Matt Osborne
Born: 1957-07-27 in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
Died: 2013-06-28
Known For: Acting
Biography
Matthew "Matt" Wade Osborne was an American professional wrestler. Osborne was a second generation wrestler, being son of "Tough" Tony Borne, and is best known as being the first and longest-running wrestler to portray the character of Doink the Clown. He was born in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1957. sborne was found dead on June 28, 2013, in the Plano, Texas apartment he lived in. Though no weapons were found near his body, and police said the death appeared accidental, they launched a precautionary homicide investigation. The cause of death was later determined to be an accidental overdose of morphine and hydrocodone. He also suffered from heart disease, which had been a contributing factor in his death. In June 2015, a wrongful death lawsuit was filed against WWE, alleging that "WWE created a culture of violence and sacrificed Matt Osborne’s brain for its own profit" which "led to further illnesses and injuries, including depression and drug abuse, which ultimately resulted in his untimely death." WWE attorney Jerry McDevitt said the suit was without merit and blamed the attorneys for taking advantage of the families involved. The suit was filed by Michelle James, the mother of two of Osborne's four children, and was litigated by attorney Konstantine Kyros, who has been involved in a number of other lawsuits against WWE. The lawsuit was dismissed by US District Judge Vanessa Lynne Bryant, who ruled that they failed to show that his death was linked to chronic traumatic encephalopathy Matt Obsorne appeared in SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 as a DLC character in 2008 under the name, Doink the Clown. However, he did not appear in any other licensed wrestling game afterwards.
Filmography
2019
- Dark Side of the Ring as Self (Archival Footage)
2013
- Legends of Mid-South Wrestling as Matt Borne
- ECW - Unreleased Vol. 2 as Doink the Clown
2007
- Mid-South Wrestling Giants, Midgets, Heroes & Villains vol. 1 as "Maniac" Matt Borne
1996
- WAR Ryogoku Crush Night as Doink
1995
- WWE Mega Matches '95 as Doink the Clown
1994
- ECW's NWA World Title Tournament as Doink The Clown
- Inside the WWF as Doink The Clown
1993
- Raw as Doink The Clown (archive footage)
- ECW Hardcore TV
- WWE WrestleMania IX as Doink the Clown
- WWE SummerSlam 1993 as Doink The Clown
- WWE Invasion of the Bodyslammers as Doink the Clown
- WWE Global Warfare as Doink The Clown
- WWE UK Rampage '93 as Doink the Clown
- WWF European Rampage 1993 as Doink the Clown
- WWE U.K. Rampage 1993 as Doink the Clown
- WWE Survivor Series Showdown 1993 as Doink The Clown
1992
- WCW WrestleWar 1992 as Big Josh
- GWF Presents: The Best of USWA as Matt Borne
- WCW Clash of The Champions XVIII as Big Josh
1991
- WCW SuperBrawl 1 as Big Josh
- WCW Starrcade 1991 as Big Josh
- WCW Clash of The Champions XVI: Fall Brawl '91 as Big Josh
- WCW Halloween Havoc 1991 as Big Josh
- WCW The Great American Bash 1991 as Big Josh
- WCW Clash of the Champions XV: Knocksville USA as Big Josh
- WCW Clash of The Champions XVII as Big Josh
1990
- WCW Starrcade 1990 as Sgt. Kruger
- NWA Clash of The Champions XIII: Thanksgiving Thunder as Sgt. Krueger
1988
- Clash of the Champions as Sgt. Krueger
1987
- WCCW Cotton Bowl Extravaganza '87 as "Maniac" Matt Borne
- WCCW Christmas Star Wars '87 as Matt Borne
- WCCW Parade of Champions '87 as Matt Borne
1986
- WCCW Cotton Bowl Extravaganza '86 as "Maniac" Matt Borne
- WCCW Labor Day Star Wars '86 as "Maniac" Matt Borne
1985
- WrestleMania as "Maniac" Matt Borne
1982
- World Class Championship Wrestling as Matt Borne
1981
- Mid-South Wrestling as Matt Borne (Archive footage)
- Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling as Matt Borne
1977
- USWA Championship Wrestling as Matt Borne
1973
- WWE Old School as Matt Borne