# Mike Bennett (wrestler)
**Mike Bennett** is the ring name of Michael Bennett (born 1985), an American professional wrestler from Carver, Massachusetts, best known as one half of The Kingdom with [Matt Taven](https://www.edgepedia.org/matt-taven), as a three-time ROH World Tag Team Champion and IWGP Tag Team Champion, and for a WWE run under the name Mike Kanellis, in which he was billed with the surname of his wife, [Maria Kanellis](https://www.edgepedia.org/maria-kanellis).[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/mike-bennett) • [2](https://www.wrestlinginc.com/news/2021/01/mike-bennett-on-if-he-was-upset-with-taking-his-wife-name-680150/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Real name / born | Michael Bennett, 1985, Carver, Massachusetts[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/mike-bennett) |
| Ring names | Mike Bennett, Michael Bennett, Mike Kanellis, The Mike; nicknames "The Miracle" and "The Prodigy"[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/mike-bennett) |
| Major titles | 2x WWE 24/7 Championship; 1x TNA X Division Championship; 1x Impact World Tag Team Championship; 3x ROH World Tag Team Championship; 1x IWGP Tag Team Championship, the tag titles all with Matt Taven[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/mike-bennett) |
| Tag team | The Kingdom, with Matt Taven, his regular partnership since 2014[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/mike-bennett) |
| Training | Steve Bradley and "Brutal" Bob Evans; listed style: technician[3](https://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=4769) |
| Family | Married wrestler Maria Kanellis in October 2014; three children[4](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/mike-bennett.html) • [5](https://www.f4wonline.com/news/aew/maria-kanellis-mike-bennett-announce-birth-of-third-child/) |
| Current promotion | Ring of Honor and All Elite Wrestling, where he has appeared since October 2022[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/mike-bennett) |
## Early career and Ring of Honor
Bennett began wrestling in 2002 in the New England independent scene. He won the NEWA Heavyweight Championship in 2004 and appeared on [WWE Heat](https://www.edgepedia.org/wwe-heat) in 2007, and he held the TRP Heavyweight Championship after defeating [Stevie Richards](https://www.edgepedia.org/stevie-richards) on April 4, 2009.[6](https://mn2s.com/booking-agency/talent-roster/mike-bennett/) • [7](https://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profile/mike-bennett/)
His national profile came in [Ring of Honor](https://www.edgepedia.org/ring-of-honor), where he won the 2011 Top Prospect Tournament and, with Maria Kanellis later added to his act, formed The Kingdom with Matt Taven. The team won the [ROH World Tag Team Championship](https://www.edgepedia.org/roh-world-tag-team-championship) three times and also captured the IWGP Tag Team Championship in New Japan Pro Wrestling.[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/mike-bennett) He also won the ROH Honor Rumble in 2014.[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/mike-bennett)
## TNA and the "Miracle" gimmick
In Total Nonstop Action Wrestling Bennett wrestled as "The Miracle" Mike Bennett, a persona in which Maria Kanellis did much of the talking, and he won the TNA X Division Championship. When he and Kanellis, along with [Kevin Owens](https://www.edgepedia.org/kevin-owens) and others, did not renew their contracts with TNA Impact Wrestling, the couple moved on.[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/mike-bennett) • [8](https://assets.website-files.com/681c098d8a80f359d6067f00/682403d908f1070a462d7a67_66231369763.pdf)
## WWE as Mike Kanellis
Bennett signed with WWE in 2017 and debuted at Money in the Bank alongside his wife. Because Maria was the better-known name, writers billed him as Mike Kanellis, taking her last name, and the couple's act centered on presenting themselves as a devoted, love-struck pair.[2](https://www.wrestlinginc.com/news/2021/01/mike-bennett-on-if-he-was-upset-with-taking-his-wife-name-680150/) • [9](https://www.wwe.com/superstars/mike-kanellis) He later moved to the cruiserweight division on [WWE 205 Live](https://www.edgepedia.org/wwe-205-live), where he feuded with [Lince Dorado](https://www.edgepedia.org/lince-dorado), Tony Nese, and [Akira Tozawa](https://www.edgepedia.org/akira-tozawa), and twice won the WWE 24/7 Championship.[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/mike-bennett) • [10](https://www.wwe.com/shows/wwe-205-live/2019-03-19/article/mike-kanellis-def-akira-tozawa)
**Addiction and recovery.** In August 2017 Bennett revealed in an Instagram post that he had secretly battled an addiction to prescription drugs for three years, an addiction that began with a dislocated kneecap, and had decided to get clean.[11](https://www.mpcaaca.org/_files/ugd/5a6d69_463fd96f910e4d5b8b9402683fa7f266.pdf?index=true) He has said he went public to hold himself accountable.[12](https://prowrestling.net/site/2020/07/23/mike-bennett-and-maria-kanellis-on-the-possibility-of-returning-to-roh-mike-going-public-with-his-addiction-battle-why-they-opted-to-re-sign-with-wwe-in-june-2019/) Maria Kanellis later said WWE did not know about the addiction and did not pay for his rehab; she managed his recovery herself, including his medication, while the couple was being kept off television.[13](https://www.cagesideseats.com/2021/8/31/22624132/maria-kanellis-mike-bennett-wwe-pregnancy-ring-of-honor-video-wrestling-news) Bennett has described the three-year WWE run as a period in which he felt devalued, though he has also said he learned more about himself as a person, a father, a husband, and a wrestler in those three years than in the previous twenty.[14](https://www.wrestlinginc.com/news/2020/09/mike-bennett-opens-up-about-feeling-devalued-by-his-three-675187/) • [15](https://www.wrestlinginc.com/news/2020/09/mike-bennett-recalls-talks-with-vince-mcmahon-about-leaving-674805/) He left WWE in April 2020.[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/mike-bennett)
## Return to the independents, NWA, and Impact
He competed for the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship against [Nick Aldis](https://www.edgepedia.org/nick-aldis) in 2020, and he worked for the NWA from October 24, 2021 to October 4, 2022.[15](https://www.wrestlinginc.com/news/2020/09/mike-bennett-recalls-talks-with-vince-mcmahon-about-leaving-674805/) • [1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/mike-bennett)
In Impact he joined the stable Honor No More with [Eddie Edwards](https://www.edgepedia.org/eddie-edwards), Matt Taven, PCO, Vincent, and Kenny King, managed by Maria Kanellis, and the group feuded with [Bullet Club](https://www.edgepedia.org/bullet-club) and Team Impact through 2022.[16](https://ringhistory.com/wrestler/mike-bennett/) On September 1, 2022, Bennett and Taven, as The Kingdom, defeated The Good Brothers to win the Impact World Tag Team Championship.[7](https://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profile/mike-bennett/)
## AEW and Ring of Honor (2022 to present)
The Kingdom challenged for the ROH World Tag Team Championship at Final Battle 2022 and Supercard of Honor 2023, losing to [Top Flight](https://www.edgepedia.org/top-flight-professional-wrestling) and to the Lucha Brothers and Aussie Open respectively, and Bennett appeared in multi-man matches on AEW pay-per-views such as Revolution 2024.[16](https://ringhistory.com/wrestler/mike-bennett/)
Maria Kanellis has not been with AEW since January 2025, but Bennett remains with the company; the couple announced the birth of their third child in 2025, and his most recent ROH match that year was a six-man tag aired in November.[5](https://www.f4wonline.com/news/aew/maria-kanellis-mike-bennett-announce-birth-of-third-child/)
## Personal life and style
Bennett married Maria Kanellis, a fellow professional wrestler, in October 2014, and the couple have three children.[4](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/mike-bennett.html) • [5](https://www.f4wonline.com/news/aew/maria-kanellis-mike-bennett-announce-birth-of-third-child/) He was trained by Steve Bradley and [Bob Evans](https://www.edgepedia.org/bob-evans), is listed as a technician in style, and uses the Box Office Smash, the TKO, and the M.I.P. (Miracle In Progress) as signature moves.[3](https://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=4769) Database listings disagree on his weight: the Pro Wrestlers Database gives 200 lbs (91 kg) while CAGEMATCH gives 224 lbs (102 kg); both list his height as 5 ft 11 in (180 cm).[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/mike-bennett) • [3](https://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=4769)
## References
1. [Mike Bennett: Profile, Career Stats, Titles & Gimmicks, Pro Wrestlers Database](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/mike-bennett)
2. [Mike Bennett On If He Was Upset With Taking His Wife's Name In WWE, Wrestling Inc](https://www.wrestlinginc.com/news/2021/01/mike-bennett-on-if-he-was-upset-with-taking-his-wife-name-680150/)
3. [Michael Bennett, CAGEMATCH Wrestlers Database](https://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=4769)
4. [Mike Bennett (Wrestler), Famous Birthdays](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/mike-bennett.html)
5. [Maria Kanellis, Mike Bennett announce birth of third child, F4W/WON](https://www.f4wonline.com/news/aew/maria-kanellis-mike-bennett-announce-birth-of-third-child/)
6. [Mike Bennett, Booking Agent, MN2S](https://mn2s.com/booking-agency/talent-roster/mike-bennett/)
7. [Mike Bennett, Online World of Wrestling](https://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profile/mike-bennett/)
8. [Maria Kanellis profile document](https://assets.website-files.com/681c098d8a80f359d6067f00/682403d908f1070a462d7a67_66231369763.pdf)
9. [Mike Kanellis: Bio, WWE.com](https://www.wwe.com/superstars/mike-kanellis)
10. [Mike Kanellis def. Akira Tozawa, WWE 205 Live, WWE.com](https://www.wwe.com/shows/wwe-205-live/2019-03-19/article/mike-kanellis-def-akira-tozawa)
11. [MPCA/AACA document noting Bennett's August 2017 addiction disclosure](https://www.mpcaaca.org/_files/ugd/5a6d69_463fd96f910e4d5b8b9402683fa7f266.pdf?index=true)
12. [Mike Bennett and Maria Kanellis on the ROHStrong Podcast, Pro Wrestling Dot Net](https://prowrestling.net/site/2020/07/23/mike-bennett-and-maria-kanellis-on-the-possibility-of-returning-to-roh-mike-going-public-with-his-addiction-battle-why-they-opted-to-re-sign-with-wwe-in-june-2019/)
13. [Maria Kanellis did Mike's rehab, not WWE, Cageside Seats](https://www.cagesideseats.com/2021/8/31/22624132/maria-kanellis-mike-bennett-wwe-pregnancy-ring-of-honor-video-wrestling-news)
14. [Mike Bennett Opens Up About Feeling Devalued By His Three Year WWE Run, Wrestling Inc](https://www.wrestlinginc.com/news/2020/09/mike-bennett-opens-up-about-feeling-devalued-by-his-three-675187/)
15. [Mike Bennett Recalls Talks With Vince McMahon About Leaving WWE, Wrestling Inc](https://www.wrestlinginc.com/news/2020/09/mike-bennett-recalls-talks-with-vince-mcmahon-about-leaving-674805/)
16. [Mike Bennett, Professional Wrestler Profile, Ring History](https://ringhistory.com/wrestler/mike-bennett/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Individual sports and outdoor recreation › Combat sports and professional wrestling › Professional wrestlers and stables › American wrestlers › Modern era wrestlers › Impact, ROH, and NWA wrestlers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license