Title History
Career History
In The Beginning:
- Kipp Christianson attended high school in River Falls, Wisconsin..
- 1997: Kipp Christianson graduated from St. John’s University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology..
- ~~~~Kipp also played basketball St. John’s University and was considered to be a very talented player..
- Kipp Christianson played basketball for the NBA (National Basketball Association) developmental league
- Kipp Christianson also international basketball at the professional level for Asian and European leagues..
- Kipp Christianson worked as a basketball coach for St. John’s University and for the University of Wisconsin
- 2008: Kipp Christianson signed a World Wrestling Entertainment developmental contract.
- Florida Championship Wrestling – Kip Christianson:
- 2009: Kipp Christianson was placed on the FCW roster page and named “Kip Christianson”
- However, when he made his Florida Championship Wrestling debut he was re-named “Eli Cottonwood”.
- Florida Championship Wrestling – Eli Cottonwood:
- Eli Cottonwood’s gimmick is that he is a lunatic who escaped an asylum..
- July 15, 2009–Florida Championship Wrestling: Eli Cottonwood defeated Fred Rosser.
- August 20, 2009–Florida Championship Wrestling: The 7 ft Eli Cottonwood defeated Fred Rosser.
- October 8, 2009–Florida Championship Wrestling: Skip Sheffield defeated Dylan Klein by disqualification after Cottonwood attacked Sheffield.
- November 5, 2009–FCW: Mr. FCW defeated Eli Cottonwood by disqualification when Cottonwood refused the referee’s instruction to stop..
- November 12, 2009 – FCW: Eli Cottonwood defeated Dino Carter.
- December 12, 2009 – FCW: Aksana showed up looking like she had been roughed up and reunited with Eli Cottonwood (A voice over the sound system said next time Eli wouldn’t be so lucky).
- February 18, 2010–Florida Championship Wrestling: Eli Cottonwood & Skip Sheffield defeated Tyler Reks & Johnny Curtis.
- February 25, 2010–Florida Championship Wrestling: Percy Watson defeated Johnny Curtis after distraction from Eli Cottonwood.
- February 25, 2010–FCW: Eli Cottonwood defeated Johnny Curtis in a Grudge match (Curtis attacked Cottonwood after the match).
- March 11, 2010–FCW: Eli Cottonwood defeated Ray Leppan.
- March 18, 2010–FCW: Eli Cottonwood defeated Jacob Novak.
- March 25, 2010–FCW: Eli Cottonwood defeated FCW champion Alex Riley by disqualification.
- April 1, 2010–FCW: Alex Riley defeated Eli Cottonwood in a no disqualification match to retain the FCW Heavyweight title.
- April 8, 2010–FCW: Leo Kruger & Curt Hawkins & Jackson Andrews defeated Bo Rotundo & Duke Rotundo & Eli Cottonwood.
- April 29, 2010–FCW: Jackson Andrews & Curt Hawkins defeated Wes Brisco & Eli Cottonwood.
- May 6, 2010–FCW: Team FCW (Alex Riley, Bo Rotundo, Eli Cottonwood, Hunico, Joe Hennig, Leo Kruger & Tito Colon) defeated Team NXT (Curt Hawkins, Darren Young, Heath Slater, Justin Gabriel, Michael Tarver, Skip Sheffield & Wade Barrett).
- May 13, 2010–FCW: Justin Gabriel & Heath Slater & Eli Cottonwood defeated Alex Riley & Joe Hennig & Wade Barrett ..
- May 27, 2010–FCW: Eli Cottonwood defeated Rudy Parker (After the match, WWE Superstar Shad Gaspard attacked Cottonwood).
- World Wrestling Entertainment – NXT Season 2:
- Eli Cottonwood was paired with John Morrison for the second season of WWE NXT..
- June 1, 2010–WWE NXT: John Morrison introduced his NXT Rookie Eli Cottonwood, like a “giant redwood tree”..
- June 3, 2010–Florida Championship Wrestling: NXT Season 1 defeated NXT Season 2 in a 5-on-5 match..
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~NXT Season 1 = Skip Sheffield & David Otunga & Michael Tarver & Heath Slater..
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~NXT Season 2 = Eli Cottonwood & Husky Harris & Percy Watson & Lucky Cannon..
- June 8, 2010–WWE NXT: John Morrison & Eli Cottonwood defeated Zack Ryder & Titus O’Neil in a tag team match..
- ~~~Later that Night; The NXT Season 2 “Pros” beat up their “Rookies” so they wouldn’t do what the NXT Season 1 guys did..
- June 10, 2010–FCW: The Uso Brothers & Donny Marlow & Broadus Clay beat Hunico & Epico & Percy Watson & Eli Cottonwood.
- June 18, 2010 – FCW: Eli Cottonwood defeated Derrick Bateman & Leo Kruger in a handicap match.
- June 21, 2010–RAW: John Morrison w/Eli Cottonwood defeated Zack Ryder w/Titus O’Neil..
- June 22, 2010–WWE NXT: Eli Cottonwood w/John Morrison defeated Kaval (w/Michelle McCool & Layla)..
- June 29, 2010–WWE NXT: Eli Cottonwood participated in a “Keg Carry” challenge (which was won by Lucky Cannon)..
- ~~~~~~~~~Kaval & Michael McGillicutty & Lucky Cannon defeated Alex Riley & Titus O’Neil & Eli Cottonwood..
- July 8, 2010 – FCW: Kaval & Johnny Curtis defeated Michael McGillicutty & Eli Cottonwood & Rudy Parker in a 2/3 Handicap match when McGillicutty & Cottonwood abandoned Parker..
- July 13, 2010–NXT: Participated in a Battle Royal including NXT Pros & Rookies, joined by The Nexus (who dominated the match)..
- July 20, 2010–NXT: Eli Cottonwood and Kaval did an in-ring segment with their “Pros” to hype next week’s elimation by fan vote..
- July 25, 2010 – FCW TV: Husky Harris & Eli Cottonwood defeated Percy Watson & Titus O’Neill.
- July 27, 2010–NXT: Michael McGillicutty w/Kofi Kingston defeated Eli Cottonwood w/John Morrison..
- ~~~At the end of the night, Eli Cottonwood was eliminated from the competition and attacked Husky Harris on his way out..
- July 29, 2010 – FCW: Lucky Cannon & Devin Allen & Bill Carr defeated Eli Cottonwood & Jinder Mahal & Jackson Andrews.
- August 5, 2010 – FCW: Eli Cottonwood defeated Bill Carr.
- August 19, 2010 – FCW: Eli Cottonwood won the Liviana Classic Battle Royal #2 (last eliminating Bo Rotundo), Eli Cottonwood defeated Alex Riley in the Liviana Classic Final Over-The-Top-Rope Challenge (FCW champion Mason Ryan attacked Cottonwood after the match).
- August 24, 2010 – NXT: Lucky Cannon & Percy Watson defeated Eli Cottonwood & Husky Harris in a dark match.
- August 26, 2010 – FCW: Mason Ryan defeated Eli Cottonwood to retain the FCW Heavyweight title.
- August 29, 2010 – FCW: Eli Cottonwood (bloodied) won the Monsters Of FCW Battle Royal (Participants: Shad Gaspard, Eli Cottonwood, Brodus Clay, Husky Harris, Titus O’Neill, and Jackson Andrews).
- August 31, 2010–WWE NXT: Eli Cottonwood sat in the front row with other eliminated rookies for the Finale..
- ~~~Kaval was announced as the winner of NXT Season 2 – then the seven eliminated rookies jumped in the ring and attacked him!
- September 9, 2010 – FCW: Brodus Clay & Jackson Andrews & Eli Cottonwood defeated Lucky Cannon & Los Aviadores (Hunico & Epico).
- September 15, 2010 – FCW: ackson Andrews & Brodus Clay & Eli Cottonwood & Shad Gaspard defeated Big E. Langston & Titus O’Neil & Xavier Woods & Bobby Dutch.
- September 22, 2010 – FCW TV: Brodus Clay & Eli Cottonwood & Jackson Andrews defeated Lucky Cannon in a 3-on-1 handicap match.
- September 29, 2010 – FCW TV: Eli Cottonwood & Jackson Andrews defeated Xavier Woods & Bobby Dutch.
- October 20, 2010 – FCW TV: Titus O’Neil & Shad Gaspard defeated Eli Cottonwood & Jackson Andrews.
- October 28, 2010 – FCW: Jackson Andrews & Eli Cottonwood defeated Lucky Cannon & Titus O’Neill.
- October 29, 2010 – FCW: Eli Cottonwood defeated Vance Archer.
- November 28, 2010 – FCW TV: Big E. Langston defeated Eli Cottonwood.
- December 18, 2011 – FCW: Eli Cottonwood defeats Leroy Parks in a dark match.
- February 5, 2012 – FCW TV: Corey Graves & Eli Cottonwood defeated Brad Maddox & Briley Pierce in a non-title match.
- February 19, 2012 – FCW TV: Bo Rotundo & Husky Harris defeated Brad Maddox & Eli Cottonwood to win the vacant FCW tag team titles.
- April 6, 2012 – FCW: Jason Jordan & Richie Steamboat defeated Big E. Langston & Byron Saxton and Dean Ambrose & Leo Kruger and Eli Cottonwood & Kassius Ohno in a 4-way tag team match.
- May 18, 2012 – FCW: Eli Cottonwood defeated Sonny Elliot.
- Eli Cottonwood asked for his released from WWE in 2012.