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Matthew Jason Bloom (born November 14, 1972 in Peabody, Massachusetts), better known by his ring names, Albert, A-Train, and Giant Bernard, is an American professional wrestler who previously performed for World Wrestling Entertainment on the RAW and SmackDown! brands. One of his trademarks is that he has thick black hair all over his chest and back.

Career

Bloom played football at the University of Pittsburgh as an offensive tackle, then an offensive guard. After graduating, he briefly worked in the NFL, playing for the San Diego Chargers. He then became a schoolteacher, working with children with behavioral problems and deaf children.

World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment

Bloom portrayed several characters throughout his career since making his debut in 1997. This included a few runs in Power Pro Wrestling in Memphis as Baldo and in the WWF as the bizarre Prince Albert (named after the Prince Albert piercing). The piercing-themed gimmick complemented tag team partner Darren Drozdov's tattoo-artist gimmick. In 2000, he was repackaged as "Albert, the wrestler formerly known as Prince."

The Albert character was in a tag team with Test. T and A (Test and Albert) fell under the tutelage of the vivacious Trish Stratus. His career highlights include being a one-time WWF Intercontinental Champion.

Before Backlash 2001 in Chicago, Bloom joined forces with X-Pac and Justin Credible, forming the team X-Factor. On the June 28, 2001 Albert defeated Kane to win the Intercontinental Championship. With X-Pac holding the Light Heavyweight Title and Albert holding the Intercontinental Title, Justin Credible became jealous and left to join Paul Heyman's ECW revolution thus joining The Alliance. Albert lost his Intercontinental title to lance storm on the July 23rd, 2001 edition of RAW. In late October, 2001 X-Pac suffered an injury thus breaking up X-Factor.

Albert then went on to joined forces with Scotty Too Hotty but after a bad run together, Albert turned heel for the last time by betraying and attacking Scotty on the April 4, 2002 edition of SmackDown! after losing a tag team championship match to Billy and Chuck in which Scotty was pinned.

From Here Albert changed his ring attire and was used mostly on WWE Velocity untill the December 5, 2002 edition of SmackDown! where this began Albert's longest and biggest push in his WWE career. Albert defeated Rey Mysterio and attacked and destroyed Rey's Knee after the match. Later that night as Rey Mysterio's friend Edge was entering the Ring Albert attacked him with a chair from behind injuring Edge's knee as well.

The following week on the December 12th, 2002 edition of SmackDown! Bloom joined forces with the Paul Heyman and his client at the time Big Show. Albert was given a new name: A-Train by Paul Heyman who described him as "A runaway Train". That same night A-Train and Big Show defeated Edge and Kurt Angle. Bloom would continue his alliance with the two through the entire administration of Paul Heyman as SmackDown! General Manager and in July, 2003 A-Train became one of Vince McMahon's Hired Henchman along with most of the Heels At the time. This was probably Bloom's highest profile run in the WWE, as he had a number of matches with high-quality opponents such as The Undertaker, Edge, Brock Lesnar, and Chris Benoit. A-Train was also picked to join 'Team Lesnar', along with teammates Brock Lesnar, Big Show, Matt Morgan and Nathan Jones, to face off against 'Team Angle' Kurt Angle, Chris Benoit, John Cena, Bradshaw, and Hardcore Holly. In a Ten Man Elimination Tag match at Survivor Series 2003. A-Train continued to be a Lacky for Paul Heyman and Vince McMahon until March 22nd, 2004, During the WWE Draft, A-Train was drafted to the RAW roster along with Chuck Palumbo and in exchange Rico Constantino and Jackie Gayda who were headed for SmackDown!.

A-Train's appearances on RAW were very seldom for a 3 month tenure before being sidelined with an injury in June, 2004.

On November 1, 2004, Bloom was released from the WWE. Bloom was not being used in any meaningful storylines and had been injured for a while with a torn rotator cuff. Billy Gunn and Test were released along with Bloom as well, although Test was re-hired to wrestle in the new ECW in mid-2006.

Japan

Bloom started wrestling in Japan, where he uses the name Giant Bernard, a takeoff on an older performer who used the name Brute Bernard.

In 2005, Bloom appeared on an All Japan Pro Wrestling card, running in to aid two other former WWE wrestlers, Johnny Stamboli and Chuck Palumbo. He proceeded to join Voodoo Murders, AJPW's main heel group.

On October 18, 2005, Giant Bernard challenged Satoshi Kojima for the AJPW Triple Crown but Kojima successfully defended his title.

In late 2005, Bloom left AJPW and joined the rival New Japan Pro Wrestling promotion.

In April 2006, Bloom entered the New Japan Cup, beating Yuji Nagata in the final to become one of the rare foreigners to win a tournament in Japan. As a result of this victory he received a shot at Brock Lesnar's IWGP World Heavyweight Championship on 3rd May, 2006 at the Fukuoka International Center, where he suffered a defeat.

On June 28th 2006, Giant Bernard was announced as a participant in the 2006 G-1 Climax, his first appearance in the tournament.

Wrestling facts

Finishing and signature moves

Managers

Championships and accomplishments

  • IZW
  • 2006 New Japan Cup winner (beat Yuji Nagata)
    • Power Pro Wrestling

Championship succession

WWE Intercontinental Championship Preceded by:
Kane First Succeeded by:
Lance Storm

References

1972 births | American professional wrestlers | American football offensive linemen | Jewish-American professional wrestlers | Living people | Pittsburgh Panthers football players | Professional athletes who wrestled professionally | San Diego Chargers players | マテュー・ブルーム

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Matthew Bloom".

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