On June 10, 2023, two grapplers that were bound together by their lengthy and fierce rivalry, fought precariously on the apron, as a few hundred fans that were jam-packed into a converted Sears building at The Uniontown Mall anticipated who might leave with the championship. The Ryse, a blue collar organization that was founded by Pittsburgh veteran Brandon K, Grand Championship hung in the balance. The venue that once housed racks of clothes now held rows of chairs, and where cashiers were previously, a giant screen occupied that position. The fitting rooms where hangers held the season’s latest merchandise years ago became actual dressing rooms for that night’s performers. The tattered wrist tape and boot laces replaced price tags on the floor. Undoubtedly, the converted wrestling arena with the lights, music, and enthusiastic audience offered its own blue collar dose of glamour.
As Matt Conard, a 13-year veteran of the independent circuit, sent his foe crashing into the wooden casket at ringside, the audience erupted as they knew the conclusion of the contest was just moments away. As Conard slammed the lid and claimed the belt, he fell to the canvas, clutching his ribs after an exhausting battle. He won his third Ryse Grand Championship, earning him the position as the only wrestler to do so three times and was stamped as a “Ryse legend” as he has been with the promotion nearly it’s entire seven-year existence.
In a true example of just how unique the pro wrestling genre can be, the start of Matt Conard’s journey toward the squared circle wasn’t quite as glamorous as a rowdy championship celebration. Instead, if you rewind back those 13 years, you would find a lanky rookie that was booked on an event more because he was the tallest prospect in the building than actually being qualified to perform for a paying audience. Instead of the elaborate cloak that the grappler known as “The Reaper” shows off on the way to the ring today, the youngster had his boots and knee pads from wrestling practice, as well as a dingy pair of basketball shorts to complete the look. The milestone in his life, his long-awaited pro debut after he dreamed of the moment from the time he was in elementary school, was sparely-attended by just ten fans in Mt. Hope, West Virginia.
“Needless to say, I’m glad that one was not documented in any way, shape, or form,” Conard said with a sense of relief.
Matt had three opponents in the four-way match that served as his official debut. None of them lasted in the industry, but Conard kept pushing forward.
In fact, the notion to move forward, despite all logical sense suggesting otherwise, was a theme in his career before it even started. Attempting to break into the business in the Mountain State wasn’t easy and there were a few false starts for him, as he’d find a trainer among the alphabet soup list of promotions that were known to run West Virginia at the time, and then his lessons were cut short. One such example was Brian Logan, a preliminary wrestler that had experience in Smokey Mountain Wrestling in the early-90s before he had a stint in Ohio Valley Wrestling in the early-2000s. In the middle of Conard’s courses, Logan left with no notice. He wouldn’t return phone calls or e mails, he simply went off the grind, leaving the hopeful prospect with a pair of wrestling boots, but no place to learn the trade. Finally, the Mountain State Wrestling group provided a place for Conard to apply the finishing touches on his pro wrestling curriculum, which he cites as key to his career.
“I was very fortunate in my early years to be surrounded by knowledgeable mentors like Chance Prophet, Jason Kincaid, and Johnny Blast who helped me fill in the gaps that were left by my unconventional way of breaking in,” Conard explained.
Matt had a start, but not necessarily a direction. The formative years of his career tested his passion, as he zigzagged around his home state, working small cards for meager pay, sometimes just hoping to break even for the weekend. Late night gas station food after landing on a dirt-stained canvas wasn’t exactly the pinnacle of fame. He developed his “Reaper” persona throughout this time, but knew he needed to expand his horizons to make the progress he wanted as an athlete.
So, as he always did from the time he was left standing around with no trainer or working through his first match without actual wrestling gear, Conard pushed forward.
He broke into the Pittsburgh scene in 2013, still working smaller cards, but getting himself in front of the right people to earn bigger opportunities in the future. Still, he felt like he was swimming upstream in many ways, as he was in the game, but wasn’t necessarily given the opportunity to fully show what he could do. The years spent toiling in pro wrestling obscurity early on in venues that had no heat in the winter or no air conditioning in the summer paid off, as it gave him a chance to truly hone his craft. By the time Brandon K, who works extensively as a trainer, founded the previously mentioned Ryse project in late-2016, Conard was a first-round draft pick as one of the centerpieces of the organization. Matt Conard established a reputation as one of the most consistent, hard-working, and quality performers in the tri-state area. He was as dependable and as solid as anyone, and as a reflection of that, he reached a career milestone in 2018 when he unseated previous Ryse champion, AEW’s Lee Moriarty for the belt.
“I always felt like an outsider, not necessarily in the locker room, but to any booker that used me. I never felt like anyone was investing in me or getting betting one me as a performer. Jake Garrett was the first booker to see something in me and let me show what I was capable of. That was a huge shot in the arm for me, but it was technically in a promotion outside the Pittsburgh scene. It wasn’t until Ryse was started that I finally felt like I had a home, a place where I felt like my contributions mattered and I was helping it grow show-to-show. When I won the Ryse Grand Championship for the first time, it was a real moment of validation for me. After years of being overlooked, you start to question your own abilities. That moment solidified my confidence and got me refocused. I feel like those first two reigns as champion combined with the unbelievably talented guys I was fortunate enough to work with set the bar for what a main-event at Ryse should look like, which I’m super proud of. I have so many moments and stories I’ve told at Ryse that I’m so proud of and hold in high regard,” Matt remarked.
Matt Conard spent a few years, particularly before the COVID-19 pandemic as the centerpiece of the Ryse organization, working highly praised matches for each event that the promotion hosted in an old cinema at the time. Through the various chapters of his in-ring persona, quality and consistency defined that portion of his career. Still, after such an extended run with the constant pressure to bring in an audience as one of the headliners of the cards, Matt knew when it was time to take a hiatus to refocus and refuel himself, as he took time after from the ring in late-2022 before he returned back to the organization in 2023.
“With anything you love and your passionate about, it’s important to check in and see where you’re at. Mentally and physically. I reached a point where I felt myself starting to burn out. I competed at a high-level for three years at Ryse. Couple that with over a decade of travel and abuse, and I realized I needed to step away for a minute. I love the art form of Professional Wrestling, but when you start to dread doing everything outside of the art, that’s a sign you need to take a pause. And it’s been beneficial to my longevity in all aspects of my game,” Conard commented.
After he made his way back onto the scene, Matt Conard wasted no time getting involved in the a competitive rivalry, which resulted in Edric Everhart, who he eventually sent into the previously mentioned casket to conclude their feud. Regardless of all that he already accomplished, Conard is still viewed as a major asset within the Pittsburgh scene.
“Reaper is one of the consummate professionals in Ryse. A day one guy who has shown he can do it all, first match; main event; and everything in between. The only man to hold the Ryse title on three occasions shows that he has succeeded no matter what the outside circumstances are, said Chris LeRusso, current matchmaker for Ryse.
At the same time, those accomplishments allow Matt Conard to reflect on and revise his goals in the sport.
“My goal use to be to get signed. Go to a major promotion and wrestle on national television. The older I’ve gotten and the closer I am to the end of my career than the beginning, the more things have been put into perspective for me. All I really care about now is telling my stories, being able to tell the stories I want to tell and lead the audience along for the ride. As long as I can keep doing that, I’ll keep chasing that perfect story.” Conard concluded.
All things considered, Matt Conard has come a long way from those practice knee pads and basketball shorts in Mt. Hope, WV in front of less than a dozen fans to being regarded as one of the most respected and established veterans in the Pittsburgh area over the course of his career.
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Until next week
-Jim LaMotta
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