View source for Matt Cappotelli

{{short description|American professional wrestler}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2018}}
{{Infobox professional wrestler
| name        = Matt Cappotelli
| image       = Matt Cappotelli.jpeg
| birth_name  = Matthew Lee Cappotelli 
| caption     =
| names       = The Flava<br>Matt Cappotelli
| height      = 6 ft 0 in
| weight      = 225 lb
| birth_date  = {{birth date|1979|11|12}}
| birth_place = [[Caledonia, New York]], U.S.<ref name=slam/>
| death_date  = {{death date and age|2018|06|29|1979|11|12}}
| death_place = [[Louisville, Kentucky]], U.S.<ref name=slam/>
| death_cause = [[Glioblastoma]]
| alma_mater  = [[Western Michigan University]]
| billed      = [[Rochester, New York]]
| trainer     = [[Al Snow]]<br />[[Bill DeMott]]<br />[[Eugene (wrestler)|Eugene]]<br>[[Ivory (wrestler)|Ivory]]
| debut       = January 27, 2003
| retired     = February 8, 2006
| spouse      = {{marriage|Lindsay Seeders|March 2006|<!--Omitted when marriage ends with death of subject per Template:Marriage instructions-->}}
}}
'''Matthew Lee Cappotelli''' (November 12, 1979 – June 29, 2018) was an American [[Professional wrestling|professional wrestler]]. After co-winning ''[[WWE Tough Enough#Tough Enough III|Tough Enough III]]'' with [[John Morrison (wrestler)|John Hennigan]], he worked in [[Ohio Valley Wrestling]] (OVW), the primary developmental territory for [[WWE]]. He ended his career due to a [[malignant]] [[brain tumor]].

== Professional wrestling career ==
Cappotelli, along with [[John Morrison (wrestler)|John Hennigan]], won a [[World Wrestling Entertainment]] (WWE) contract by winning ''[[WWE Tough Enough|Tough Enough III]]''.<ref name="MTV">{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/onair/toughenough/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010809232211/http://www.mtv.com/onair/toughenough/|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 9, 2001|title=MTV Onair – Toughenough|access-date=April 8, 2007|publisher=MTV|quote=In the end, Matt and John were chosen to be the winners of Tough Enough 3.}}</ref> During the show [[Hardcore Holly]] aggressively roughed up Matt while training, stiffly striking Cappotelli repeatedly, leaving him bleeding.<ref name="voice-Matt">{{cite web|url=http://www.theringsidevoice.com/cappotelli.php |title=The Ringside Voice Interviews – Matt Cappotelli |access-date=February 18, 2012 |publisher=The Ringside Voice |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717024207/http://www.theringsidevoice.com/cappotelli.php |archive-date=July 17, 2011  }}</ref><ref name="mooneyham"/> After winning, he made sporadic appearances on WWE shows.<ref name=slam/> At [[Vengeance (2003)|Vengeance]], Cappotelli competed in The APA Invitational Bar Room Brawl which [[John Layfield|Bradshaw]] won.

Cappotelli was then sent to [[Ohio Valley Wrestling]] (OVW).<ref name=slam/> There, he formed a [[tag team]] known as The Thrill Seekers with [[Johnny Jeter]].<ref name=south/> On November 9 at an OVW television taping, Cappotelli captured the [[OVW Heavyweight Championship]] by defeating his former tag team partner, Johnny Jeter. On February 8, 2006, he announced that he had previously been diagnosed with a grade 2/3 [[astrocytoma]] and surrendered the title to OVW owner [[Daniel Burile|Danny Davis]] at a television taping in [[Louisville, Kentucky]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Hicks|last=Brady|title=2006: The year in wrestling|work=PWI Presents: 2007 Wrestling Almanak and book of facts|publisher=Kappa Publications|id=2007 Edition|page=17}}</ref> Cappotelli announced to OVW wrestlers and fans on April 4, 2006, that he would undergo surgery for brain cancer in Boston on May 1.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/news/archive/cappotelliupdate|publisher=[[WWE]]|title=Matt Cappotelli to undergo brain surgery|last=Dee|first=Louie|date=April 6, 2007}}</ref> WWE's official website later reported that the surgery was a success,<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.wwe.com/inside/news/archive/cappotellisurgery|date = May 1, 2007|publisher = [[World Wrestling Entertainment]]|title = Cappotelli undergoes surgery|access-date = August 26, 2015}}</ref> and that the majority of the brain tumor was removed.<ref name=removed>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/news/archive/cappotelliupdate|title=Cappotelli recovering well|publisher=[[World Wrestling Entertainment]]|date=May 9, 2007}}</ref> He was released from his contract in January 2009.<ref name=slam/>
Toward the end of 2013, Cappotelli became the trainer for OVW's Beginner Program.<ref>{{Cite news|url = http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20131112/BUSINESS/311120027/Helping-wrestlers-get-grip?nclick_check=1|title = Helping wrestlers get a grip|date = November 12, 2013|work = [[The Courier-Journal]]|access-date = August 26, 2015|location = Louisville, KY}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.ovwrestling.com/training/beginner|title = Matt Cappotelli Beginner's Program|access-date = August 26, 2015|website = [[Ohio Valley Wrestling]]|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150820044520/http://www.ovwrestling.com/training/beginner|archive-date = August 20, 2015}}</ref>

==Personal life and death==
Cappotelli attended college at [[Western Michigan University]] in [[Kalamazoo, Michigan]], where he was also a member of the football team.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.wmubroncos.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=4600&ATCLID=204953802|title = Football History: All-Time Jersey Roster: #34|date = June 1, 2010|access-date = August 26, 2015|publisher = [[Western Michigan University]]}}</ref><ref name="mooneyham">{{Cite web|url = http://www.mikemooneyham.com/2006/02/26/cappotelli-proves-hes-tough-enough/|title = Cappotelli Proves He's Tough Enough|date = February 26, 2006|access-date = August 26, 2015|website = The Wrestling Gospel According to Mike Mooneyham|last = Mooneyham|first = Mike}}</ref>
Cappotelli was married to Lindsay.<ref name=slam/><ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.southeastchristian.org/outlook/story.aspx?id=2982|title = Faith Warrior|access-date = December 14, 2009|publisher = southeastoutlookchristian.org|date = December 14, 2009|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091214214202/http://www.southeastchristian.org/outlook/story.aspx?id=2982|archive-date = December 14, 2009|last = Schenk|first = Ruth}}</ref> They resided in [[Louisville, Kentucky]], where he also worked as a personal trainer.<ref name=slam/> He was close friends with professional wrestler and Western Michigan alumnus, [[Colt Cabana]]. {{source needed|date=June 2025}} ''[[Big Brother 3 (U.S.)|Big Brother]]'' winner Lisa Donahue was his cousin.<ref name=Lisa>{{Cite tweet|user= TheLisaDonahue |number= 880337393869443072|date= June 29, 2017|title= Prayers needed for my cousin ❤️❤️|access-date= September 4, 2017}}</ref>
In July 2017, Cappotelli announced that he was diagnosed with grade IV [[glioblastoma multiforme]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.facebook.com/matt.cappotelli/posts/10155814054621151  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/facebook/720421150/10155814054621151 |archive-date=2022-02-26 |url-access=limited|title=Matt Cappotelli |date=July 14, 2017 |website=www.facebook.com |language=en |access-date=July 13, 2017}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In May 2018, Cappotelli's wife announced that, after consultations with his [[neuro-oncologist]], Cappotelli was ceasing medical interventions for the tumor.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/news.html|title=Slam! Wrestling News|date=May 21, 2018|access-date=May 21, 2018|work=Slam! Sports|publisher=[[Canadian Online Explorer]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150428041607/http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/news.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 28, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pwinsider.com/article/117610/matt-cappotelli-to-discontinue-treatments-in-his-battle-against-cancer-how-you-can-assist-his-family.html?p=1|title=Matt Cappotelli to discontinue treatments in his battle against cancer, how you can assist his family|date=May 21, 2018|last=Johnson|first=Mike|access-date=May 21, 2018|work=PWInsider}}</ref> He died on June 29, 2018, at the age of 38.<ref>{{cite web|last=Xu|first=Linda|url=https://www.thewrap.com/matt-cappotelli-former-wwe-wrestler-tough-enough-winner-dies-38/|title=Matt Cappotelli, Former WWE Wrestler and 'Tough Enough' Winner, Dies at 38|date=June 29, 2018|access-date=June 29, 2018|website=[[TheWrap]]}}</ref><ref name=slam>{{cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/2018/06/29/22780576.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180701030548/http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/2018/06/29/22780576.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 1, 2018|title=Tough Enough winner Matt Cappotelli dies|author=Oliver, Greg|publisher=SLAM Wrestling|access-date=July 1, 2018|date=June 29, 2018}}</ref>

==Championships and accomplishments==
*'''[[Ohio Valley Wrestling]]'''
**[[OVW Heavyweight Championship]] ([[OVW Heavyweight Championship#Title history|1 time]])<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.solie.org/titlehistories/ovhtnwa.html|access-date = July 1, 2008|last1 = Westcott|first1 = Brian|title = NWA – National Wrestling Alliance NWA Ohio Valley Wrestling Heavyweight/Ohio Valley Wrestling Heavyweight Title History|publisher = Solie|last2 = Dupree|first2 = Jim}}</ref>
**[[OVW Southern Tag Team Championship]] ([[OVW Southern Tag Team Championship#Title history|1 time]]) – with [[Johnny Jeter]]<ref name=south>{{cite web|url = http://www.solie.org/titlehistories/ovsttnwa.html|access-date = July 1, 2008|last1 = Westcott|first1 = Brian|title = NWA – National Wrestling Alliance NWA Ohio Valley Wrestling Southern Tag Team Title History|publisher = Solie|last2 = Dupree|first2 = Jim}}</ref><ref name=Jan19F4W>{{cite web | url=https://www.f4wonline.com/other-wrestling/daily-pro-wrestling-history-0119-ric-flair-wins-wwf-title-1992-royal-rumble-302116 | title=Pro wrestling history (01/19): Ric Flair wins WWF title in 1992 Royal Rumble | date=January 19, 2019 | access-date=January 18, 2019 | work=[[Wrestling Observer Newsletter|Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online]] | first=Brian | last=Hoops}}</ref>
*'''''[[Pro Wrestling Illustrated]]'''''
**[[PWI Inspirational Wrestler of the Year|Inspirational Wrestler of the Year]] (2006)<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.wrestlingnewsworld.com/wwe-news/2006_PWI_Achievement_Awards_Winners_Revealed.php|title = 2006 PWI Achievement Awards Winners Revealed|date = January 25, 2007|access-date = August 26, 2015|publisher = Wrestling News World|last = Wilkens|first = Tom|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180630052947/http://www.wrestlingnewsworld.com/wwe-news/2006_PWI_Achievement_Awards_Winners_Revealed.php|archive-date = June 30, 2018|url-status = dead}}</ref>
*'''[[WWE|World Wrestling Entertainment]]'''
**''[[WWE Tough Enough#Tough Enough III|Tough Enough III]]'' <small>with [[John Morrison (wrestler)|John Hennigan]]</small><ref name=MTV/><ref name=slam/>

== See also ==
* [[List of premature professional wrestling deaths]]
* [[List of people with brain tumors]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{professional wrestling profiles}}

{{OVW Heavyweight Championship}}
{{OVW Tag Team Championship}}
{{Tough Enough winners}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cappotelli, Matt}}
[[Category:1979 births]]
[[Category:2018 deaths]]
[[Category:American male professional wrestlers]]
[[Category:American people of Italian descent]]
[[Category:Sportspeople of Italian descent]]
[[Category:Deaths from brain cancer in the United States]]
[[Category:Deaths from glioblastoma]]
[[Category:Professional wrestlers from New York (state)]]
[[Category:People from Caledonia, New York]]
[[Category:Tough Enough winners]]
[[Category:Western Michigan Broncos football players]]
[[Category:21st-century male professional wrestlers]]
[[Category:21st-century American professional wrestlers]]
[[Category:OVW Heavyweight Champions]]
[[Category:OVW Tag Team Champions]]
[[Category:Players of American football from New York (state)]]