Matt Pithen

Matt Pithen (born October 20, 1987) is an American E-wrestler. Better known by his ring name "Python", he is widely regarded by North American professional wrestling fans as one of the most exciting performers in the business (particularly for his high-risk style and innovative moveset) and, along with friend and fellow high-flyer Cito Conarri, is credited as one of the wrestlers responsible for triggering the Highlight Heaven era of early 2005. He currently wrestles for Old Line Wrestling and holds the World Wresling Alliance Double Crown Championship.

Early Life
The adopted son of IZWA legendary shoot-fighter Kyle Merchandise (real name Stan Fennik), Python grew up in a world of professional wrestling. He attended hundreds of matches and watched in admiration as his father fought his way to the big time. At the mere age of 11, Python had already decided what he wanted to do with his life. Though slightly discouraged by his lack of size, he trained hard under his father and several family friends for the next couple of years and adopted a street fighting style, but found that he was still often over-powered in exhibition matches with other kids his age. However, in a state of desperate depression and frustration after tragically witnessing the murder of his father at the age of 14, Python shut himself up in the old Fennik training room for months upon months. No one heard much of him for a while, though he confided in an old teacher that he was practicing to become “something new.. something that no one’s ever seen before”. Because death had suddenly become a very large part of his reality, his general mentality was quickly and drastically yanked in a different direction as he realized that life is too short to be afraid of taking risks… especially if it can make you great. Alone in a training ring for nearly an entire year practicing only on thinly padded mats and punching bags, he passionately molded a dare-devilish and brilliantly creative style of fighting. Throwing away most of his brawling technique, he created dozens of new speed-based wrestling moves and attacks and found many ways to twist classic moves in order to catch his opponent off guard.

Early Career
He emerged from his self-training with many scars, but also with the knowledge that he finally had what it takes to become great like the man who had raised him, trained him, and loved him for 14 years. At that moment, Python decided to dedicate his upcoming career to his adopted father before bravely stepping forward into the pro wrestling world. At the age of 15, nobody took him too seriously until he persuaded them to give him a try out. Even then, they scoffed at the sheer size difference between him and most of his opponents, but were admittedly impressed by his attitude and style. By the age of 16, Python was a regular in the indie circuit, often working the opening matches of house shows and made his televised debut in a hardcore match against a masked 24 year old cruiserweight named Kali Locus. Python pinned him after a brutal 21 minute war, shocking the small television audience who happened to be watching. Things picked up from then on as he landed positions in bigger and bigger federations and continued to impress many people. Finally, at the age of 18, he managed to impress the RIGHT people.

Python’s first shot at the big time came when he was picked up by ZWF scouts at an independently run house show in San Antonio, Texas. In his debut match, Python excitedly defeated fellow newcomer Johnny Lightning to earn a spot in the upcoming 20 man battle royal. In the same night about an hour before the battle royal, Python captured the ZWF Cruiserweight Title in a painful and hair-raising ladder match. Later, he went on to shock the world when he defeated 19 other men (some veterans) and earned a shot at the ZWF World Championship. About a month later, he found himself still holder of the Cruiserweight Title, former ZWF Tag Team Champion, and staring across the ring at one of the east coast’s most powerful men, ZWF World Champion Geist. Despite several interferences against him by members of Geist's stable, Python defeated Geist and became the first individual to ever hold the ZWF World and Cruiserweight Championships simultaneously as well as the youngest to ever hold ZWF gold.

CSWA
About 3 months later, the federation was sold and dismantled and Python found himself jobless. He was picked up by several other decent federations, but none were to his liking. Through word of mouth he found out there were several openings in the Coalition of Affiliated Leagues and joined CAL territory federation MSWA. He proceeded to make a name for himself in the MSWA, working in the Gravity division alongside wrestlers like Quinn Tate, Garrett Davidson, Cito Conarri and Chris Wright. When MSWA folded, Python was absorbed into the CSWA with the rest of the roster and did quite well for himself there, winning the CSWA Television Title.

OLW
He passed quickly through TIW before it disbanded and finally settled in OLW. After a short but impressive run, he was forced to leave due to personal problems with an injury and a significant other. While healing up and suffering from mild depression, Python contemplated his life and the direction it was going in. He thought about the daily risks he takes in the ring and wondered how much longer his luck would hold out… after all, there he was in a hospital bed because of it. However, scenes from his childhood began to flash across his mind. Training with his father, winning matches in the youth league and pretending he was holding up a championship belt before a sold-out arena. Seeing the proud look on his father’s face, win or lose… and watching his father battle in front of tens of thousands of people, capturing glory and immortality in the eyes of the fans. Python closed his eyes and the roar of the crowd filled his ears once more. Oh, the roar of the crowd… how it does something to him. Nearly a year later, Python returned to the OLW ring healthy, focused, and with more fight in him than ever.

He quickly established a massive fanbase in Maryland and fought extra hard to climb to the level of the main-event veterans in the federation. Immediately impressing with his performance in War Games (was elliminated second to last by Cole Christenson, who went on to win the match), Python began make a name for himself outside of the OLW as well.

World Wrestling Alliance
On the May 5, 2007] edition of [[OLW Outrage, Python captured the WWA Double Crown Championship in a triple threat match against Brian Fisher and TC Jagger. His international reputation immediately skyrocketed as he continued to shine under his new-found spotlight. His fierce territorial pride for Old Line Wrestling always present, he went on to retain his title against Jake Devins in a bloody hardcore match at WWA International Wars. In doing so, he won the respect of many skeptics who had previously criticized him for his youth and assumed lack of method and experience.

Alliances
Though never officialy forming a tag team of a stable, Python is generally well-liked and respected among the talent in the locker room for his professionality, loyalty to his federation, and his occassional habbit of throwing himself into danger to save someone he's never even spoken to.

Python's only close friend in Old Line Wrestling was former rival and infrequent tag team partner Quinn Tate. However, it was announced on May 9, 2007 on www.oldlinewrestling.com that Tate had been released from the company. No reason was given. Though nothing has been heard from Tate since then, the two have reportedly been spotted hanging out together in the tri-state area, implying that the two are still on friendly terms.

Less than an hour after capturing the Double Crown Championship, Python made an inexplicable run-in during an ambush by newly reformed renegade stable The Untouchables and dove in front of a kendo stick swung by Kai Scott. The blow was intended for Heidi Christenson, who was injured and unable to defend herself at the time. This act gave way to a loose, unspoken alliance between Python, Heidi, Ripper Longshanks, Cole Christenson, and Dawn against The Untouchables (consisting of Scott, Jeff Andrews, Danny Vicious, and Ronnie Long. This unofficial alliance is sometimes referred to by fans as the Anti-Untouchables.

Popularity
Python is widely recognized as one of the most exciting and creative high-flyers in the pro wrestling business today, not to mention one of the youngest. He is infamous for stringing moves together to create new ones or putting his own twists on classic moves to catch his opponent off guard. He always seems to be looking to show the crowd something they’ve never seen before. If he sees a chance to flip or fly, he's all over it if it means gaining an advantage. If he has to put his body on the line, then so be it. Because of his young age and average size, fans find it easy to relate to him. This combined with his “never say die” attitude and the ridiculous things he puts his body through in order to get the win and give the fans a good show makes him a huge fan favorite. Win or lose, Python always gives the crowd their money’s worth.

In a Post to Post Interview with Mark Braxton, Ripper Longshanks once reffered to Python as "The most underated wrestler in OLW and maybe the world." In late May of 2007, Python was voted "Fastest Rising Star" as well as coming in third for "Most Popular Wrestler" behind Christian Light and Heidi by readers of Four Corners Magazine.

Personal Life
Python has a very public interest in music and strongly supports the local music scene in the tri-state area with donations to smaller clubs and venues that host live performations. He took piano lessons for less than a year and quit after he had learned to read music. To this day, he plays self-taught piano, guitar, bass guitar, and drums. He took trumpet lessons in high school and stated in a 2005 interview that his dream lunch date would be Circa Survive frontman Anthony Green.

He was romantically tied to actress Hayden Panettiere in 2006 and briefly to singer/pianist Greta Salpeter of The Hush Sound in 2007, but is now rumored to be seeing a former childhood friend.

Wrestling Facts
Python’s main offensive strategy revolves strongly around high risk and speed-based attacks. As a result, many of his matches quickly turn into spot-fests.

Favorite Moves
Hurricanrana Head Scissors Takedown Tornado DDT Spinning Heel Kick Standing Moonsault Scissor Kick Running Bulldog Falling Arm Breaker Somersault roll into Headscissors Takedown (halfway through the roll as the opponent crouches to attack, Python grabs his/her head with his legs and flows up into the correct position) Handspring Back Elbow Facebuster Springboard Leg Drop Missile Dropkick Jawbreaker Kitchen Sink High Angle Dropkick DDT Diving Lariat Handspring into Corkscrew Plancha Leg sweep quickly followed by standing Shooting Star Press 450º elbow drop (mostly only used for spots)

Trademark Moves
The Constrictor - Python jumps up into a hurricanrana position but rolls forward and pulls opponent down into a modified surfboard hold.

Bite The Bullet - variation of the 619 with both wrestlers standing in the ring. The opponent stands near the ropes as Python surprises him/her by running to the same set of ropes and hoisting himself up into a top rope 619, swinging all the way around and kicking opponent in the face or head.

Hurricanrana Driver - Standard hurricanrana motion but with enough speed, Python is able to pull the opponent’s head forcefully and directly down so that his/her skull is planted into the ground with more or less the same results of a piledriver.

Finishers
Code Red - Top rope double backflip splash.

The Snake Bite - Can only really be classified as a Springboard Corkscrew Tornado Jawbreaker. Python jumps up onto the top rope and hurtles back toward his opponent in a corkscrew. As he twists, he catches his opponent by the head and swings around, slamming his/her jaw down sharply onto his knees at the moment of impact with the floor. Can be used to counter an irish whip. Was voted "Coolest Finishing Move" in The Eaton Awards addition of The Wrestlepages in early 2006.

Trivia

 * Python entered the tri-state indie wrestling circuit at the mere age of 16 while continuing to attend high school in New Jersey (albeit having terrible grades).


 * Python participated actively in musical theater throughout high school and has often stated in interviews that the stage is his second love.


 * When not wrestling or training in Baltimore, Python can often be spotted in the front row of Yankee Stadium cheering for The Bronx Bombers.


 * Python was struck by a moving car in 7th grade. He walked away generally unscathed, but was forced to miss the school dance that night because his glasses had been shattered.


 * Although naturally right-handed, Python writes and strums the guitar with his left hand due to suffering a broken right arm in kindergarten and simply having to learn the other way.