Speaking of merchandise, some of the companies best sellers have always been replicas of their championship belts. In the 1980s, toy championship belts made primarily of foam and plastic were introduced to the public and marketed towards children wanting to emulate their favorite champion. As time progressed, a market for replica belts became apparent and it extended beyond just children. Belts that looked and felt like the "real thing" worn by former and present WWE Champions soon became a hot item and began appearing in wrestling magazines and on wrestling merchandise websites the world over. Like the toy belts, the adult-sized replicas are often brought to, and purchased from, WWE live events. Even the lesser quality versions are among the most expensive items sold by WWE. A simple search on WWE's online store will result in 31 different items categorized as replica championship belts ranging from $189.00 (£125.64) to $429.99 (£284.36). Those prices don't even include the more expensive belts known as Ultra Deluxe or Master Series versions sold by third-parties which are closer to the $1,000 (£661) range, and sometimes even higher. Many of these title collectors find that the ideal place to wear these belts in public is at a live WWE event. At every single WWE event all over the world, the appearance of replica WWE belts is a common sight. Attend any live show, televised or not, and it should come as no surprise to see members of the crowd carrying the current WWE World Heavyweight Championship design, the classic Winged Eagle belt, the NXT title, or even more unique designs such as the Ultimate Warrior's yellow-strapped Intercontinental Championship. In the regular world outside of wrestling, it would be an odd site to see a coworker, friend or family member walking around with a 10 pound, gold-plated leather strap draped over their shoulder. At a WWE show, it's as normal as seeing an Irishman with a red mohawk and braided beard hair carrying a gold Halliburton and befriend an Englishman with a red crown and matching cape, who answers to the name "King" and carries a sceptre. Ah, wrestling...
A former stuntman for Paramount Pictures, Matt enjoys sports, water skiing, driving fast, the beach, professional wrestling,
technology, and scotch. At the same time, whenever possible.
Having attended many famous (and infamous) shows including WrestleMania XV, In Your House: Mind Games, and the 1995 King of the Ring, Matt has been a lifelong professional sports and wrestling fan. Matt's been mentioned in numerous wrestling podcasts including the Steve Austin Show: Unleashed, Talk Is Jericho, and Something To Wrestle With Bruce Prichard.
As a former countywide performer, Matt has been referred to as Mr. 300 for his amazing accomplishments in the world of amateur bowling. He is also the only man on record to have pitched back-to-back no hitters in the Veterans Stadium Wiffle Ball League of 2003.
