Matt Riviera (born May 18, 1983), is an American professional wrestler
and podcast host currently wrestling for the National Wrestling
Alliance where he is formerly one half of the NWA World Tag Team
Champions with Rob Conway as the tag team The Iron Empire. He has
wrestled for several of the NWA's promotions as well as various other
independent promotions. He also has promoted wrestling events. In
addition to the wrestling business, he has also appeared in movies and
television shows. Matt Riviera currently serves on the Board of
Directors for the Cauliflower Alley Club.Matt Riviera was born on May
18, 1983 in Russellville, Arkansas. At the age of 12 after coming
across a television program, WCW Worldwide, Matt began his love for
professional wrestling after watching Dick Slater wrestle. Pro
wrestling's blend of physicality and theatrics appealed to him and he
soon became passionate about professional wrestling. After being told
at the age of 15 that he was too young to legally being training as a
professional wrestler, Riviera began doing everything he could to get
his foot in the door of the wrestling business such as creating
wrestling programs. This included writing articles and taking
photographs. He also began his first foray into promoting professional
wrestling events at the age of 17 after meeting his mentor, wrestling
trainer and promoter Bill Ash. He began promoting wrestling events
under the name of Global Pro Wrestling. Once he finally began to train
to become a Professional wrestler, he discovered that the physicality
it takes to be a pro wrestler might be too much for him. He quit
wrestling school on three occasions. However, at age 21, Riviera stuck
with wrestling as he trained for six months as well as attended
wrestling school for four months. Matt Riviera also obtained a college
degree in broadcast journalism, graduating from Harding University out
of Searcy, Arkansas in 2006.Matt Riviera had his first professional
wrestling match in 2001 for the Arkansas Association of Wrestling by
teaming with Running Wolf to take on the team of Frank Thornton and
"Big" Wes Jones. Matt would go on to wrestle for various promotions
throughout Arkansas and expanded to many other states and promotions.
While wrestling, he was still involved in promoting wrestling events,
as well as beginning college. Riviera promoted Global Pro Wrestling,
which after a name change, became Traditional Championship Wrestling.
Traditional Championship Wrestling was able to secure a national cable
deal in 2013 with Cox Sports Television that would allow people all
over the country to see Riviera and other TCW stars perform weekly.
After TCW folded in 2014, Matt would then move on to focus more on his
own in-ring career.In 2005, Matt Riviera won his first professional
wrestling championship while competing for Arkansas Wrestling
Entertainment (AWE) by winning the AWE International Heavyweight
Championship. He won this title by winning a tournament, last
defeating Frank Thornton.
and podcast host currently wrestling for the National Wrestling
Alliance where he is formerly one half of the NWA World Tag Team
Champions with Rob Conway as the tag team The Iron Empire. He has
wrestled for several of the NWA's promotions as well as various other
independent promotions. He also has promoted wrestling events. In
addition to the wrestling business, he has also appeared in movies and
television shows. Matt Riviera currently serves on the Board of
Directors for the Cauliflower Alley Club.Matt Riviera was born on May
18, 1983 in Russellville, Arkansas. At the age of 12 after coming
across a television program, WCW Worldwide, Matt began his love for
professional wrestling after watching Dick Slater wrestle. Pro
wrestling's blend of physicality and theatrics appealed to him and he
soon became passionate about professional wrestling. After being told
at the age of 15 that he was too young to legally being training as a
professional wrestler, Riviera began doing everything he could to get
his foot in the door of the wrestling business such as creating
wrestling programs. This included writing articles and taking
photographs. He also began his first foray into promoting professional
wrestling events at the age of 17 after meeting his mentor, wrestling
trainer and promoter Bill Ash. He began promoting wrestling events
under the name of Global Pro Wrestling. Once he finally began to train
to become a Professional wrestler, he discovered that the physicality
it takes to be a pro wrestler might be too much for him. He quit
wrestling school on three occasions. However, at age 21, Riviera stuck
with wrestling as he trained for six months as well as attended
wrestling school for four months. Matt Riviera also obtained a college
degree in broadcast journalism, graduating from Harding University out
of Searcy, Arkansas in 2006.Matt Riviera had his first professional
wrestling match in 2001 for the Arkansas Association of Wrestling by
teaming with Running Wolf to take on the team of Frank Thornton and
"Big" Wes Jones. Matt would go on to wrestle for various promotions
throughout Arkansas and expanded to many other states and promotions.
While wrestling, he was still involved in promoting wrestling events,
as well as beginning college. Riviera promoted Global Pro Wrestling,
which after a name change, became Traditional Championship Wrestling.
Traditional Championship Wrestling was able to secure a national cable
deal in 2013 with Cox Sports Television that would allow people all
over the country to see Riviera and other TCW stars perform weekly.
After TCW folded in 2014, Matt would then move on to focus more on his
own in-ring career.In 2005, Matt Riviera won his first professional
wrestling championship while competing for Arkansas Wrestling
Entertainment (AWE) by winning the AWE International Heavyweight
Championship. He won this title by winning a tournament, last
defeating Frank Thornton.
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