWF tryout at the behest of fellow IWF-alum Billy Gunn. He was hired in June 1996 as a backstage interviewer
– In August 1996, Kelly briefly joined the Raw announce team, stepping down in October
– Kelly was the interviewer during the infamous ‘Pillman’s got a gun’ segment in November 1996
– In November 1999, Kelly began working for the ECWA promotion as a heel manager alonside his WWF duties
– On April 7, 2001, Kelly (with the help of his charges, Rick Fuller & Billy Fives) defeated Cheetah Master to win the ECWA Heavyweight Title. He was stripped of the title due to the interference soon after
– Later that year, Kelly would become the host for WWF Byte This!
– Kelly was released from his WWE contract in March 2003
– Kelly briefly worked for Major League Wrestling before the promotion closed in late 2004
– Kelly was inducted into the ECWA Hall of Fame in December 2005
– In August 2007, Kelly began hosting ‘The Kevin Kelly Show’ across various internet radio and podcast platforms
– On March 2, 2010, Kelly signed with ROH to be their lead play-by-play announcer for their PPV events. He would soon expand his role into their television tapings as well
– Kelly made his NJPW debut in October 2015, providing English commentary for the King Of Pro Wrestling event. He would become a regular broadcaster for the company from 2016
– On February 2, 2017, Kelly gave notice to ROH and would leave the promotion that July
– Kelly won the Wrestling Observer’s Best TV Announcer in 2018, 2019 and 2022, and was also voted ‘Best Announcer Of The Decade’ for the 2010s in the 2020 Observer Awards
– Kelly joined the AEW Collision announce team for their debut episode on June 17, 2023.
– In September 2023, Kelly announced that he would leave New Japan at the end of the year
– Kelly was fired from his AEW role on March 8, 2024 after accusing fellow announcer Ian Riccaboni of libel