Matt Bloom as Lord Tensai

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As Lord Tensai, Matt Bloom went from defeating John Cena and CM Punk to jobbing out and dancing in women’s lingerie less than a year later. Where did it all go wrong?

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Matt Bloom – Before Lord Tensai

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[{"selector":"#anim-040439dd-4e8e-40a5-ab52-53170980f80c","keyframes":[{"offset":0,"transform":"translate3d(0, -192.83001%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":0.29,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"},{"offset":0.45,"transform":"translate3d(0, -54.223798812%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":0.61,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"},{"offset":0.71,"transform":"translate3d(0, -18.434548956%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":0.8,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"},{"offset":0.85,"transform":"translate3d(0, -6.922597359%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":0.92,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"},{"offset":0.96,"transform":"translate3d(0, -3.008148156%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":1,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"}],"delay":0,"duration":1600,"fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e4a4898c-0f1c-400d-92e5-45fcd2e03d8e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8ce7d396-3e58-43a5-b4d5-430362cd7b48","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 237.10438%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] He also had a brief run as Intercontinental Champion in 2001 before being released from his WWE contract at the end of 2004. Read More

After leaving WWE, Matt Bloom left for Japan, where he made a big splash and name for himself.

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[{"selector":"#anim-700dfb57-f7be-4764-96c6-c85b6e8560b6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":450,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ac4c87cd-a960-4af3-aa82-0458d457ddfe","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -175.54315%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":450,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3c6f1277-e606-4bf4-bbab-b22c25bfdb68","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f03dddcd-1ac9-48a7-943a-bb21a557078b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-103.93701%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] In the weeks leading up to his debut, some vignettes were aired teasing the debut of Lord Tensai in WWE. Read More

[{"selector":"#anim-734db335-fffc-4796-b477-e09cec00c5f2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":450,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-63c66a2d-f438-42de-bfb2-c89d0dd034e2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 221.43482%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":450,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] We got the debut of Lord Tensai. He came to the ring in what can only be described as stereotypical Japanese clothing, a red robe, a helmet, and a cloth-type mask that covered his face. Read More

As most new characters do, Lord Tensai would win some squash matches against lower to mid-card wrestlers — still with little to no crowd reaction — where he built up a winning streak

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STORIES

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[{"selector":"#anim-a163711d-6b4d-42cd-bcff-866a4d07fbda","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"direction":"normal","duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.47, 0, 0.745, 0.715)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a507a762-9fb3-4c86-b0e7-1d38dd05ecf3","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 200%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"direction":"normal","duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.645, 0.045, 0.355, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1412204c-98c2-41ec-9178-1049c629ab6c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"direction":"normal","duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.47, 0, 0.745, 0.715)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-367ca7ba-9afb-4efa-80c7-0b0b773a2103","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 200%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"direction":"normal","duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.645, 0.045, 0.355, 1)","fill":"both"}] Lex Luger and The Failed Lex Express Experiment Diesel: From Failed Gimmicks to Record-Breaking 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