Braden Walker - Destined For Failure
"Wildcat" Chris Harris was an original member of TNA and formed one half of the highly successful tag-team, America's Most Wanted, alongside his partner "Cowboy" James Storm. Together, they epitomized the essence of southern tag-team wrestling and were considered the cornerstone of the promotion's immensely talented tag-team division. However, following their split, Harris and Storm went their separate ways, with Harris eventually being released from TNA. In an attempt to regain his momentum, Harris joined WWE, but unfortunately, his journey was plagued with failure, as he was rebranded as Braden Walker.
Leaving TNA
After an impressive six reigns as the NWA World Tag Team Champions, management felt that there were no other challenges left for America's Most Wanted to overcome. As a result, the decision was made to split the pairing. Unfortunately, this meant that James Storm would turn on his long-term partner by assaulting Wildcat with a beer bottle. This devious action was a dagger in the heart of their long-standing partnership, as it became clear that the two were no longer on the same page.
Pic: WhatCulture.com
During the first quarter of 2007, Harris and Storm engaged in a poorly executed feud, leaving much to be desired. The Six Side of Steel Blindfold match at Lockdown was a prime example of this, receiving harsh criticism from critics. While the match played into Wildcat's impaired vision from an earlier attack, it would have made more sense for the two to compete in a Street Fight, allowing Harris to seek revenge and leading to a more satisfying conclusion. Eventually, TNA headed in this direction, with the two engaging in a solid Texas Death match at Sacrifice, where Harris emerged victorious.
Although Chris Harris had some initial success, he struggled to establish himself as a solo act. His most prominent singles feud with Dustin Rhodes, known as Black Reign, failed to gain traction. As a result, on January 11, 2008, TNA announced on its website that Chris Harris had been released from his TNA contract.
Exit Chris Harris, Enter Braden Walker
On February 1, 2008, Chris Harris would formally announce his next chapter on wildcatchrisharris.com:
Watch Out! Wildcat is Moving to WWE!
Due to confidential negotiations, I have had to keep quiet for some time. I have read a number of wrestling sites reporting what they suspected was happening with me. I have had numerous calls from radio stations and internet sites and have answered none. Fans on the site and in person want to know. Truth is, I wanted to keep quiet until it was official. Yesterday evening, I signed a contract with the World Wrestling Entertainment.
I apologize for not responding to anyone, but there was no need to stir up the gossip until I had something official. Not to mention, I am not sure of the rules yet and didn't want to cause problems with my new employer. I have put a lot of thought into this decision and feel that it is the best for me. Wrestling is my life and I had lost my passion for it. I have been unhappy for some time. It was the right time to make some changes. I have fulfilled many dreams in my wrestling career, but the ultimate dream is to be at the top of the wrestling world...and that means the WWE.
I will say nothing bad about TNA. I am grateful for everything they have given me. I appreciate the fact they have helped advance my career to where it is today. The past 5 1/2 years have been some of the best in my life, but also some of the most stressful. I have worked my ass off to become what I am today. Now it is time to take the next step.
I don't know what the future holds for me. It is time to start at the bottom again and fight my way to the top. I am proud to be part of my new family. Even though I have not worked for WWE before...I feel like that is where I belong.
I want to thank everyone for all of the support they have given me over the years. I can only hope that you continue your support. The real journey has just begun. I will put my heart and soul into this journey and let God lead me.
I always remind everyone to "live the dream". This is my dream...and it's time to start living!
Cat
Chris Harris made his WWE debut on March 11, 2008, in a dark match against Shelton Benjamin. Although he lost, it was likely a test to see how he would fare against Benjamin's technical prowess.
After several months, Harris resurfaced on the July 8, 2008 episode of ECW. A new performer is typically introduced with vignettes, teasers, or even a run-in. However, Harris, now known as Braden Walker, received one of the worst introductions in WWE history.
During a segment where Armando Estrada asked for his job back, Harris knocked on the door and entered the scene. It was a lackluster introduction for a wrestler with potential.
“Hi Teddy, you wanted to see me?” asked Harris in a singlet.
Teddy promised to give Estrada another opportunity to earn a contract against ECW’s newest superstar.
Harris: “Knock, knock.”
Estrada: “Who’s there?”
Harris: “Braden Walker and I’m gonna knock your brains out.”
The two would uncomfortably stare at each other as the segment concluded.
In an interview with The Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling Podcast, Armando Estrada would shed light on the origin of the promo.
“I had only met Chris that day, so never had any experience working with him otherwise. I will say that I think he was dealt a bad hand and let me elaborate why I think that. We were set to do a promo backstage, what we call a pre-tape and I think I was arguing with Teddy Long about being signed or trying to earn my contract. Something along those lines. The storyline was Armando had to win a match in order to get his contract.”
“They started bringing in some new talent because the ECW program was relatively new. They would bring in some guys from OVW. In the case of Chris Harris, a guy that had made a name for himself outside of the WWE world.
“We had done this pre-tape, over and over and over. The verbiage kept changing in the pre-tape. Not so much my verbiage, but Chris’ verbiage. Also, a lot of people don’t know this besides the few guys that were there in that room doing the pre-tape is they kept changing his name. So, I think the name they settled on was Braden Walker? But he had like two variations of that name in earlier pre-tapes. So, here’s a guy brand new, at least to WWE, they had changed his name at least twice and they changed his promo at least twice and we ended up doing instead of a pre-tape which is pre-recorded and then input into the show, we ended up doing a live tape. So, was it the best promo? No, probably not. Was it the worst promo? Trust me, I’ve heard so many worse promos than what he delivered.
At this point, Chris Harris had already undergone a noticeable physical transformation, gaining weight and losing the athletic and imposing physique he had during his tenure with TNA. To compensate for this, WWE dressed him in a singlet that seemed out of place and did not convey the image of a legitimate superstar.
During his match against Estrada, Walker made his entrance to a generic country theme as the audience remained silent. As mentioned earlier, he wore a plain black singlet that was neither visually appealing nor memorable.
Despite the match being competitive, it could have left a lasting impression. In the end, Walker emerged victorious following an awkward Top Rope Crossbody.
Speaking about the match, Estrada admitted that he could have done more for the debuting Walker:
“In all transparency, I don’t think I gave him the best match that I could have given a debuting babyface. You only get one chance to make a first impression and if the first impression is meh then you’re going to be thought of meh.”
During the July 29, 2008 edition of ECW, Braden Walker would approach Matt Hardy backstage.
Walker: “Hey Matt! I just wanted to come by and wish you luck in that big match you got tonight. Colin Delaney, I heard he’s a real killer.
Hardy: “Yeah, I heard he’s a real wild cat.”
Walker: “What is he? 6’6’’ 300 pounds?
Hardy: “He’s something like that, man.”
Walker: “Don’t worry about a thing. I’ve got your back tonight, brother.”
Hardy: Thanks, man. By the way, what’s your name again?
Walker: Sorry, Braden Walker. (extends hand)
Hardy: It’s nice to meet you, Braden.
I'm not entirely sure what the purpose of this segment was other than to set up a future feud between two individuals possibly or to remind viewers that Braden Walker was still around.
On August 5th, 2008, Braden Walker made his second appearance on ECW television against an unknown wrestler named Jamie Curtis. Walker's singlet now featured logos on the front and back, and he put on a much more dominant performance than his debut against Estrada. He even used Mr. Perfect's signature move, the Fisherman's Suplex, to win the pinfall.
Unfortunately, despite this improvement, this would be the last time we saw Braden Walker compete in the ring for ECW, as he was released from the company just days later.
World Wrestling Entertainment has come to terms on the release of ECW Superstar Braden Walker as of August 7, 2008. WWE wishes Braden the best in all future endeavors.
Also appearing on The Two Man Power Trip Wrestling Podcast, Chris Harris would discuss how WWE mishandled Braden Walker:
“When they debuted me, nobody knew who Braden Walker was and I think some people would know who I was or with a name change, I could deal with that. I knew that there was a good chance that they weren’t going to use “Wildcat” but the way they presented me was like a bag of crap. There was nothing for the people to care. Some of these bad one liners they were giving me and vignettes were ridiculous, it was just a bad combination. It is hard to find the words. What I saw there, I wasn’t impressed. It was a billion dollar company and they didn’t know what the hell they were doing from one minute to the next.”
When asked by 411 Mania if he wasn’t given a fair shake in WWE due to being a former TNA talent, Chris Harris said the following:
“Looking back on it, I think so. It is hard to use that as an excuse but no, they never really got behind me and never really put any time or effort into what I was doing which makes me wonder, if they were going to do that, why did they ever sign me? But, that’s very true what you just said. If you didn’t make your name in WWE or in their developmental, they weren’t really going to get behind you. They did that with Monty (Brown, Marcus Cor Von). They showed that. Keep in mind, this is before the guys that are in there now from TNA… I think a lot of it has changed. But, when I went, they just kind of ignored any history that you’ve had.”
October 2021 Update:
On October 5, 2021, Chris Harris was arrested in Kenton County, Kentucky for operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and failing to produce an insurance card. He was booked and his bond was set at $2,500. Harris was released the following morning and is now awaiting his sentencing, which is scheduled for November 2, 2021, at 9 AM in front of a judge.
Final Thoughts
Braden Walker was set up for failure from the moment he arrived in WWE. Here are some reasons why:
He lacked a strong introduction to the WWE audience and any clear direction for his character.
The name "Braden Walker" was forgettable, and his overall presentation, including his generic music and ring gear, did little to help him stand out.
His matches were lackluster, and his backstage segments were poorly scripted and painfully acted due to subpar source material.
Chris Harris' physical transformation, where he gained an additional 20-25 pounds, likely didn't endear him to WWE management, as it made him appear unmotivated and not taking the opportunity seriously.
It's also fair to speculate that WWE would always hold his history with TNA against him, as he was not a homegrown talent.
In the end, both parties should take responsibility for the lack of success of Braden Walker. However, it seems that WWE had no intention of making this character work. On the bright side, we can always revisit his entire career through The Definitive Braden Walker 3 Disc DVD.
