| Matt Striker |
| Matt Striker
Height: 5'10" Weight: 237 pounds Real name: Matthew Kaye Hometown: Ossining, New York Pro debut: 2000 Finishing move: Golden Rule (Inverted overdrive), Overdrive, Happy Monkey Submission (Rear naked choke) Other aliases: Matt Lachey, Matt Rite (MLW), "Modern Marvel" Matt Martel (MLW), "Hotstuff" (3PW), "Macho Man" (3PW), Ultimate Striker (3PW), Prince Striker, Matt Martel (WWE) Career highlights: USA Pro Wrestling Tag Team Champion (2) (w/Simon Diamond), USA Pro Wrestling New York State Champion, ECWA Tag Team Champion (w/Ace Darling), WUW Continental Champion, PWF Tag Team Champion (w/Josh Daniels), ACW Tag Team Champion (w/Scotty Charisma), CCW Heavyweight Champion, NYWC Heavyweight Champion, NYWC Interstate Champion, NYWC Tag Team Champion, UXW Tag Team Champion (2), UXW New York State Champion Trained by: WWE Hall of Famer Johnny Rodz WWE profile: Striker seemed destined to work for the New York City Board of Education until retirement age. But, while Striker loved the opportunity to reach young people in the classroom, he remained enamored with professional wrestling. So, in his spare time, he began to train for the mat with a television mainstay of his childhood: the unpredictable Johnny Rodz, a WWE Hall of Famer who ran a wrestling school out of Gleason's Gym, beneath the Brooklyn Bridge. Soon, Striker was wrestling for various small promotions. To meet expenses, Matt began teaching. While filling in for a teacher on maternity leave at a Long Island middle school, Striker noticed one student eying him with curiosity. After a while, Striker's nocturnal profession became a topic of discussion in class. Striker used that to discuss goals and motivate his students. He took that approach with him to Cardozo High School in the fall of 2004. Then, in December, Striker had a chance to go overseas to wrestle. He called in sick to free up the necessary time. There were no repercussions until he appeared in the Angle Invitational on RAW. In Queens, Striker's students instantly recognized their teacher. It didn't take long for students and teachers to figure out that he'd been in Japan when he was supposedly ill. It began a furor that resulted in national media coverage and his forced resignation from his teaching job. But the exposure thrust Striker into the national spotlight and launched his WWE career. Even though Striker has reached his goal of becoming a WWE Superstar, he hasn't left his teaching skills behind. In fact, he has made it his goal to be the teacher for RAW audiences everywhere. He has taught lessons on masculinity, creativity and even immigration in some of his classroom sessions. |
 |