Kelly first became involved in broadcasting when he began working as a disc jockey, playing music from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.[5]
Kelly once hosted a segment named "Plan B" on the Voice of WrestlingInternet radioprogram. In August 2007, Kelly started his own show on the Wrestling Radio Network called The Kevin Kelly Show. Kelly also hosts The Big Picture audio show on ClubWWI.com. In 2014, Kevin Kelly began hosting a wrestling and pop culture podcast, The Kevin Kelly Show, on Place to Be Nation.[6]
From May 28, 2011, to October 22, 2011, Kelly was an announcer for Lucha Libre USA Season 2.[9]
On November 13, 2022, Kevin Kelly announced that he would be starting his own wrestling promotion under the name "American eXcellence Wrestling". The promotion's first event was held on January 7, 2023 at the Hamburg Field House in Hamburg, Pennsylvania.[10]
World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment (1996–2003)
Kelly received a try-out with the World Wrestling Federation as a ring announcer due to the intervention of fellow IWF alumnus Billy Gunn.[3] He was hired by the WWF in June 1996, and began working as a backstage interviewer.[11] From August to October 1996, Kelly served as commentator for Raw is War, the flagship television program of the WWF, alongside Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler. From December 1997 to March 1998, Kelly again served as a commentator for Raw is War, alongside Jim Ross and Michael Cole. Afterward, Kelly resumed serving as an interviewer on Raw is War and (upon its premiere) SmackDown!.[3]
As an interviewer, Kelly was involved in numerous angles. The most publicized was the controversial "Pillman's got a gun" angle, which took place on the November 4, 1996 episode of Monday Night Raw, which was filmed in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The angle was set against the backdrop of an ongoing feud between Brian Pillman and Stone Cold Steve Austin. Throughout the broadcast of Monday Night Raw, live footage was shown of Kelly interviewing Pillman in his home in Walton, Kentucky alongside Pillman's wife Melanie. After Dok Hendrix informed Monday Night Raw announcer Vince McMahon that Austin was supposedly traveling to Pillman's home, Pillman, upon being apprised of this development, produced and loaded a 9 mmpistol and stated that he would "blow [Austin's] sorry ass straight to hell!" A frightened Kelly delivered the line "Pillman's got a gun!"[12][13] In the course of the interview, Austin arrived at Pillman's home and, after fighting off several of Pillman's friends who had surrounded the house to protect him, broke into the house and advanced on Pillman. Pillman responded by pointing his pistol at Austin, with the live camera feed subsequently fading to black as Kelly and Melanie Pillman screamed. When the camera feed returned, Pillman was being restrained by his friends, and Kelly informed McMahon that there had been two explosions, but no-one had been injured. At that point, Austin re-entered the house, with Pillman's friends forcing him out again as Pillman pointed his pistol at Austin while screaming obscenities and threats. Kelly shouted for someone to "call the police" as Monday Night Rawcolor commentatorJerry Lawler instructed him to "get the gun". The broadcast ended with Austin being driven from the house as Melanie Pillman cried. The WWF and Pillman would later apologize for the segment.[12][13]
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Kelly would frequently be mocked by The Rock during interviews, with The Rock labeling him an "ugly hermaphrodite" and nicknaming him "Hermie".[1][14] At Unforgiven on September 24, 2000, Kelly was attacked by the returning Stone Cold Steve Austin while attempting to interview him.[15]
Kelly would later begin hosting the weekly WWF webcast Byte This!.[16] In addition to his on-screen roles, Kelly served as a WWF talent scout, monitoring wrestlers in the Heartland Wrestling Association, Memphis Championship Wrestling, Ohio Valley Wrestling, and Urban Wrestling Alliance developmental territories.[3] Kelly was responsible for watching and evaluating tapes of matches sent to the WWF by prospective employees.[17][18] Kelly also had a minor degree of influence on the creative direction of the WWF, and was the creator of the storyline that saw Stephanie McMahon marry Triple H, creating the McMahon-Helmsley Faction.[14] In addition, Kelly produced WWE Confidential.[14]
On March 21, 2003, Kelly was released by World Wrestling Entertainment as part of a series of budget cuts.[14][19] Since his release, Kelly has criticized the corporate policies and creative direction of his former employer.[14][20][21]
Major League Wrestling (2004)
In 2004, Kevin Kelly would replace Joey Styles as the announcer for Major League Wrestling, but the promotion would cease operations shortly thereafter.
Ring of Honor (2010–2017)
On March 2, 2010, Jim Cornette announced that Kelly had signed an agreement to be the voice of Ring of Honor on Internet pay-per-view[22] Between 2011 and 2017, Kelly served as main play-by-play announcer for Ring of Honor television tapings and pay-per-views.
On February 2, 2017, it was reported that Kelly had given his notice to ROH and left his position as the company's head play-by-play announcer.[23][24] Kelly remained with ROH in a part-time role until July 11, when he announced he was no longer working for the company, although he will still call ROH matches held as part of New Japan Pro-Wrestling events as he is associated with the Japanese promotion as their English language play-by-play announcer.[25]
On September 5, 2023, Kelly announced that he would be leaving NJPW in 2024.[29] Kelly would leave the company on November 14 instead, he was replaced by Game Changer Wrestling commentator Walker Stewart on English commentary.[30][31]
All Elite Wrestling (2023–2024)
Kelly officially joined All Elite Wrestling on June 17, 2023, where he debuted as part of the commentary team for the inaugural episode of AEW Collision alongside Nigel McGuinness and Jim Ross.[32] He was fired on March 8, 2024, after taking to social media the week before and accusing Ring of Honor and fellow AEW announcer Ian Riccaboni of libel and attempted career sabotage.[33]
^Meltzer, Dave (February 2023). "February 2023 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Results of the 2022 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards". Wrestling Observer Newsletter.