At last week's OVW show, an emotional Matt Cappotelli announced that he had a malignant brain tumor. He then relinquished the OVW Championship to Danny Davis and told the fans that his faith would get him through the ordeal.
Last week, The Miz weighed in with his thoughts about the whole situation, giving sort of an insider's point of view because he actually knew Matt. I don't really know Matt Cappotelli, but I have watched a lot of his recent work, so let me tell you what I see from a fan's perspective.
You know what I see? I see a man who doesn't deserve the hand he's been dealt. And even more than that, I see a damn good wrestler whose career may be cut short by an unfortunate illness.
Last summer, OVW Television became available to purchase on DVD for the first time. Being the wrestling fan that I am, I own July through December, and got to watch the evolution of Matt Cappotelli. In the "first" episode, he was half of a tag team called The Thrillseekers with a guy named Johnny Jeter, and they were chasing the OVW Southern Tag Team Championship. They finally won the gold, but Jeter soon turned against Cappotelli, breaking his leg and setting off one of the fiercest rivalries you'll ever see.
Even though Cappotelli couldn't wrestle due to his injury, the rivalry continued to intensify by the week. Jeter, getting cockier by the week, would put himself over every chance he got, reminding the world of how he carried Cappotelli. Meanwhile, Matt would do his talking, simply promising to make Jeter pay for what he did.
Depending on how long you've been a wrestling fan, you may remember certain rivalries more vividly. Austin-Hart, Hogan-Andre, Flair-Steamboat, Undertaker-Kane…the list goes on and on. In my opinion, Cappotelli-Jeter ranks right up there. Obviously, less people were witness to the rivalry, but if it played out on WWE television, it would be talked about in the same breath as the aforementioned quartet. The emotion, the drama, the whole story just sucked you in; when Matt's leg finally healed, he and Jeter tore down the house in a great match, and Matt got his ultimate revenge by defeating Jeter to win the OVW Championship. The ovation when that happened has to be heard to be believed.
You could tell at that point that Matt had the charisma, the ability and the toughness needed to become a star in this business. Indeed, Matt has all of the tools to be the next legendary WWE Superstar, and his subsequent OVW Championship defenses gave even more of a glimpse into that. In his relatively short career, Matt has overcome a lot already; he's now in for the biggest battle of his life, and hopefully it's one that he'll be able to overcome just like every other one.
If life were fair, Matt would somehow be a part of WrestleMania 22. It's every sports-entertainer's dream to someday shine on the biggest stage of them all, and he certainly deserves the opportunity.
In his speech, Matt reiterated his faith in the Lord, and said that his faith would see him through this ordeal. Whether or not you share Matt's faith to any degree, keep him in your thoughts and say a prayer for him. He's a good entertainer, a hard worker, and above all else, a great man.
Remember, even though you may only know him as one of the OVW guys or the guy who won Tough Enough III, he's someone's son, someone's brother, someone's best friend. It's a situation no one wants to be in; it may be selfish to think that a loved one's condition is harder on you than it is on them, but it's a natural reaction. Being somewhat of a role model, a lot of people may feel cheated in Matt's case. As a fan, I feel cheated that I may never see him shine on a big stage. A lot of OVW fans who have seen Matt's work may feel the same way. Even more importantly though, I know Matt feels cheated; cheated that his career (and his life, really) have been interrupted. All someone can do is support their loved ones, say a prayer, and have faith that they will get through it.
So do the same for Matt Cappotelli, because right now he needs it. I know I don't need to say it, but everyone here in WWE is pulling for you, brother.
