iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

I'm working on an article about moves that wrestlers continue to use despite them being ineffective or backfiring consistently I'd love to have a big pile of examples to use so please let me know what comes to mind #wrestling

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Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

File that away as an all timer sentence to drop with no context

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Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Forgot to post over here for a while But I wrote about the most recent @progresswrestling.bsky.social show and you can read it here mattfromthemat.substack.com/p/progress-c...

mattfromthemat.substack.com

PROGRESS Chapter 197: Wrestling Over Everything

Some new directions form

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Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

I am trying to use this platform more, this year I'm writing about everybsingle @brucespringsteen.net album, one a week Should be really exciting open.substack.com/pub/mattlaur...

open.substack.com

The Springsteen Project: Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J.

Some brimstone, baritone, anticyclone, rolling stone

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Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 22/10/2025

Great to see BAP together, even if it was last night 😂

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Reposted by Matt from The Mat

Catch:Pro-Wrestling @catchprowres.bsky.social · 08/10/2025

Full show hits Patreon at 18:30

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Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 01/10/2025

☝️ @davidbix.bsky.social this feels like something you might be able to light on?

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Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 01/10/2025

Anyone who knows about these things know why people in Facebook are insistent that Smoky Mountain Wrestling is still around?

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Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 27/08/2025

I always forget to post things here but I wrote about Forbidden Door and I think its a pretty good piece and that you should go and read it 🤷‍♂️ open.substack.com/pub/mattfrom...

open.substack.com

AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door 2025

The fourth annual blurring of boundaries

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Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 24/08/2025

And Mike Bailey was the first wrestler I ever bought merch from in person, at the Temple of Boom in Leeds Little moments sure but an illustration of why the indies give you experiences you can't replace

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Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 24/08/2025

Same thing with Gabe Kidd, he was in the first match I ever watched in person I sat behind his family during his homecoming match in Nottingham in 2022 Really cool seeing his journey

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Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 24/08/2025

I've seen 6 people on the Forbidden Door card in the Bread Shed Two of them this year That's why supporting your local independent promotions is so cool

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Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 09/08/2025

Saturday afternoon retro wrestling show, chosen for me by a first vote wins poll Great show open.substack.com/pub/mattfrom...

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Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 24/07/2025

Masterfully good book A level to aspire to

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Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 24/07/2025

Great Muta vs Brad Armstrong, 2 out of 3 falls, from April 92

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Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 21/07/2025

Liam Slater actually trained Leon Slater

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Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 12/07/2025

It's better for Kyle Fletcher to start his reign by beating a beloved veteran than by winning a four way for a vacant title anyway

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Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 12/07/2025

And everyone else in that match has 20 or 30 years left in them Kyle Fletcher will get his moment in the sun

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Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 12/07/2025

He probably shouldn't be holding those two ROH titles as well but that's a different issue

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Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 12/07/2025

If your heart wasn't warmed by Dustin Rhodes getting that moment in his home state even just a little bit then I don't know what to say

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Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 12/07/2025

Pez Whatley getting a shout out at All In

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Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 12/07/2025

Something about imitation and flattery

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Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 09/07/2025

Working in a field that's quite reliant on word of mouth is very hard when your work doesn't get shared around

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Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 02/07/2025

My project to listen to every UK Number One single continues with 1955 A year dominated by a cowboy that also saw a new genre appear open.substack.com/pub/mattlaur...

open.substack.com

The Number One Project: 1955

There's a rumbling in the distance

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Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 30/06/2025

Part two of what will end up being 70+ Please have a read so this mad idea I had doesn't prove wasted open.substack.com/pub/mattlaur...

open.substack.com

The Number One Project: 1954

More ballads, with added light opera

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Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 29/06/2025

I would tell you in great detail what I felt about Progress but I genuinely dont think anyone cares at this point

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Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 28/06/2025

Starting off my project to listen to every UK number One right at the beginning (where else) So please, have a read of what I thought about 1952 and 1953s biggest hits Anyone know the superstar below? open.substack.com/pub/mattlaur...

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Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 27/06/2025

Launched a new music newsletter today, would mean a lot if you'd take a look I'm about to embark on a mission to listen to all 1400+ UK no.1 singles and if you sign up (it's free) you can read all about it And there'll be loads more as well open.substack.com/pub/mattlaur...

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Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 26/06/2025

In 'Let's get ready to Rhumble' Ant & Dec I teoduce themselves as such, but the song is credited to PJ & Duncan Why?

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Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 25/06/2025

Making the playlists as preparation The early 2000s are definitely going to do me in...

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Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 25/06/2025

About to embark on a ridiculous project to listen to (and comment on) every single UK number one single from the birth of the charts to the present day I will go insane at some point, probably before the 1950s are out 🤷‍♂️

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Reposted by Matt from The Mat

EVE Riot Grrrls of Wrestling @evewrestling.bsky.social · 24/06/2025

We reeaallly wish we got more traction here so we could stop having to the use the other place so much. Please do us a solid and spread the word to your followers. EVE is one of the longest running all-women's promotions in the world, 15 years strong, and produced by Will Ospreay Next show...

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Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 23/06/2025

I keep seeing pieces proclaiming the pipebomb as a turning point, so I figured I'd evaluate it near its 14th anniversary this month open.substack.com/pub/mattfrom...

open.substack.com

You're Remembering It Wrong - The Pipebomb

The promo that changed the world?

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Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 22/06/2025

Strange day for weirdly insistent people arguing falsehoods First the Bull Nakano wrestled at Wembley Stadium people Now someone insistent that Fabulous Moolah wrestled at SummerSlam 92, he was there and everything

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Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 22/06/2025

If you're booking learning difficulties as a gimmick in 2025 you need your head wobbling RevPro can do better than that, much better

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Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 14/06/2025

Coming off the back of the Enygma Series, all the entrants who didn't make the final face off to see who can move forward with momentum A lot of combustible elements in one ring at the same time seems a guarantee of chaos

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Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 14/06/2025

Lily Winter and Leah Raven impressed in their first outing as a team but weren't able to pick up the win, they team again against the debuting Scottish duo of Angel Hayze and Moxie Malone, who will be looking to make their own major statement

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Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 14/06/2025

Lucy Sky wanted new challenges as she establishes her reign as Women's Champion, so in comes a debuting Hollie Barlow Not just a first time ever match but a chance for Barlow to leap to the top of the company, or Sky to establish her spot right there

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Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 14/06/2025

The match where Scotty Rawks won the CATCHweight championship nearly involved Vusyk, so it's only right that Rawk starts his reign defending against someone who must still feel that if he'd been in that match there might be a different champion today

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Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 14/06/2025

The undefeated Big T has been waiting for a title shot for a long time, and now he finally has one, facing the always dangerous champion T has beaten varied opponents in the past, but against someone as versatile as Phillips, will he walk out undefeated and with gold, or will it be back to square 1?

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Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 14/06/2025

Two of the North Wests best collide in a match that not only has the Enygma Series on the line, but also years of history between the two men involved Over a potential 3 falls we'll see who will go on to a title match in the future

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Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 11/06/2025

I have a soft spot for this track as well, a particularly absurdist tangent on what is a gloriously off the wall album open.spotify.com/track/02nrNX...

open.spotify.com

Johnny Carson - Remastered 2000

The Beach Boys · Love You (Remastered) · Song · 1977

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Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 11/06/2025

He was probably the songwriter who proved that the 60s pop generation could approach the sophistication of 'Art Music' and still remain part of their own, very separate canon

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Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 11/06/2025

So many places to start out but why not here Sounding both simple and complex, adult and childish It probably sums up Brian Wilsons style as a whole open.spotify.com/track/5YniFj...

open.spotify.com

Surf's Up - Remastered 2009

The Beach Boys · Surf's Up · Song · 1971

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Matt from The Mat @mattfromthemat.bsky.social · 11/06/2025

Almost impossibly good at his best The word genius is easy to apply to a lot of people, it's rarely easier than attaching it to Brian Wilson

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