The Background Story On Gunner Scott's Release

Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter

As reported earlier, Brent Albright (Gunner Scott), 27, was released a few weeks ago. He was one of the top guys in OVW doing a Chris Benoit "shooter" gimmick. When he was called up to WWE in the spring, the road agents gave him bad reviews. His push was then dropped and he was shipped back down to OVW in June. Contrary to what was reported earlier, there weren't really any plans to bring him back up to the main roster, thus meaning that his fate was actually sealed back in June.

Fit Finlay and Dean Malenko buried Albright in particular as they complained that he was stealing moves and his style from Chris Benoit. Then again, he was told to pattern himself as Benoit in OVW, and when he was called up to WWE, they gave him the gimmick of being his protege. When Paul Heyman was booking OVW, he pushed him to be a Benoit duplicate, and then he eventually ended up getting fired for being too much like him. Upon returning to OVW, Albright was told to change his style. After a few months, WWE felt he hadn't changed enough, so they cut him loose.

Albright's final WWE match took place on the 6/30 edition of SmackDown in a losing effort to Mr. Kennedy. After the match, he was placed in body bag by The Great Khali.