Missouri Wrestling Revival

Since his return to the ring, Matt Murphy has found himself in the thick of many top stories around the Midwest. He has been featured in main event matches in Kansas City ,upsetting WWE HOF Ted Dibiase in Iowa and last fall he returned for a historic match at the WLW/ WWE/ NOAH annual camp show in Eldon, Missouri. – Photo Credit Brian Kelley

Editor’s note: While we were thrilled to find out that Matt Murphy was promoted to work with SICW, a couple a months ago, that happiness has tuned into a very volatile situation. Murphy would go on to lose in stunning fashion to the young beast Alexander Rudolph in his debut.

Since that time, Matt Murphy has had animosity towards SICW promoter Herb Simmons, announcer Larry Matysik, the wrestlers in the back and the fans out front.

In a war of words coming in from both sides, MWR stance with all of them is that they each are free to let the world hear their side of this story, in hopes that cooler heads will prevail in the end.

For the fans that are just joining us today for the first time, glad to have you at MWR and feel free to catch up with the first shot in this argument from Matt Murphy.

Matt Murphy calls out Larry Matysik and Herb Simmons after SICW Debut.

Click here to hear his reply to the accusations of Matt Murphy.

Promoter Herb Simmons has worked with some of the very best and most dangerous meant in the sport including Bruiser Brody and Ron Powers. Yet Murphy is a man that does not have the power of Brody and Powers but is able to be just as dangerous in his attacks, as he is normally one step ahead of his opponents.

SICW promoter Herb Simmons responds to “All That” Matt Murphy.

Letter sent via Matt Murphy

In today’s digital age, it doesn’t take much to call yourself a writer. You don’t need talent, ability to engage an audience, or even mastery of the Queen’s English. You just peck away at your keyboard, hit Send, and you’re published. Case in point: Herb Simmons’ half-coherent rant that was posted on Missouri Wrestling Revival concerning my debut with SICW. You’d think that a guy who calls an author, Larry Matysik, his friend would have the sense to reach out for some proofreading help before sending off his letter to Brian Kelley for web publication. But the poor grammar and style Herb used, while certainly as irritating to all of you as it was to me and quite possibly a felony in the U.K., isn’t what prompted my rebuttal.

His response to me should have contained just two words. “Thank you.”

Quick backstory, for those of you joining this program already in-progress: International wrestling star and bestselling author Matt Murphy, kindly (and foolishly) thinking it would be good for the wrestling business, tried to breathe some life back into the corpse known as St. Louis wrestling when he agreed to make some appearances for SICW. While most promotions would have rolled out the red carpet for Murphy, SICW instead stabbed him in the back. Yet, despite a lackluster and controversial debut, our hero still captured the interest of sponsors, who signed on to help fund SICW for the next two years. In one night, despite it being one of the worst nights in his wrestling career, Matt Murphy did more for SICW than anyone who ever held a spot on the roster before him. But did promoter Herb Simmons give due credit? No. He looked the gift horse in the mouth and then spit on it.

Everyone up to speed now? Good. Let’s move on.

Murphy has challenged for the NWA World title against Adam Pearce and the Central States Championship held by highly touted ACH. – Photo Credit Brian Kelley

Herb showered Larry Matysik with praise in his letter. He said that Larry is honest and doesn’t need to prove himself to anyone. Was he honest when he weaseled his way into a book deal for an idea that I pitched and a manuscript that I had already delivered to the publisher? Was he honest when he tried ending my storied career by sicking the unstable super-heavyweight behemoth Alexander Rudolph on me after leading me to believe I would be competing against someone in my weight class? Herb called Larry Matysik a household name. To paraphrase the great Jim Cornette, “Larry Matysik might be a household name, but so is garbage, and it stinks when it gets old, too.”

Larry Matysik has made a living in wrestling as a pencil-pusher and a jabber-mouth. Is that not enough? Wrestlers should treat him as an equal, or as if he’s better than us? The first time I was lifted six feet in the air and slammed onto the plywood and metal beams, I earned more respect in this business than anyone who’s never survived that experience. Sure, he’s a legend, as far as announcers go, but is it really saying anything to call yourself the finest slice of bologna in a steakhouse? This is the wrestling business. Wrestlers are the stars. Announcers, ring crew, referees…they’re all supporting cast, and it would be best for everyone involved in the business if the supporting cast remembered their place at the end of the catering line.

I don’t like old people. Call it one of my few character flaws, but I don’t like them. I don’t like the way they drive, smell, reminisce, beg pardon, and gossip. But I especially don’t like old people who talk tough to me. I don’t discriminate: I’m an equal-opportunity ass-kicker, and I will hit an old man, not just because I dislike old people, but because I do what I can to be politically correct. Larry and Herb are treading on thin ice with me, and every misspelled word Herb wrote cracked the ice just a little more.

“Murphy vows to destroy SICW”?
Is the title of this article but make no bones about it wrestling fans, Murphy is a real threat to our friend Herb Simmons and Larry Matysik. While he can wrestle with the best of them, he has showed recently that he prefers to take short cuts and play mind games. -– Photo Credit Brian Kelley

I return to SICW on August 18th. When I look across that ring and into my opponent’s half-awestruck and half-terrified eyes, I’m going to see Larry Matysik and Herb Simmons staring back at me. Every strike and every hold will reflect my anger towards the men who pull the strings at SICW. I hope my opponent has a bright future in professional wrestling, because bright wrestling futures are a beautiful thing, and right now I feel like destroying something beautiful.

-International Professional Wrestling Star and Bestselling Author Matt Murphy