Max Damage

Matthew "Matt" Wilson (born March 23, 1987 in New Plymouth, New Zealand) is a professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Max "The Axe" Damage. He currently wrestles for the Wellington based promotion Kiwi Pro Wrestling.

Career

New Zealand Wide Pro Wrestling

Wilson initially trained under Jonnie Juice before joining New Zealand Wide Pro Wrestling where he was further trained by Martin Stirling. Wilson made his official debut as Max Damage on March 25, 2005 at NZWPW's Powerplay II. He lost to Island Boy Si in the semi-finals of The New Zealand Heavyweight Championship tournament, where IBS was later crowned the inaugural champion.

At the start of his tenure in NZWPW, Damage joined the heel stable, The 'Naki Phullas, wrestling alongside "The Deal" Dal Knox, "Silencer" Jean Miracle, and Gold. By the time he had joined, Dal Knox had already left to wrestle for IPW, and Gold had been ejected from the company.

During the year after a three-match series versus Inferno, Max turned face by making a stand against Def Sentence (Punisher, Jonnie Juice, X-Rated and The Ram) and then paired with Inferno, forming a team unformally named "The Weapons of Max Destruction".

At NZWPW's first Wellington High School event, versus X0Rated and The Ram, Inferno and Max were crowned NZWPW Tag Team Champions - however this reign is very controversial, as there were no belts at the time, they were "paper champions". As such, New Zealand wrestling historians argue as to whether they were the first tag team champions (NZWPW now having actual tag belts and have had three teams held them as of writing) or whether their reign is non-existant.

Max inexpicably turned heel at the request of NZWPW owner Martin Stirling, with no explanation provided to fans, and began to tag with "Silencer" Jon Miracle forming the T-Phullas, a different take on the original name of the previous Taranaki-based stable. In his final match, he and Miracle beat "The Dream Team" of N.O.S and H-Flame in the main event of Powerplay 3, NZWPW's annual equivalent to WrestleMania.

Max wrestled one more match at a "Bringing Down The House" event before May 2006 when Damage, along with other NZWPW wrestlers, joined Kiwi Pro Wrestling.

Kiwi Pro Wrestling

On June 23, 2006, Damage made his debut for Kiwi Pro Wrestling during their first-ever show Storm Warning. Similar to Damage's debut in NZWPW, he was part of an eight man elimination tournament to crown the first challenger to the KPW Heavyweight Championship. He lost in the first round to H-Flame due to interference by The Jeremiah.

WWE tryouts

On June 3, 2008 KPW's CEO Rip Morgan announced that Max Damage, along with eight other wrestlers would be part of a tryout with World Wrestling Entertainment before their SmackDown / ECW live tour on June 11, 2008.

In wrestling

  • Finishing and signature moves
    • Collateral Damage (Double leg slam)
    • Burying the Hatchet (Running forearm smash)
    • Damage Gauge (Suplex powerslam)
    • Sidewalk slam
    • Snapmare followed by a dropkick to the back of the head
    • Reverse fallaway slam
  • Entrance themes
    • Bled for Days (Remix) by Static X
    • Nothing Left To Lose by Puddle of Mudd