Soaring to New Heights: The Journey of AEW’s Matt Sydal
Written by: Brooke Burns
In the heart of St. Louis, Missouri, a young dreamer gazed up at the stars, envisioning a future filled with boundless possibilities. Little did he know that his journey would take him to the electrifying world of professional wrestling, where he would captivate audiences around the globe with his gravity-defying feats and indomitable spirit. This is the story of Matt Sydal, the aerial virtuoso whose name has become synonymous with innovation and excitement in the squared circle.
Born Matthew Joseph Korklan, Sydal’s passion for wrestling ignited at a young age. Drawn to the adrenaline-pumping action of the sport, he dedicated himself to mastering its artistry, honing his skills in local rings and gymnasiums across the Midwest. His determination and natural talent soon caught the eye of scouts, leading him to embark on a whirlwind journey through the ranks of professional wrestling.
“Without St. Louis I wouldn’t be where I’m at today. For example, the first wrestling event I ever went to (with my family and my brother) was a WWE PPV called “Hell in a Cell” and on our way walking into the building there was fans dressed as the wrestlers and it was sort of the vibe and the atmosphere of the fans is what makes wrestling so fun because people next to us and around us were having fun that we had fun and sort of made me fall in love with wrestling, it’s been a part of our family life now, kids of St. Louis loved wrestling so much, that I built a ring in my backyard, and we found kids who had built rings in their backyard and we’d have a network of kids wrestling in their backyard all over the county and city.”
Under the bright lights of the WWE, Sydal soared to prominence as Evan Bourne, dazzling audiences with his breathtaking aerial assaults and dynamic in-ring presence. But his thirst for creative freedom and new challenges beckoned him beyond the confines of sports entertainment’s grandest stage. With a leap of faith, he ventured into the vast landscape of independent wrestling, where he would carve out his legacy as one of the industry’s most innovative performers.
“The local wrestling scene was pretty strong when my fandom was big and that’s what allowed me to find a wrestling training school in the area where I was able to get in the ring for the first time, which to me was like Heaven on Earth, to be in a real ring after wrestling in many, many, many makeshift homemade rings made by kids it really felt huge and then the wrestlers that encouraged me to get outside of St. Louis and really test my skills against better wrestlers were guys from St. Louis who saw potential in me and believed in me and encouraged me to take the next steps. I graduated from Mizzou and one year later I started wrestling in Europe and Japan and things really took off for me.”
In 2020, Matt Sydal’s odyssey brought him to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), a revolutionary platform where boundaries are meant to be pushed and dreams are meant to be realized. Here, amidst a roster of elite competitors, Sydal continues to showcase his unparalleled athleticism and fearless spirit, captivating audiences with each gravity-defying maneuver and heart-stopping encounter.
Sydal’s connection to St. Louis isn’t just a matter of birthplace; it’s a part of his identity woven into the fabric of his career. Growing up in the heart of the city, he was shaped by its rich wrestling heritage and vibrant culture. From attending local wrestling events to training in St. Louis gyms, his roots run deep in the Gateway City. Despite his travels around the world, Sydal remains connected to his hometown, often paying homage to St. Louis in his wrestling persona and interviews.
“For St. Louis, family is number one and food is number two. I’m such a sucker for toasted ravioli; butter cake, and St. Louis style pizza just has a special place in my heart. They are not able to be found in other locations. These are secrets and gifts that we have, that I thought were just everyday products because it was at Schnucks. It turns out gooey butter cake isn’t across the globe and I’ve been everywhere, I’ve been around the world a couple times, a million miles on Delta at least, and probably on American too, and I still love coming home to that gooey butter cake! When I was a kid, we were definitely a Cecil Whitaker’s over Imo’s kind of family.”
His ties to the city serve as a source of inspiration and motivation, driving him to achieve greatness while staying true to his Midwestern roots.
“The thing I relate to St. Louis is its individuality and it’s not really influenced by a lot of outside; we aren’t hit by like the East coast or West coast, we sort of have our own island in Missouri where we do our own thing and don’t worry so much about what everybody is doling everywhere else and that’s how I do my wrestling. I give my best every night but I’m not so much worried about what’s everybody doing wrestling everywhere else and all that stuff, I believe each match is special itself and I try not to get too caught up in the ego insanity of wrestling, because of that St. Louis style, I really felt like it has helped me keep a level head throughout my twenty years of wrestling all over the world.”
In addition to his St. Louis connection, Sydal’s recent accomplishments in AEW have garnered widespread acclaim. From his show-stealing matches to his memorable appearances on AEW Dynamite and pay-per-view events, he has earned the respect of fans and fellow wrestlers alike.
“I do the matches and when I’m done with them they are for everybody else but me. I get everything I need out of it. I don’t need more accolades or more stuff, but anytime I tag with my brother Mike Sydal it’s a great tag match and then my other tag partner is Ricochet, who’s a WWE superstar now, and he and I had some amazing matches when we were wrestling together in New Japan Pro Wrestling. Whatever wrestling fans you come across on YouTube just tune in, I mean I’ve been wrestling for so long that a match I had ten years ago might resonate with somebody now and someone might like it more in five years when their tastes are more Matt Sydal wrestling. I just think everybody gets to enjoy wrestling their own way, but it’s usually the most fun when you have a friend or a family member, someone that enjoys it with you and can really let loose and even though you’re watching it at home you can still kind of participate while it’s happening and enjoy it.”
Matt Sydal continues to shine brightly on the wrestling stage, proving that with talent, hard work, and a little hometown pride, anything is possible. As he continues to soar to new heights in AEW and beyond, one thing remains clear: St. Louis will always be the city that shaped the man known as Matt Sydal, the aerial virtuoso with a heart as big as the arch that defines his hometown skyline.
