Meet Monty Sopp, better known as Billy Gunn, the American professional wrestler who has made a name for himself in the world of wrestling. With a career spanning over two decades, Gunn has worked for top promotions such as All Elite Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment. Born in Orlando, Florida, Gunn’s journey to wrestling stardom began after a successful stint as a professional bull rider. Throughout his time in the WWE, Gunn achieved numerous accolades, including winning the Intercontinental Championship, Hardcore Championship, and the prestigious King of the Ring tournament. However, his greatest triumphs came as a tag team wrestler, securing the World Tag Team Championship a remarkable eleven times. Currently signed with All Elite Wrestling, Gunn continues to make an impact both in and out of the ring, serving as a booking agent alongside his wrestling career.
Quick Facts
- Also Known As: Monty Kip Sopp
- Age: 60 Years, 60 Year Old Males
- Family: Spouse/Ex-: Paula Heaney-Sopp, Tina Tinnell (m. 1990–2002)
- Children: Austin Gunn, Austin Sopp
- Born Country: United States
- American Men
- Tall Celebrities
- Height: 6’3″ (190 cm), 6’3″ Males
- Notable Alumni: Sam Houston State University
- U.S. State: Florida
- City: Orlando, Florida
- More Facts
- Education: Sam Houston State University
Childhood & Early Life
Billy Gunn, born as Monty Sopp on November 1, 1963, in Orlando, Florida, had a relatively unknown childhood and early life. Not much information is available about his parents or upbringing. He attended Sam Houston State University.
Career
Initially, Billy Gunn pursued a career as a professional bull rider in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. However, in his early 20s, he decided to shift his focus to professional wrestling. He received training from Jerry Grey and spent eight years wrestling on the independent circuit. In 1993, he signed a contract with the WWF.
Billy Gunn made his WWF debut on May 17, 1993, teaming up with his on-screen brother, Bart Gunn, to defeat Glenn Ruth and Tony Vadja on an episode of Raw. The duo became known as “The Smoking Gunns” and made their pay-per-view debut at King of the Ring, where they teamed up with The Steiner Brothers to defeat Money Inc. and The Headshrinkers in an eight-man tag team match.
They won their first Tag Team Championship in early 1995 by defeating Bob Holly and Sean Waltman (aka the 1-2-3 Kid). However, at Wrestlemania XI, they were defeated by Yokozuna and Owen Hart. They regained the title in September 1995 but had to relinquish it in February 1996 due to Billy’s surgery. After his return, they won the championship once more but lost it to Owen Hart and The British Bulldog.
Billy Gunn then decided to team up with Jesse James, and they became known as the New Age Outlaws. They quickly rose to the top of the tag team ranks and won the Tag Team Championship by defeating The Road Warriors in November 1996. They also became associated with D-Generation X in early 1997.
In 1998, the New Age Outlaws won the tag team gold at SummerSlam. Billy Gunn later transitioned back to singles competition and won the Hardcore Championship but lost it during WrestleMania XV. He reunited with Jesse James and won the Tag Team Championship again. He also partnered with Chyna as “The One” and won the Intercontinental Championship by defeating Eddie Guerrero.
In 2002, Billy Gunn teamed up with Chuck Palumbo and won the Tag Team Championship twice. They even defended it successfully at WrestleMania X-8. Their relationship made headlines when Chuck proposed to Billy, but it was later revealed to be a publicity stunt.
Billy Gunn was released from his WWE contract on November 1, 2004. He criticized the WWE and Triple H in an interview the following year. From 2005 to 2009, he competed in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. In 2012, he made a comeback to the WWE as a trainer and won the Tag Team Championship for the eleventh time with three different partners.
Other Works
Apart from his wrestling career, Billy Gunn has also dabbled in acting. He had a role in the sitcom “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” in 2000 and appeared in the action comedy film “The Other Guys” in 2010. In 2012, he played a role in the film “Double Fury.” He has also appeared in several wrestling video games.
Family Personal Life
Billy Gunn was married to Tina Tinnell in 1990, but they divorced in 2002. They have two children together. He is currently married to Paula Sopp, whom he wed in 2009.