Matthew Thomas Morgan (born September 10, 1976) is an American politician and retired professional wrestler. He is known for his time in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), where he performed on the SmackDown brand, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), where he is a two-time TNA World Tag Team Champion. He is currently a commissioner (and formerly mayor and deputy mayor) for the city of Longwood, Florida. Morgan also appeared on American Gladiators.
Early life Matthew Thomas Morgan was born in Fairfield, Connecticut, on September 10, 1976.
After a successful high school basketball career at Fairfield High School in Connecticut, Morgan played Division I college basketball for Monmouth University at center position. During Morgan's freshman year at the university, the Monmouth Hawks defeated Rider University to become the Northeast Conference champions. By winning the conference tournament, Monmouth received an automatic bid to the 1996 NCAA tournament.
Of his trip to the tournament, Morgan said, "it was fun to be able to say that you actually played in the NCAA tournament and actually got some minutes. I didn’t score, but at least I got in as a freshman, which was cool." Monmouth lost to Marquette University in the first round of the tournament by a final score of 68–44.
Following a coaching change at Monmouth, Morgan transferred to Chaminade University in Hawaii, where he finished his college basketball career and graduated in public speaking. While at Chaminade, Morgan played in the Maui Invitational against the number one ranked Duke Blue Devils.
Morgan participated in tryouts for the NBA teams Indiana Pacers and Toronto Raptors, but he was not offered a contract by either team.
Professional wrestling career World Wrestling Entertainment (2002–2005) Ohio Valley Wrestling (2002–2003) Morgan was first introduced to the World Wrestling Federation when he entered as part of its Tough Enough II program but left the show early due to an injury. In April 2002, Morgan signed a developmental deal with World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and was assigned to Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW). He made his OVW debut on October 2, 2002, at the OVW TV Tapings as "The Blueprint" Matt Morgan teaming with Mark Jindrak, defeating Travis Bane and Lance Cade. He wrestled there sporadically (usually winning handicap matches) until October 2003 when he was called up to the SmackDown brand.
SmackDown! (2003–2004) Prior to his WWE main roster debut, Morgan was originally earmarked to become Kane's storyline brother named "Abel" wearing a mask even though the plans were scrapped and a similar role was given to Drew Hankinson years later.Doric, Sam: Matt Morgan On Almost Starting A Gimmick As Kane's Brother - Wrestling INC. December 6, 2017. Retrieved on November 6, 2018. "They put a mask on me, first they said because it was going to improve my body language. What? Anyways, you shut up and do what you're told. So I went to wrestling practice with a hood and a mask, and then I'd be on TV with a mask," Morgan explained. "So Jim Cornette was like, 'How the hell do I explain this? You're the top babyface, you're the champion, what do I do?' So I lost a Loser Leaves Town match, come back as The Blueprint and wear a hood and I'm not Matt Morgan anymore, I'm just The Blueprint."
Morgan then made his debut on the October 30, 2003, episode of SmackDown! and was chosen with the returning Nathan Jones by then General Manager of SmackDown!, Paul Heyman, to join Team Lesnar, which consisted of Morgan, Jones, Brock Lesnar, Big Show and A-Train. It was hinted that Morgan and Jones would be a tag team, but their only tag team match was at the Survivor Series pay-per-view on November 16, when they took on Team Angle (not the stable introduced one year earlier, but a one-off combination of five wrestlers). They lost to Team Angle in a ten-person elimination tag team match at Survivor Series; Morgan was eliminated from the match by Kurt Angle after Angle gave Morgan an Angle Slam. Morgan was then used to make run-ins along with the other members of Team Lesnar, helping Lesnar against his opponents.
Soon thereafter, Jones quit WWE, so Morgan occasionally teamed with Lesnar. He teamed up with Lesnar, Big Show, and Rhyno in a four-on-two Handicap match against Chris Benoit and John Cena on the January 22, 2004, episode of SmackDown!, in a losing effort. On January 25, he competed in the 2004 Royal Rumble match, in which the winner would get a title shot against their brand's champion at WrestleMania XX; he eliminated The Hurricane but was eliminated by Chris Benoit.
Return to Ohio Valley Wrestling (2004–2005) After Brock Lesnar quit WWE, Morgan was written off television with an unmentioned injury and sent back to OVW for further development and experience, wrestling again as "The Blueprint" Matt Morgan and on April 14, 2004, he defeated Nick Dinsmore to become the OVW Heavyweight Champion. He held the title for almost six months before losing it to Chris Cage on October 13, 2004. Since the stipulation was that if Morgan lost he would "never show his face again" in OVW, he began wearing a mask to the ring and tweaked his name to simply The Blueprint. He would regain the OVW Heavyweight Championship on April 13, 2005, at an OVW live event after defeating Elijah Burke, but lost the title 17 days later to Brent Albright on April 30 after Albright forced Morgan to submit with the crowbar.
Return to SmackDown! and departure (2005) Morgan returned to WWE on the April 21, 2005, episode of SmackDown!, with a new gimmick as a stuttering big-man who was defensive over his speech disorder, and quickly defeated a then-unknown jobber, Brett Matthews. On the May 19 episode of SmackDown!, he allied himself with Carlito and became his "backup". Morgan helped Carlito defeat Big Show at Judgment Day on May 22, using Lesnar's former finisher, the F-5. This partnership ended when Carlito was drafted to Raw, and Morgan was subsequently released by WWE on July 5, 2005. His last match in WWE was on the July 7 episode of SmackDown! against William Regal, although technically the match never took place as Morgan was attacked by The Mexicools before Regal ever got to the ring.
Japanese and European promotions (2005–2007) Morgan toured with New Japan Pro-Wrestling in late 2005, defeating Yuji Nagata in his debut match. He was being pushed as a "monster gaijin" and along with Brock Lesnar, was expected to become one of NJPW's top foreign wrestlers, but plans for this were abandoned when he decided to leave NJPW to go to All Japan Pro Wrestling. Morgan debuted in All Japan Pro Wrestling as a member of Taka Michinoku's foreigner-oriented RO&D faction. He and Mark Jindrak wrestled for HUSTLE as a tag team under the names of Sodom and Gomora.
Morgan also worked for NWE Wrestling in Italy and Rings of Europe in Austria, where he participated as the Monster Heel in a 20 Men Rumble Match. He and Joe Legend became allies but were unable to defeat Austrian Hero Big van Walter in the end.
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2007–2013)
Jim Cornette's bodyguard (2007–2008) Morgan debuted in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) on the August 7, 2007, episode of TNA Today, appearing briefly in the background of a segment featuring Eric Young and Jeremy Borash. On the August 9 episode of TNA Impact!, Morgan appeared alongside former TNA Management Director Jim Cornette, with TNA later identifying him as Cornette's "backup". Morgan was the Special Enforcer in the Samoa Joe and Christian Cage match at Bound for Glory on October 14, preventing Christian's Coalition from interfering as Joe gave Cage his first true defeat in TNA. Morgan had to restrain Tomko and A.J. Styles on the edition of October 18 of Impact! when they tried interfering in the main event helping Christian defeat Samoa Joe in a Fight For The Right Qualifying match.
On the April 3, 2008, edition of TNA Impact!, it was revealed that Morgan allowed Team Tomko to add James Storm to their team, giving them a five-to-four advantage heading into Lockdown; however, at the end of the program, it was revealed that Morgan himself had joined Team Cage. The next week, Jim Cornette relieved Morgan of his assistant duties to become a full-time wrestler. With Morgan joining Team Cage, he established himself as a face, and went back to his old OVW nickname, "The Blueprint". Morgan teamed up with Kip James at Sacrifice on May 11 as a result of the Deuces Wild Tag Team Tournament draw. They failed to win the tag titles as James and Morgan could not get along long enough. He then began to feud with The Rock 'n Rave Infection after defeating Jimmy Rave in less than two minutes on July 17. Lance Rock immediately challenged Morgan to a match right there, and Morgan squashed him.
Various alliances and feuds (2008–2010)
In August, Morgan entered a tag team up with Abyss. The storyline was an additional chapter in the "Abyss' humanization" storyline. Since his return to television, Abyss had portrayed an emotionally vulnerable character, exaggerating the meaning behind every gesture he received. Abyss saw Morgan as his best friend and was desperate not to displease him. But Abyss' new sensitivity made him more naive, thus causing him to make simple errors that cost the team matches. Through time, Morgan would go from understanding to frustrated over Abyss' errors. They feuded briefly with Team 3D. The duo defeated Team 3D at No Surrender, but lost at Bound for Glory IV on October 12 in a Monster's Ball match for the TNA World Tag Team Championship, which Beer Money, Inc. won. At Final Resolution on December 7, Morgan and Abyss lost again when Storm hit Abyss with brass knuckles when the referee was distracted. They gained a third opportunity at the belts at Genesis on January 11, 2009, in a three-way match against Beer Money, Inc. and then-champions Jay Lethal and Consequences Creed. During the match, Abyss accidentally knocked Morgan out with one of the championship belts, causing him to be pinned by Beer Money.
On the following Impact!, the team fought against Lethal and Creed in a number one contenders match for the tag team championship, which ended with Morgan once again being pinned because of Abyss. On the January 23 episode of Impact!, Morgan and Abyss battled Beer Money, Inc. in a non-title first blood match. Towards the end of the match, Morgan turned on Abyss after hitting him with a steel chair, causing him to bleed, giving Storm and Roode the win and turning heel in the process. Morgan was defeated at Against All Odds on February 8 in a standard match, but defeated Abyss in a Match of 10,000 Tacks at Destination X on March 15. The feud ended at Lockdown on April 19, in a Doomsday Chamber of Blood Match, in which neither wrestler could be legally pinned were he not bleeding. Morgan won after interference by Abyss' psychiatrist, Dr. Stevie, by hitting Abyss with a back low blow and then a chokebomb onto a pile of tacks.