Matt Cappotelli
Encyclopedia
Matthew Lee "Matt" Cappotelli (born November 12, 1979) is an American
professional wrestler
, last working in Ohio Valley Wrestling
, which was the primary developmental territory for World Wrestling Entertainment
until February 7, 2008. He has postponed his career due to a malignant
brain tumor
, which has been fully removed.
.
tag team
known as The Thrill Seekers with Johnny Jeter
.
Cappotelli was embroiled in controversy when one of the former Tough Enough trainers, Bob "Hardcore" Holly
, worked stiff on the unsuspecting Cappotelli during a practice match, leaving him bruised and bloody. Holly later accidentally concussed Cappotelli while wrestling him at a live event on April 24, 2004.
On July 31, 2005, Cappotelli suffered a broken fibula during a match against The Blond Bombers (Chad
and Tank Toland
) at an Ohio Valley Wrestling
(OVW) event in Elizabethtown, Kentucky
, when he landed awkwardly after a suplex
. He was out of action for approximately eight weeks.
On November 9 at an OVW television taping, Cappotelli captured the OVW Heavyweight Championship
by defeating his former tag team partner, Johnny Jeter
. WWE was planning to bring Cappotelli up into the main roster, but he was diagnosed with a grade 2/3 astrocytoma
in December 2005. He was scheduled to undergo tests to further diagnose the tumor and plan treatment. On February 8, 2006, he announced the brain tumor was indeed cancerous and surrendered the title to OVW owner Danny Davis
during an emotional speech at a television taping in Louisville, Kentucky
. Cappotelli announced that he was planning on surgery on May 1, 2007.
Cappotelli announced to OVW wrestlers and fans on April 4, 2007 that he would undergo surgery for brain cancer in Boston on May 1. WWE's official website later posted an article, which included video of the announcement. WWE's official website later reported that the surgery was a success, and that the majority of the brain tumor was removed. He underwent 30 Radiation treatments and is undergoing continual bouts of monthly chemotherapy
.
On January 4, 2009, Cappotelli's WWE contract expired and he was not re-signed.
.
Cappotelli attended college at Western Michigan University
in Kalamazoo, Michigan
, where he was also a member of the football team.
He married Lindsay Adalaide Seeders in March 2006.
He is a born again Christian.
Matt and his wife are active members of New Vision Ministry Center in Louisville, Kentucky.
Cappotelli is a frequent guest on The Pain Clinic
pro wrestling radio talk show in his hometown of Rochester, New York
. Cappotelli also recently opened up a Christian clothing company, Faith Ink. Matt was on R News on September 12, 2006 to talk about his new company. He was also on The Pain Clinic the following Saturday.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional wrestler
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
, last working in Ohio Valley Wrestling
Ohio Valley Wrestling
Ohio Valley Wrestling is an American independent professional wrestling promotion based in Louisville, Kentucky. OVW is run by owner Danny Davis and was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance from 1997 until 2000...
, which was the primary developmental territory for World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
until February 7, 2008. He has postponed his career due to a malignant
Malignant
Malignancy is the tendency of a medical condition, especially tumors, to become progressively worse and to potentially result in death. Malignancy in cancers is characterized by anaplasia, invasiveness, and metastasis...
brain tumor
Brain tumor
A brain tumor is an intracranial solid neoplasm, a tumor within the brain or the central spinal canal.Brain tumors include all tumors inside the cranium or in the central spinal canal...
, which has been fully removed.
Tough Enough
Cappotelli, along with John Hennigan, won a WWE contract by winning Tough Enough IIIWWE Tough Enough
WWE Tough Enough is a professional wrestling reality television program produced by WWE wherein participants undergo professional wrestling training and compete for a contract with WWE. There were two winners per season for the first three seasons, all of which aired on MTV...
.
Ohio Valley Wrestling
He was then sent to OVW in order to continue his training and work on his vocal skills. In OVW, Cappotelli formed a fan favoriteFace (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
tag team
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
known as The Thrill Seekers with Johnny Jeter
Johnny Jeter
John "Johnny" Jeter is an American professional wrestler best known for his appearances in World Wrestling Entertainment as Spirit Squad member Johnny on the Raw brand in 2006....
.
Cappotelli was embroiled in controversy when one of the former Tough Enough trainers, Bob "Hardcore" Holly
Bob Holly
Robert "Bob" Howard better known by his ring name Bob "Hardcore" Holly, is a American professional wrestler. He is best known for his 15-year stint with World Wrestling Entertainment ....
, worked stiff on the unsuspecting Cappotelli during a practice match, leaving him bruised and bloody. Holly later accidentally concussed Cappotelli while wrestling him at a live event on April 24, 2004.
On July 31, 2005, Cappotelli suffered a broken fibula during a match against The Blond Bombers (Chad
Chad Wicks
Charles "Chad" Wicks is an American professional wrestler best known for his time with the World Wrestling Entertainment...
and Tank Toland
John Toland (wrestler)
John Michael Toland is an American professional wrestler best known for his work in independent promotion Ring of Honor, under the name Tank Toland...
) at an Ohio Valley Wrestling
Ohio Valley Wrestling
Ohio Valley Wrestling is an American independent professional wrestling promotion based in Louisville, Kentucky. OVW is run by owner Danny Davis and was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance from 1997 until 2000...
(OVW) event in Elizabethtown, Kentucky
Elizabethtown, Kentucky
Elizabethtown is a city in and the county seat of Hardin County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 28,531 at the 2010 census, making it the eleventh-largest city in the state...
, when he landed awkwardly after a suplex
Suplex
A suplex is an offensive move used in professional sport wrestling . The move consists of one wrestler picking up his or her opponent off the ground and then using a large portion of his or her own body weight to drive the opponent down on the mat. Nearly all suplexes have the attacker going down...
. He was out of action for approximately eight weeks.
On November 9 at an OVW television taping, Cappotelli captured the OVW Heavyweight Championship
OVW Heavyweight Championship
The OVW Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling heavyweight championship owned by the Ohio Valley Wrestling promotion. The title was introduced on August 17, 1997 at an OVW live event, then known as the NWA-OVW Heavyweight Championship due to OVW's relationship with the National...
by defeating his former tag team partner, Johnny Jeter
Johnny Jeter
John "Johnny" Jeter is an American professional wrestler best known for his appearances in World Wrestling Entertainment as Spirit Squad member Johnny on the Raw brand in 2006....
. WWE was planning to bring Cappotelli up into the main roster, but he was diagnosed with a grade 2/3 astrocytoma
Astrocytoma
Astrocytomas are a type of neoplasm of the brain. They originate in a particular kind of glial-cells, star-shaped brain cells in the cerebrum called astrocytes. This type of tumor does not usually spread outside the brain and spinal cord and it does not usually affect other organs...
in December 2005. He was scheduled to undergo tests to further diagnose the tumor and plan treatment. On February 8, 2006, he announced the brain tumor was indeed cancerous and surrendered the title to OVW owner Danny Davis
Daniel Burile
The Tyger ProUniversal Wrestling Champion.Daniel Briley is a former professional wrestler who worked under the stage name Danny Davis. Briley is now the owner of Ohio Valley Wrestling.-Career:...
during an emotional speech at a television taping in Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
. Cappotelli announced that he was planning on surgery on May 1, 2007.
Cappotelli announced to OVW wrestlers and fans on April 4, 2007 that he would undergo surgery for brain cancer in Boston on May 1. WWE's official website later posted an article, which included video of the announcement. WWE's official website later reported that the surgery was a success, and that the majority of the brain tumor was removed. He underwent 30 Radiation treatments and is undergoing continual bouts of monthly chemotherapy
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer with an antineoplastic drug or with a combination of such drugs into a standardized treatment regimen....
.
On January 4, 2009, Cappotelli's WWE contract expired and he was not re-signed.
Personal life
He attended Caledonia-Mumford Central School in Caledonia, New YorkCaledonia, New York
Caledonia, New York may refer to:*Caledonia , New York, located in Livingston County*Caledonia , New York, located within the Town of Caledonia...
.
Cappotelli attended college at Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University is a public university located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1903 by Dwight B. Waldo, and as of the Fall 2010 semester, its enrollment is 25,045....
in Kalamazoo, Michigan
Kalamazoo, Michigan
The area on which the modern city stands was once home to Native Americans of the Hopewell culture, who migrated into the area sometime before the first millennium. Evidence of their early residency remains in the form of a small mound in downtown's Bronson Park. The Hopewell civilization began to...
, where he was also a member of the football team.
He married Lindsay Adalaide Seeders in March 2006.
He is a born again Christian.
Matt and his wife are active members of New Vision Ministry Center in Louisville, Kentucky.
Cappotelli is a frequent guest on The Pain Clinic
Pain Clinic
The Pain Clinic is a pro wrestling talk show that airs on Sportsradio 1280 WHTK in Rochester, New York. The show was created by Sam Fantauzzo and Rich Jones and debuted on November 14, 1998, with "Dr. Love", "the Cashman" Richie Rich, and "Mad Dog" Bobby Rodgers as hosts...
pro wrestling radio talk show in his hometown of Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
. Cappotelli also recently opened up a Christian clothing company, Faith Ink. Matt was on R News on September 12, 2006 to talk about his new company. He was also on The Pain Clinic the following Saturday.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Aftertaste (Superkick)
- Signature moves
- Atomic drop
- Leg dropLeg dropA leg drop or legdrop refers to an attack used in professional wrestling in which an attacking wrestler will jump and land his leg across a fallen opponent's chest, throat, face or head or in some cases, the groin/lower-abdominal area...
- PowerbombPowerbombA powerbomb is a professional wrestling throw in which an opponent is lifted up and then slammed back-first down to the mat. The standard powerbomb sees an opponent first placed in a standing headscissors position...
Championships and accomplishments
- Ohio Valley WrestlingOhio Valley WrestlingOhio Valley Wrestling is an American independent professional wrestling promotion based in Louisville, Kentucky. OVW is run by owner Danny Davis and was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance from 1997 until 2000...
- OVW Heavyweight ChampionshipOVW Heavyweight ChampionshipThe OVW Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling heavyweight championship owned by the Ohio Valley Wrestling promotion. The title was introduced on August 17, 1997 at an OVW live event, then known as the NWA-OVW Heavyweight Championship due to OVW's relationship with the National...
(1 time) - OVW Southern Tag Team ChampionshipOVW Southern Tag Team ChampionshipThe OVW Southern Tag Team Championship is the tag team titles of Ohio Valley Wrestling. Created in 1997, the first champions were Nick Dinsmore and Flash Flanagan. As of 2011, the current champions are Ted McNaler and Adam Revolver, known as The Elite in their fourth reign...
(1 time) – with Johnny JeterJohnny JeterJohn "Johnny" Jeter is an American professional wrestler best known for his appearances in World Wrestling Entertainment as Spirit Squad member Johnny on the Raw brand in 2006....
- Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- PWI Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year (2006)
- World Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
- WWE Tough Enough III co–winner with John Hennigan