Giant Bernard

Bernard in January 2011

###

Peabody, Massachusetts, U.S.

**Matthew Jason "Matt" Bloom** (born November 14, 1972) is an American professional wrestling trainer and a retired professional wrestler.

Bloom is best known for his in-ring appearances with WWE as **Prince Albert**, **Albert** and **A-Train** from 1999 to 2004 and as **Lord Tensai**, **Tensai**, **Sweet T** and **Jason Albert** from 2012 to 2014, as well as for his appearances in Japan from 2005 to 2012 with All Japan Pro Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling and Pro Wrestling Noah as **Giant Bernard**. Championships held by Bloom over the course of his career include the GHC Tag Team Championship, IWGP Tag Team Championship and WWF Intercontinental Championship.

## Early life

Bloom attended Peabody Veterans Memorial High School, where he earned three letters in football and basketball, two in track and field, and one in baseball. Bloom also attended Camp Tevya in Brookline, New Hampshire in the early 1980s, and went on to attend the University of Pittsburgh, where he played football as an offensive tackle and an offensive guard. Bloom graduated in 1996 with a degree in sign language. After graduating, Bloom briefly played in the National Football League for the San Diego Chargers. He then became a schoolteacher, teaching mathematics and English to children with behavioral problems and deaf children at Revere High School. After rewarding his three most apt students with a trip to a professional wrestling event, Bloom, who as a child had aspired to wrestle professionally, met wrestler and wrestling trainer Killer Kowalski and expressed an interest in learning how to wrestle. Kowalski invited Bloom to attend his school, and Bloom opted to leave teaching and train as a wrestler.

## Professional wrestling career

### Early career (1997–1999)

Bloom wrestled his first match in the WWA on May 15, 1998, facing Tiger Ali Singh in a loss, during his brief time in WWA he wrestled notable names such as Sgt. Slaughter and Bart Gunn. In November 1998 Bloom made his NWA debut losing to Shawn Stasiak. During his stay in NWA Bloom and Bull Pain challenged Nick Dinsmore & Rob Conway for the NWA OVW Southern tag team titles ending in a no contest. He briefly wrestled as Baldo, a gimmick given to him by referee Freddy Sparta that saw him wear a fur rug to the ring.

After being introduced to talent scout Tom Prichard by George Steele, Bloom was hired by the World Wrestling Federation. After receiving supplementary training from Dory Funk, Jr., Bloom was assigned to the Power Pro Wrestling developmental territory in Memphis, Tennessee, where he wrestled as Baldo. While wrestling in PPW, Bloom won both the Young Guns Championship and the Heavyweight Championship, and engaged in a feud with Memphis mainstay Jerry Lawler, where he defeated him to become the inaugural PPW Heavyweight champion.

### All Japan Pro Wrestling (2005–2006)

In March 2005, Bloom began wrestling for the Japanese All Japan Pro Wrestling promotion, adopting the ring name Giant Bernard, a reference to former wrestler Brute Bernard. He went on to join the Voodoo Murders stable alongside fellow WWE alumni Chuck Palumbo and Johnny Stamboli. On October 18, 2005, Bloom unsuccessfully challenged Satoshi Kojima for the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship.

### New Japan Pro Wrestling

#### Various feuds (2006–2009)

In January 2006, Bloom left AJPW and joined the rival New Japan Pro Wrestling promotion. In April 2006, he defeated Yuji Nagata in the finals of the 2006 New Japan Cup. As a result of his victory, Bloom received a shot at the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. He unsuccessfully challenged IWGP Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar on May 3, 2006 in Tenjin, Chūō-ku, Fukuoka.

In July 2006, following the vacation of the IWGP Heavyweight Championship by Lesnar, Bloom entered a tournament for the title, losing to Hiroshi Tanahashi in the tournament final. In August 2006, Bloom took part in the 2006 G1 Climax Tournament, losing to Hiroyoshi Tenzan in the semifinals.

On March 11, 2007 in Nagoya, Bloom and Travis Tomko defeated Manabu Nakanishi and Takao Omori to win the IWGP Tag Team Championship. At the February 17, 2008 New Japan show, they lost the IWGP Tag Championship to Togi Makabe and Toru Yano. Following Tomko's departure for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling on a full-time basis, Bernard began teaming with former World Championship Wrestling wrestler Rick Fuller in another powerhouse tag team. On September 5, 2008, Bernard and Fuller betrayed Shinsuke Nakamura and Hirooki Goto to align themselves with Togi Makabe's Great Bash Heel stable.

In addition to wrestling for NJPW, Bloom also wrestled for their affiliate Wrestle Land as Rusher Road, where he was a member of the Roads stable until the brand's closure.

#### Bad Intentions (2009–2012)

In 2009, after betraying Togi Makabe, Bernard and the rest of GBH left the stable to join Shinsuke Nakamura and form the new stable known as CHAOS. Bernard formed the tag team Bad Intentions with CHAOS partner Karl Anderson and together the two of them went on to win that year's G1 Tag League after defeating Apollo 55 (Prince Devitt and Ryusuke Taguchi) in the finals of the tournament on November 1. They went on to challenge for the IWGP Tag Team Championship, but their match with the defending champions Team 3D (Brother Ray and Brother Devon) at Destruction '09 ended in a double countout. In April 2010, both Bernard and Anderson left CHAOS when the stable turned on them.

Through NJPW's working agreement with Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre, Bloom did his first tour of Mexico in May 2010, where he and Anderson managed to win six successive Two-out-of-Three Falls tag team matches in two straight falls, before he lost his final match of the tour on June 11 via disqualification. Upon his return to Japan, Bernard and Anderson defeated the teams of Seigigun (Yuji Nagata and Wataru Inoue) and No Limit (Tetsuya Naito and Yujiro Takahashi) in a Three-Way Elimination match on June 19 at Dominion 6.19 to win the IWGP Tag Team Championship. Bad Intentions made their first successful defense of the IWGP Tag Team Championship on July 19, defeating Seigigun and No Limit in a three-way "Dogfight". In late October Bad Intentions entered the 2010 G1 Tag League, where, after three wins and two losses, they finished second in their block. This put them in the semifinals where, on November 7, they were defeated by eventual winners Yuji Nagata and Wataru Inoue. On January 4, 2011 at Wrestle Kingdom V in Tokyo Dome, Bad Intentions successfully defended the IWGP Tag Team Championship in a three–way match against Beer Money, Inc. (James Storm and Robert Roode) and Muscle Orchestra (Manabu Nakanishi and Strong Man). On May 3, Bad Intentions defeated No Limit to make their seventh successful IWGP Tag Team Championship defense, tying the record for most defenses, set by Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Masahiro Chono.

Bad Intentions made their record-breaking eighth successful IWGP Tag Team Championship defense on June 18 at Dominion 6.18 against Pro Wrestling Noah's Takuma Sano and Yoshihiro Takayama, and in the process also became the new GHC Tag Team Champions upon defeating Sano and Takayama for the title. After the main event of the show, Bernard challenged Hiroshi Tanahashi for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, which Tanahashi said he would accept, if Bad Intentions beat him in a match for the IWGP Tag Team Championship, alongside the man he just defeated - Hirooki Goto. On July 3 Bernard and Anderson successfully defended the IWGP Tag Team Championship against Tanahashi and Goto. By winning, Bernard earned an IWGP Heavyweight Championship match against Tanahashi on July 18, but failed.

On July 23, Bad Intentions made an appearance for Pro Wrestling Noah, making their first successful defense of the GHC Tag Team Championship against the team of Takeshi Morishima and Yutaka Yoshie. On September 9, Bad Intentions became the longest reigning IWGP Tag Team Champions, breaking the previous record of 446 days set by Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Masahiro Chono in 2003. Bad Intentions made their second GHC Tag Team Championship defense on October 31, defeating Go Shiozaki and Shuhei Taniguchi at a Pro Wrestling Noah event. During New Japan's 2011 G1 Tag League, Bad Intentions suffered their first tag team loss in a year, when they were defeated by the Complete Players (Masato Tanaka and Yujiro Takahashi), but still managed to win their four other matches and advance to the semifinals of the tournament. On November 6, after defeating the Billion Powers (Hirooki Goto and Hiroshi Tanahashi) in the semifinals, Bad Intentions was defeated in the final of the 2011 G1 Climax by Suzuki-gun (Minoru Suzuki and Lance Archer). On November 12 at Power Struggle, Bad Intentions made their tenth successful IWGP Tag Team Championship defense against Archer and Suzuki.

On January 4, 2012 at Wrestle Kingdom VI in Tokyo Dome, Bad Intentions lost the IWGP Tag Team Championship to Tencozy (Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Satoshi Kojima), ending their record-setting reign at 564 days. They followed suit with their other title on January 22, losing the GHC Tag Team Championship to Akitoshi Saito and Jun Akiyama.

## Personal life

Bloom married Farah Louise on September 3, 2005. Bloom has children.

At one point, Bloom had 28 body piercings, the first of which he received at the age of 14. His numerous tattoos represent his 8-year tenure in Japan.

## Other media

Bloom has appeared in several video games under his various gimmicks, such as Prince Albert in *WWF Wrestlemania 2000*, as Albert in *WWF No Mercy*, *WWF SmackDown!*, *WWF SmackDown! 2: Know Your Role*, *WWF SmackDown! Just Bring It*, *WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth*, *WWE Raw*, and *WWE WrestleMania X8*, as A-Train in *WWE SmackDown! Here Comes The Pain*, *WWE Raw 2*, and *WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw*, as Giant Bernard in *Wrestle Kingdom*, *Wrestle Kingdom 2*, and as Tensai in *WWE '13* (as downloadable content) and in *WWE 2K14.* Bloom appears in *WWE 2K16* as a trainer in MyCareer Mode, credited as Jason Albert.

## In wrestling

* **Finishing moves**
	+ *Bernard Bomb* (Elevated sitout powerbomb)
	+ *Bernard Driver* (Reverse piledriver)
* **Signature moves**
	+ Big boot
	+ Body avalanche
	+ Catapult hangman
	+ Corner slingshot splash – 2005–2012
	+ Delayed double underhook suplex
	+ Elbow drop
	+ Multiple headbutts to a cornered opponent
	+ Nerve hold
	+ Shoulder block, as a counter to an oncoming opponent
	+ Throat thrust
* **With Karl Anderson**
	+ **Double team finishing moves**
		- *Magic Killer* (Aided snap swinging neckbreaker)
		- *Giant Gun Stun* (Flapjack (Bernard) / *Gun Stun* (Anderson) combination)
* **With Travis Tomko**
	+ **Double team finishing moves**
		- *Magic Killer* (Aided snap swinging neckbreaker)

* **Nicknames**
	+ "Bousou Kikansha" (Japanese for the Runaway Locomotive)
* **Entrance themes**
	+ "Shin Nihon Puroresu, Ichiban!" by New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW)

## Championships and accomplishments

* **New Japan Pro Wrestling**
	+ IWGP Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Travis Tomko (1) and Karl Anderson (1)
	+ G1 Tag League (2007) – with Travis Tomko
	+ G1 Tag League (2009) – with Karl Anderson
	+ New Japan Cup (2006)
* **Pro Wrestling Illustrated**
	+ PWI ranked #**32** of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2001
* **Pro Wrestling Noah**
	+ GHC Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Karl Anderson
* **Wrestling Observer Newsletter**
	+ Tag Team of the Year (2011) – with Karl Anderson

1After winning the championship, Bernard held the title by himself.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 OWOW profile . Onlineworldofwrestling.com. Archived from the original on 2011-09-07. Retrieved on 2011-12-15.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Kimble, D. 2001-10-01. Matt Career Set To Bloom - wrestler Matt Bloom . Wrestling Digest. Archived from the original on 2007-10-15. Retrieved on 2007-05-18.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 WWE Profile . WWE. Archived from the original on 2015-10-03. Retrieved on 2014-03-23.
4. ↑ Shields, Brian (March 2009). *WWE Encyclopedia*. DK. ISBN 978-0-7566-4190-0.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Martin, A. 2005-05-18. Matt 'A-Train' Carter Interview: Talks about career in WWE, Droz, more . WrestleView.com. Retrieved on 2007-05-18.
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Tensai takes his talents to the NXT announce desk .
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Giant Bernard . PuroresuFan.com. Archived from the original on 2008-01-24. Retrieved on 2007-05-17.
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Giant Bernard . Accelerator3359.com (2006-05-03). Retrieved on 2007-05-18.
9. ↑ NJPW Destruction 2009 . Cagematch. Retrieved on 2010-06-20.
10. ↑ News & lineups, including 5/3 full card! . Strong Style Spirit (2010-04-05). Retrieved on 2010-06-20.
11. ↑ Rivera, Manuel 2010-06-12. Resultados Arena México (11 junio 2010): ¡Valiente retiene el cinturón nacional welter!  (in Spanish). Superluchas.net. Retrieved on 2010-06-14.
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 (Results) New Japan "DOMINION 6.19", 6/19 . Strong Style Spirit (2010-06-19). Retrieved on 2010-06-19.
13. ↑ (Results) New Japan, 7/19/10 . *Strong Style Spirit* (2010-07-19). Retrieved on 2010-07-20.
14. ↑ (Results) New Japan, 11/6/10 . *Strong Style Spirit* (2010-11-06). Retrieved on 2010-11-07.
15. ↑ (Results) New Japan, 11/7/10 . *Strong Style Spirit* (2010-11-07). Retrieved on 2010-11-07.
16. ↑ *ja:レッスルキングダムⅤ ｉｎ 東京ドーム* (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2011-01-04.
17. ↑ Gerweck, Steve 2011-01-04. 1/4 TNA-NJPW Results: Tokyo, Japan . *WrestleView*. Retrieved on 2011-01-04.
18. ↑ *ja:レスリングどんたく 2011* (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2011-05-03.
19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Dominion 6.18  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2011-06-18.
20. ↑ Caldwell, James 2011-06-18. NJPW News: Results from Dominion PPV Saturday - MVP's first IWGP IC Title defense, TNA wrestler appears, key title change . *Pro Wrestling Torch*. Retrieved on 2011-06-19.
21. ↑ New Japan Soul 2011  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2011-07-03.
22. ↑ New Japan Soul 2011  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2011-07-18.
23. ↑ Bad Intentions bypass Morishima & Yoshie in GHC Tag defense . *Strong Style Spirit* (2011-07-23). Retrieved on 2011-07-23.
24. ↑ NOAHful Halloween Night . *Pro Wrestling Noah*. Retrieved on 2011-11-04.
25. ↑ (Results) New Japan 10/30/11 + 10/29 Camp Zama . *Strong Style Spirit* (2011-10-30). Retrieved on 2011-11-04.
26. ↑ (Results) New Japan, 11/4/11 . *Strong Style Spirit* (2011-11-04). Retrieved on 2011-11-04.
27. ↑ G1 Tag League 2011  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2011-11-06.
28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 Power Struggle  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2011-11-12.
29. ↑ NJPW 40th anniversary Tour. レッスルキングダムⅥ in 東京ドーム  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2012-01-04.
30. ↑ Great Voyage 2012 in Osaka  (in Japanese). *Pro Wrestling Noah*. Retrieved on 2012-01-22.
31. ↑ [1]
32. ↑ Puroresu Central 2007-10-14. Bernard Bomb . “Giant Bernard, signature moves”
33. ↑ Puroresu Central 2007-10-14. Bernard Driver . “Giant Bernard, signature moves”
34. ↑ KELLER'S WWE WRESTLEMANIA 19 REPORT (3/30/03): Lesnar vs. Angle classic, Rock vs. Austin, Hogan vs. McMahon, Michaels vs. Jericho .
35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 Steve Carrier 2012-05-17. WWE Superstars Report - May 17th, 2012 . “WWE Superstars Report - May 17th, 2012”
36. ↑ 10/12 WWE Velocity review: Simmons-Palumbo, Albert-Funaki .
37. ↑ 10/5 WWE Velocity review: Cena-Albert, Kidman-Basham,Tajiri-Moore .
38. ↑ 38.0 38.1 2/28 Velocity review: Tajiri vs. London, A Train wrestles, and then so does Hardcore Holly .
39. ↑ Puroresu Central 2007-10-14. Corner Slingshot Splash . “Giant Bernard, signature moves”
40. ↑ 411's WWE RAW Report 04.09.12 .
41. ↑ 411's WWE Superstars Report 04.20.13 .
42. ↑ 42.0 42.1 Trionfo, Richard. WWE RAW REPORT: THE NEW GM MAKES HER IMPACT; WHO IS THE CRAZY ONE NOW?; WHO FACES CM PUNK AT SUMMERSLAM?; WHO DESTROYS HEATH SLATER THIS WEEK? . PWInsider. Retrieved on 2012-08-01.
43. ↑ Tedesco, Mike. Smackdown Results 8/3/12 . Wrestleview.com. Retrieved on 2012-08-05.
44. ↑ Tedesco, Mike. WWE Smackdown Results - 11/29/13 (WWE Tag Title Match) . Wrestleview. Retrieved on 2013-11-07.
45. ↑ Stephens, David. WWE RAW Results - 12/2/13 (Cena/Orton contract signing) . Wrestleview. Retrieved on 2013-11-07.
46. ↑ Trionfo, Richard. WWE MAIN EVENT REPORT: MIZ AND SANDOW HAVE WARM UP MATCHES FOR PAYBACK; BARRETT ON COMMENTARY; THE RISE OF THE USOS CONTINUES?; AND MORE . PWInsider. Retrieved on 2014-06-13.
47. ↑ 47.0 47.1 Puroresu Central 2007-10-14. Magic Killer . “Giant Bernard, tag-team signature moves”
48. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CG6wML-YzLQ
49. ↑ ja:新日本・携帯サイトの "着うた"で、アンダーソンの新入場曲! ベンジャミンの入場曲を8月3日（金）配信!!　真壁独占インタビューも掲載!! (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro Wrestling* (2012-07-31). Archived from the original on 2012-08-02. Retrieved on 2012-07-31.
50. ↑ 50.0 50.1 50.2 Puroresu Central profile .
51. ↑ Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) 500 for 2012 . *The Internet Wrestling Database*. Retrieved on 2012-08-25.
52. ↑ Meltzer, Dave (January 30, 2012). "Jan 30 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Gigantic year-end awards issue, best and worst in all categories plus UFC on FX 1, death of Savannah Jack, ratings, tons and tons of news". *Wrestling Observer Newsletter*. Campbell, CA. ISSN 1083-9593.