10 Things We Learned From Dark Side Of The Ring: Doink The Clown

7. Michelle Doesn’t Think He “Ever Wrestled Sober”

Dark Side Of The Ring Doink The Clown Matt Borne
VICE

Michelle James told the producers that Matt was pretty much always snorting cocaine, and he started every single day by smoking some weed. If some pain pills were handy, then he'd pop those too. It was a nightmare blend of drugs that'd wreck his adult life, but he was an addict and couldn't stop.

He didn't even stop for wrestling.

Michelle said she doesn't think her ex-husband ever worked a match without something in his system, which is a terrifying thought. Some may say it was fairly typical of the time, but it's still ghastly to think about now. It's also remarkable that Borne never had a reputation for being sloppy or dangerous in-ring.

He was coked up during the territory days in Mid-South and elsewhere, during his peak run as Doink in the WWF, in ECW as 'Borne Again' and more. Matt barely went anywhere without some kind of alcohol or drug, basically.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.