Matt Sydal

Matt Sydal (born March 19, 1983 in St. Louis, Missouri) is an American professional wrestler.

Career

Matt Sydal was on his high school's wrestling team, and was named freshman wrestler of the year. While a senior in high school, Sydal began training with the St. Louis, Missouri-based Gateway Championship Wrestling promotion. After three months's training, Sydal began wrestling for GCW on October 20, 2000. Upon graduating from high school, Sydal attended the University of Missouri - Columbia, while continuing to wrestle during the weekends, and graduated in May 2005 with a B.A. in business and marketing.

Sydal formed a stable in GCW with several other wrestlers, including his valet, Daizee Haze, known as Operation: Shamrock. In addition, Sydal and fellow stable member Billy McNeil formed a tag team. Operation: Shamrock feuded with the heel Ministry of Hate faction, lead by GCW trainee Delirious.

Sydal made several appearances with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as a jobber between February and August 2003, and in January 2004 he was hired by the Independent Wrestling Association. He won his first title, the IWA Light Heavyweight Championship, on January 17, 2004, in Highland, Indiana, defeating J.C. Bailey. Sydal lost the title to his recurring nemesis, Delirious, on June 26, 2004 in Oolitic, Indiana. Sydal joined 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.

On April 23, 2004, Sydal (along with Daizee Haze) debuted in Ring of Honor, defeating Delirious. Following a brief feud with Trent Acid, Sydal teamed with Fast Eddie as the Air Devils (a name voted on by the crowd). They only teamed once, after which Eddie turned on him on February 25, 2005, joining forces with The Embassy. On August 12, 2005, Sydal was inducted into Generation Next. 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 that was won by Generation Next.

During TNA's first big time pay-per-view,"Victory Road", Sydal competed in their TNA International X-Division Gaunlet where the winner would receive a trophy. He entered at #12 and was elimanated by Alex Shelley. In August 2005, Sydal was included in an online poll to determine an opponent for Christopher Daniels at the August 14 Total Nonstop Action pay-per-view, Sacrifice. The poll was won by Austin Aries by a comfortable margin.

After wrestling A.J. Styles on January 14, 2006, Sydal agreed to team with Styles to challenge Roderick Strong and Austin Aries for the ROH Tag Team Championship. Sydal and Styles faced the tag team champs on February 25th in Edison, New Jersey at Ring of Honor's 4th Anniversary show and came up short.