It’s always a sad turn of events when a star you grew up watching passes away. For some reason it always feels more tragic though, when it’s a star who had so much potential, but yet never really managed to accomplish what they could of, normally due to personal demons. The death of Matt Borne is a perfect example of that.
Matthew Wade Osbourne was born into wrestling, his father being the Portland long term wrestler ‘Tough’ Tony Borne. He wrestled in high school and whilst in college he lived close to Jesse Ventura who he would hang out with whenever Ventura was on the road. It wasn’t easy getting into the wrestling business, Borne had to prove to his father he really wanted it, but from there, it seemed like the journey would be plain sailing. Initially teaming with his father to get him some in-ring experience, Borne excelled, it didn’t hinder him that he had become close friends with Roddy Piper who was new to the area at that time. Matt would move around the territories a lot, but always going back to Portland to work when the opportunity presented itself. His most well remembered time during the beginning years of his career was in the Mid-South area where he was a part of the Rat Pack with Ted Dibiase and Jim Duggan.
In 1985 Matt Borne would be apart of a little event known as WrestleMania. He competed against Ricky Steamboat in the third bout. World Class Wrestling Association would be the next big port of call, although he had started using the nickname ‘Maniac,’ whilst in Portland a few years prior, it was here that he really came into the character whilst teaming with ‘Mad Dog’ Buzz Sawyer. The duo won gold, and Matt would go on to win gold again with Jeff Jarrett once in the Texas based promotion, and twice after it merged with the Continental Wrestling Association. He also won the Texas Heavyweight Championship on one occasion.
Next up Borne took on the persona of Big Josh in World Championship Wrestling. Again he would win team based gold, but never really going anywhere in the company his personal demons got the better of him leading to his dismissal. This would be a blessing in disguise though. Once again he was called up to the WWF – this time to play a clown. But not just any clown, an evil clown who played mean and twisted tricks on all the little boys and girls in the audience and the babyface wrestlers also.
Doink The Clown was born. As the sadistic clown Borne would go as far as removing what appeared to be his own arm to beat an unexpected Crush (Also known as Brian Adams) around the back of the head, leading to Borne’s biggest match at WrestleMania IX. It turned out to be a prosthetic arm, the same one a second Doink would use to assist Borne in a victory at Caeser’s Palace. Doink would go on to battle many of the top stars in the WWF including Bret Hart, Mr. Perfect, and ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage. His big push had started in early 1993, by the end of fall of that year Doink turned face, by tipping a bucket of water over Bobby Heenan. His tricks turned to fun gags at the expense of the heels on the roster, but Borne’s demons again caught up with him and he was released from the WWF.
He showed up briefly in ECW and took on the persona of Borne Again, but he didn’t last there and Matt went back to independent work. In the 2000’s he cut down his in-ring work and concentrated on booking small indy shows, notably with Sandy Barr. He continued to make appearances at fan fests and other fan participating events. Many thought the clown persona was nothing but a joke, but the original incarnation of Doink the Clown is remembered as anything but. Matthew Osborne turned his life around again got sober in the early 2000’s, and he made an appearance on Raw for the 15th Anniversary Show in 2007 on December 10. He had all the skills of the trade to be a success, if only he could have controlled his demons a decade sooner.
Matt Borne will be fondly remembered by all those who saw him compete in the territory days and as Doink the Clown for his solid in ring ability and for that natural charisma that just stood out about him.
R.I.P. Matthew Wade Osborne.
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Also Known As:
– Doink the Clown
– Big Josh
– Matt Borne
– Maniac Matt Borne
– The Great Mustapho
– Borne Again
– The Original Clown
Born: Mecklenburg, North Carolina, USA
Date of Birth: July 27, 1957
Trained by Tony Borne
Billed Weight: 240lbs
Billed Height: 6’1”
Billed From: Ellwood City, Pennsylvania
Finishing Moves:
– Bridging Germany Suplex
– Northern Exposure
– Whoopie Cushion
– Stump Pull
– Crazy Cut
Trademark Move:
– Northern Lights Suplex
Date of Death: June 28, 2013
Championships Won:
International Wrestling Association:
– United States Heavyweight Championship, once
NWA Jim Crockett Promotions / World Championship Wrestling:
– NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag-Team Championship, once
– WCW United States Tag-Team Championship, once
– WCW World Six-Man Tag-Team Championship, once
NWA Mid-South Wrestling:
– Tag-Team Championship, once
NWA Pacific Northwest Wrestling / Championship Wrestling USA / Portland Wrestling:
– CW International Alliance Heavyweight Championship, once
– CW USA Television Championship, once
– NWA PNW Tag-Team Championship, four times
– PW Pacific Northwest Tag-Team Championship, once
Texas Wrestling Federation:
– Heavyweight Championship, once
United States Wrestling League:
– Unifired World Heavyweight Championship, once
World Class Wrestling Association:
– World Tag-Team Championship, twice
– Texas Heavyweight Championship, once
– World Tag-Team Championshup, twice
Wrecking Ball Wrestling:
– Championship, once
– Tag-Team Championship, once
– By Jimmy Wheeler