Matt Sydal

Infobox Wrestler
name=Matt Sydal


names=Evan Bourne
Lance Sydalciteweb|url=http://www.spwo.com/yearlyhistory.html|accessdate=2008-08-15|title=SPWO results|publisher=Saint Peters Wrestling Organization]
The Jester
Ski-Mask Malloy II
Mattciteweb|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/e/evan-bourne.html|title=Matt Sydal Profile|publisher=Online World of Wrestling]
Matt Sydal
height=5 ft 9 in (175 cm)citeweb|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/ecw/superstars/evanbourne/bio/|accessdate=2008-07-15|title=Evan Bourne bio|publisher=World Wrestling Entertainment]
weight=185 lb (80 kg)
birth_date =Birth date and age|mf=yes|1983|3|19|mf=yciteweb|url=http://www.mattsydal.com/information.php?facts|accessdate=2008-07-16|title=Matt Sydal fast facts|publisher=MattSydal.com]
death_date =
birth_place =St. Louis, Missouri
resides=Louisville, Kentucky
billed=St. Louis, Missouri
trainer=Gateway Championship Wrestling
debut=October 20, 2000
retired=|

Matthew Joseph Korklanciteweb|url=http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=393755551|accessdate=2008-08-15|title=Evan Bourne MySpace|publisher=Matthew Korklan] (born March 19, 1983)citeweb|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/m/matt-sydal.html|title=Matt Sydal Bio|publisher=Online World of Wrestling] is an American professional wrestler best known as Matt Sydal. He is currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) wrestling on its ECW brand under the ring name Evan Bourne.

Before signing with WWE, Korklan wrestled for many independent promotions such as Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South, Ring of Honor and the Japanese promotion Dragon Gate under the ring name Matt Sydal. He also had a tenure in the short-lived Wrestling Society X promotion and was featured on Total Nonstop Action Wrestling's early pay-per-view (PPV) events.

Career

Early career

Korklan was on his high school's wrestling team. While he was a senior in high school, Korklan began training with the St. Louis, Missouri-based Gateway Championship Wrestling (GCW) promotion. After three months of training, Korklan began wrestling for GCW on October 20, 2000. Prior to this, Korklan had briefly performed under the ring name Lance Sydal in the Saint Paul Wrestling Organization.

In 2003, Korklan (now using the ring name Matt and forgoing a surname) formed a group of wrestlers in GCW, known as Operation: Shamrock. In addition, Sydal and fellow stable member Billy McNeil formed a tag team. Operation: Shamrock maintained a rivalry with the villainous Ministry of Hate faction, lead by Nikki Strychnine. [citeweb|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/gateway/|accessdate=2008-07-15|title=Gateway Championship Wrestling results|publisher=Online World of Wrestling]

Independent circuit

Korklan debuted in IWA Mid South in November 2003, combining two of his old ring names into a new one, Matt Sydal. He won his first title, the IWA Mid-South Light Heavyweight Championship, on January 17, 2004, in Highland, Indiana, defeating J.C. Bailey.citeweb|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/ky/iwams/iwams-lh.html|accessdate=2008-06-14|title=Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South Light Heavyweight Title|publisher=Wrestling-titles.com] Sydal lost the title to nemesis Delirious (William Johnston), on June 26, 2004 in Oolitic, Indiana. Sydal joined National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) Midwest that same year, and on July 30 in Rock Island, Illinois he defeated Justin Kage for the NWA Midwest X Division Championship, which he also lost to Delirious after holding the belt for over a year.citeweb|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/nwa/nwa-midwest/nwa-mw-x.html|accessdate=2008-06-14|title= N.W.A. Midwest X Division Title|publisher=Wrestling-titles.com] He won the title back when he teamed up with Daizee Haze in an intergender match against Delirious and MsChif. A unique rule of the match was that the male wrestler on the winning team would be champion at the match's end. Haze pinned MsChif to win Delirious's title for Sydal. Sydal lost the title to Jayson Strife roughly four months later before leaving the promotion.

Sydal wrestled several top independent stars during his time as a regular in IWA. He lost three matches to A.J. Styles (Alan Jones) during a short-lived feud. He also faced men such as CM Punk (Phil Brooks), Chris Sabin (Josh Harter) and Nate Webb. On September 24, 2005, Sydal won the fifth Ted Petty Invitational tournament. During the tournament, he defeated El Generico (Rami Sebei), Tyler Black (Colby Lopez), and Sabin before eliminating to secure himself a place in the finals. He met Kevin Steen and Arik Cannon and he came out victorious.citeweb|url=http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/misc/iwa/petty.html|accessdate=2008-06-14|title=Ted Petty Invitational Tournament 2005|publisher=prowrestlinghistory.com] Since then, Sydal has only appeared in IWA on a few occasions, the last being in August 2007.

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2004–2005)

Sydal was featured on Total Nonstop Action Wrestling's (TNA) first three-hour pay-per-view event, Victory Road in November 2004 as a participant of a twenty-man X Division Gauntlet match, a match where two wrestlers begin the match, and are replaced whenever one is eliminated, with the last person standing being named the winner. [citeweb|url=http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/misc/tna/victory.html#2004|accessdate=2008-07-15|title=Victory Road results|publisher=prowrestlinghistory.com] He also was part of an online poll for the Sacrifice event. The winner of the poll would meet Christopher Daniels (Daniel Covell) for the TNA X Division Championship. Sydal, along with Jay Lethal (Jamar Shipman) and Roderick Strong (Chris Lindsey), lost the poll to Austin Aries (Dan Solwold). [citeweb|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/tnappv/sacrifice05.html|accessdate=2008-07-29|title=Sacrifice 2005 results|publisher=Online World of Wrestling] During his tenure with TNA, Sydal was mainly utilized as a jobber, a wrestler who is never promoted to win a match.

Ring of Honor (2004–2007)

On April 23, 2004, Sydal (along with Daizee Haze) debuted in Ring of Honor, defeating his recurring nemesis, Delirious.citeweb|url=http://www.rohwrestling.com/pastresults/|accessdate=2008-07-15|title=Ring of Honor Events - official results|publisher=Ring of Honor] Following a brief feud with Trent Acid (Michael Verde), Sydal teamed with Fast Eddie Vegas as the Air Devils (a name voted on by the ROH fans). They only teamed once, after which Eddie turned on him on February 25, 2005, joining a large group of villianous wrestlers collectively known as The Embassy. On August 12, 2005, Sydal was inducted into Generation Next, a group of heroic wrestlers who were in the midst of a riviarly with The Embassy.citeweb|url=http://oratory.rajah.com/index.php?archive=2904|accessdate=2008-07-15|date=2006-05-30|last=Seagull |first=Matt|title=Ring of Honor Review: Redemption and Punk: The Final Chapter - Head to Head |publisher=Rajah.com] In late-2005, Daizee Haze also turned on Sydal, leaving him and Generation Next to join The Embassy. Generation Next fought The Embassy in numerous multi-man tag matches, culminating in a Steel Cage Warfare match on December 3 at Steel Cage Warfare, which was won by Generation Next.

After wrestling A.J. Styles several times, they teamed up for matches against ROH Tag Team Champions Austin Aries and Roderick Strong. Sydal also teamed up with Samoa Joe (Joe Seanoa) and Jack Evans to try and win the Tag team championship. Sydal went to the finals of the 2006 Survival of the Fittest event, before losing to Delirious. Sydal and Delirious brought their rivalry back to ROH as they engaged in several matches during the summer and fall of 2006.

On November 25, 2006, Sydal teamed with Christopher Daniels to defeat the Kings of Wrestling (Chris Hero (Chris Spradlin) and Claudio Castagnoli) for the ROH World Tag Team Championship. Sydal and Daniels successfully defended their title against Shingo (Shingo Takagi) and CIMA (Nobuhiko Oshima) on December 22, 2006.citeweb|url=http://www.rohwrestling.com/titlehistory/|accessdate=2008-06-14|title=Ring of Honor official title histories|publisher=Ring of Honor] The duo dropped the title on February 24, 2007 in Chicago to the Briscoe Brothers (Jay and Mark Pugh). After coming up unsuccessful in attempts to win the title back along with Castagnoli, Sydal joined Larry Sweeny's (Lawrence Swencil) and his stable that also included Hero, Sara Del Rey (Sara Amato) and Tank Toland (John Toland).citeweb|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/l/larry-sweeney.html|accessdate=2008-07-29|title=Larry Sweeney profile|publisher=Online World of Wrestling] He lost a match against Mike Quackenbush (Michael Spillane) in the first round of the ROH Race to the Top Tournament. Sydal ended his Ring of Honor run on September 15, 2007 at "Man Up" in Chicago Ridge, Illinois in a match against Delirious, the same man he made his ROH debut against. Sydal was booked to put over Delirious, but he got a warm farewell from the midwest crowd.

Dragon Gate and Wrestling Society X (2006–2007)

Sydal began touring Japan with Dragon Gate in May 2006.citeweb|url=http://dgusa.puroresufan.com/news/show_archives.php?archive=1149472300&subaction=list-archive&|accessdate=2008-07-16|title=Dragon Gate event results - May 2006|publisher=Dragon Gate USA] While there he aligned himself with CIMA, Don Fuji, and Jack Evans to form the New Blood Generation International. He also became a part of CIMA's Typhoon faction. During Dragon Gate's Wrestlejam event, Sydal teamed with Generation Next stablemate Roderick Strong to win the $10,000 Tag Team Challenge.

Sydal left Dragon Gate and signed with the new American promotion known as Wrestling Society X. He was featured on their first televised edition on MTV, losing to Jack Evans (Jack Miller). [citeweb|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/wsx/|accessdate=2008-07-29|title=Wrestling Society X event results|publisher=Online World of Wrestling] He was accompanied to the ring by his valet and on-screen girlfriend Lizzy Valentine (Elizabeth Miklosi).citeweb|url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2007/03/14/pf-3749240.html|accessdate=2008-08-20|date=2007-03-14|last=Tylwalk|first=Nick|title=WSX: Five-episode feast leaves many questions|publisher=SLAM! Wrestling] He also defeated Scorpio Sky, [citeweb|url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2007/02/28/3676982.html|accessdatye=2008-08-15|last=Lawson|first=Amy|title=WSX: Four times the confusion|publisher=SLAM! Wrestling] and the following week he lost to Human Tornado (Greg Williams). There was the start of a storyline that would have him feuding with Syxx-Pac (Sean Waltman) over Valentine, but they never actually wrestled before WSX shut down. [cite news|title=Spotlight On... Sean Waltman|work =The Wrestler/Inside Wrestling|publisher = Kappa Publications | id = Volume 15, 2007| pages = 24-28|date=June 2007| accessdate = 2008-07-17 |language = English]

In the spring of 2007, Sydal returned to Dragon Gate.citeweb|url=http://dgusa.puroresufan.com/infinity2.html|accessdate=2008-08-20|title=Infinity #34, Highlights of 10/8/05 PPV|publisher=Dragon Gate USA] During his tenure there he won the Open the Brave Gate title from Masato Yoshino, thus becoming the first (and as of 2008, only) gaijin (a Japanese term for a foreigner) to be booked to win the title. He held the title for slightly over a month, making a single successful title defense against Yoshino in a match which took place at a Ring of Honorciteweb|url=http://dgusa.puroresufan.com/brave.html|accessdate=2008-07-16|title=Open the Brave Gate title match results|publisher=Dragon Gate USA] show before dropping it to Genki Horiguchi.citeweb|url=http://wrestling-titles.com/japan/dg/dg-bg.html|accessdate=2008-06-14|title= Open the Brave Gate Title|publisher=Wrestling-titles.com]

World Wrestling Entertainment (2007–present)

After becoming a free agent again after the expiration of his WSX contract and the close of the promotion, Sydal signed a developmental contract with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). [citeweb|url=http://www.wrestleview.com/news2006/1189025300.shtml|accessdate=2008-07-30|date=2007-09-05|last=Martin|first=Adam|title=Current plans for CM Punk as ECW Champion, Sydal update + OVW note|publisher=Wrestleview.com] Sydal made his WWE developmental debut in Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW), at the October 10, 2007 OVW taping, defeating Jamin Olivencia. [citeweb|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/ovw/_2007/|accessdate=2008-07-29|title=Ohio Valley Wrestling results - 2007|publisher=Online World of Wrestling] In December of that year, he defeated Mike Kruel (Michael Mayo, Jr) to win the OVW Heavyweight Championship.citeweb|url=http://www.solie.org/titlehistories/ovhtnwa.html|accessdate=2008-06-14|last=Westcott|first=Brian|title=NWA - NATIONAL WRESTLING ALLIANCE NWA OHIO VALLEY WRESTLING HEAVYWEIGHT/OHIO VALLEY WRESTLING HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE HISTORY|publisher=Solie] It was announced on February 7, 2008 that WWE had ceased affiliation with OVW. [cite web |title=WWE to cease affiliation with Ohio Valley Wrestling |url=http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2008/2008_02_07.jsp |publisher=World Wrestling Entertainment |date=February 7, 2008 |accessdate=2008-07-29] As a result, Sydal was booked to lose the OVW Heavyweight Championship to Jay Bradley (Brad Bradley) on February 13. Sydal was moved to Florida Championship Wrestling and made his debut on March 22, 2008 by defeating TJ Wilson (Theodore Wilson), before being promoted to the main roster. [citeweb|url=http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/wwf/ovwdswarc.htm|accessdate=2008-07-29|title=Flordia Championship Wrestling Results|publisher=Wrestling Information Archive]

On the June 3, 2008 edition of "ECW", Sydal made his WWE television debut where he lost a match to Shelton Benjamin. [citeweb|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/ecw/archive/06032008/|accessdate=2008-07-15|date=2008-06-03|last=Medalis|first=Kara A.|title=New, Extreme manager in town|publisher=World Wrestling Entertainment] The following week on "ECW", Sydal, now an official member of the ECW roster under a new ring name, Evan Bourne, teamed with Kofi Kingston (Kofi Sarkodie-Mensa) to defeat Mike Knox (Mike Hettinga) and Benjamin in a tag team match. [citeweb|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/ecw/archive/06102008/|accessdate=2008-07-15|date=2008-06-10|last=Medalis|first=Kara A.|title=Miz & Morrison retain WWE Tag Team gold|publisher=World Wrestling Entertainment] The following weeks, he defeated Matt Striker (Matthew Kaye), [citeweb|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/ecw/archive/06172008/|accessdate=2008-07-15|date=2008-06-17|last=Medalis|first=Kara A.|title=Colossal staredown|publisher=World Wrestling Entertainment] Nunzio (James Maritato) [citeweb|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/ecw/archive/07082008/|accessdate=2008-07-29|date=2008-07-08|last=Medalis|first= Kara A.|title=World's strongest scam|publisher=World Wrestling Entertainment] and Chavo Guerrero (Salvador Guerrero III) [citeweb|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/ecw/archive/07152008/|accessdate=2008-07-29|date=2008-07-15|last=Passero|first=Mitch|title=Iron man|publisher=World Wrestling Entertainment] using a shooting star press as his finisher.

Personal life

Korklan attended the University of Missouri-Columbia from 2002 to 2005 and graduated with a Bachelor's degree in marketing. He is of the Christian faith and does not smoke.

In wrestling

*Finishing moves :*"Aftershock" (Gory driver) – Independent circuit:*"Air Bourne"cite journal|title=60 Seconds With...|journal =WWE Magazine|issue=30|pages=22|year=2008|month=November] – WWE / Shooting star press – ROHciteweb|url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2006/05/13/1578516.html|accessdate=2008-08-13|last=Sokol|first=Chris|title=Cage and Cabana victorious at Ring of Honor|publisher=SLAM! Wrestling] / "Shooting Sydal Press" – Dragon Gate / OVW / Independent circuit [citeweb|url=http://www.f4wonline.com/content/view/3514/105/|accessdate=2008-08-13|last=Lowth|first=Dan|title=King of Europe Cup - Night 1 Results|publisher=Wrestling Observer Newsletter] :*"Cyclorama"citeweb|url=http://www.mtv.com/ontv/dyn/wsx/cast_member/cast_member.jhtml?personalityId=8463#bio|accessdate=2008-07-16|title=WSX bio|publisher=MTV] (Independent circuit) / "Sydal Special" (Belly to belly moonsault slam) - Dragon Gate / ROH:*"Double Helix" (Springboard 360° corkscrew moonsault) – Independent circuit:*"Here It Is Driver" [citeweb|url=http://www.411mania.com/wrestling/video_reviews/47268/The-Black-Tiger-Review:-ROH:-Fourth-Anniversary-Show---February-25,-2006.htm|accessdate=2008-07-29|date =2006-11-28|last=Campbell|first=Mike|title=The Black Tiger Review: ROH: Fourth Anniversary Show - February 25, 2006|publisher=411mania] / "Here We Go Driver" (Pumphandle half nelson driver) – Independent circuit

*Signature moves :*Back to belly piledriver:*Catapult corner dropkick:*Diving double knee smash to a standing opponentcite web|url=http://www.f4wonline.com/content/view/6291/105/|accessdate=2008-09-10|date=2008-08-05|last=Capuano|first=Ryan|title=Ryan Capuano's ECW TV report |publisher=Wrestling Observer Newsletter] :*Diving leg lariat:*Dragonrana:*Feint enzuigiri into a headscissors takedown:*Fisherman suplex:*Hurricanrana:*Jumping spinning sole kick:*Modified roll-up:*Roundhouse kickcite web|url=http://www.f4wonline.com/content/view/6613/105/|accessdate=2008-09-09|date=2008-09-02|last=DiLiegro|first=Phil|title=Phil DiLiegro's ECW TV report for September 2|publisher=Wrestling Observer Newsletter] :*Running shining wizard to a cornered opponent:*Split-legged inverted leg drop bulldog:*Springboard into a 450° splash or a corkscrew senton:*Snapmare driver:*Standing moonsault:*Suicide dive

*Managers:*Daizee Haze:*Jade Chung:*Allison Danger:*Lizzy Valentine:*Larry Sweeney

*Nicknames:*"Air" Bourne:*Bourn to be Wild

*Entrance themes:*"Clavicle" by Alkaline Trio:*"Mr. Chainsaw" by Alkaline Trio:*"My Seventh Rib" by The Shins:*"Axeman" by Cavendish Production Music Library

Championships and accomplishments

*Dragon Gate:*Open the Brave Gate Championship (1 time)

*Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South:*IWA Mid-South Light Heavyweight Championship (1 time):*Ted Petty Invitational winner (2005)

*NWA Midwest:*NWA Midwest X Division Championship (2 times)

*Ohio Valley Wrestling:*OVW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

*Pro Wrestling Illustrated:*PWI ranked him # 101 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the year in the PWI 500 in 2006 [citeweb|url=http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/pwi/pwi50006.htm|accessdate=2008-07-01|title=Pro Wrestling Illustrated Top 500 - 2006|publisher=Wrestling Information Archive]

*Ring of Honor:*ROH World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Christopher Daniels

*Westside Xtreme Wrestling:*"Golden Pineapple" Tournament winner (2007) – with Ryo SaitoFact|date=June 2008

Notes

External links

* [http://www.wwe.com/shows/ecw/superstars/evanbourne/ Evan Bourne at WWE.com]
* [http://www.mattsydal.com/ Official Website]
*myspace|officialmattsydal

Persondata
NAME = Sydal, Matt
ALTERNATIVE NAMES = Korklan, Matthew; Bourne, Evan; Sydal, Lance
SHORT DESCRIPTION = Professional wrestler
DATE OF BIRTH = March 19, 1983
PLACE OF BIRTH = St Louis, Missouri
DATE OF DEATH =
PLACE OF DEATH =