Murph

Murph (left) with partner and stablemate BRB (right) at BXW's Paul Kunkle Memorial 3.

Murph's Reign MV

Murph's GBYWN World Championship Title Reign

Murph is an American backyard wrestler and the longest-reigning World Champion in GBYWN history. In addition to his run with the GBYWN Championship that lasted 462 days, Murph has also led two stables and for a brief period of time had experience as a general manager. Located in the Northeast, backyard wrestling's hotspot, Murph has wrestled as roster member of BCW (defunct), NECW (defunct), JWA (defunct), New Era, and as a part-timer at IWC. He has also made guest appearances at WZW (defunct), BXW, BKW, XTW, RLSW (defunct), and EWA via supershows.

Despite his age, Murph didn't seriously get into backyard wrestling until he was halfway through college and already 20 years old. This was because as a young fan, Murph used to "backyard wrestle" with his brother and friends at an early age. This fooling around led to his suffering of a dislocated thumb and torn ligament, costing him both his ice hockey and baseball seasons that year. Devastated, he swore off wrestling for nearly a decade.

In his nearly seven years of wrestling, Murph has risen to great success. He has headlined multiple supershows and held several titles. His style is far more technical and psychological than most other yarders, and it is perhaps that uniqueness that has granted him his accomplishments.

Backyard Wrestling Tenure

Backyard Championship Wrestling [BCW] (2006-2008)

After reconnecting with wrestling thanks to his brother and friends at home, Murph wanted to once again learn how to wrestle and rediscovered his passion for yarding. After seeing the likes of HVWA and IYHWA online, he decided to form Backyard Championship Wrestling as a co-founder with his brother, who would wrestle as Black Davy Bonnett, and one of his friends, who became The Wraith/Matt Sinister.

It didn't take long for Murph to achieve success, as he won the BCW Championship in its first ever event. His victory earned him a feud with Sinister/Wraith, which ended into a transitional feud with his own brother, who had been systematically taking out any potential contender to Murph's title. After doing so to Wraith in his and Murph's

Backyard Wrestling - Adrenaline Rush 2 Murph vs. Bonnet

Murph and Bonnett's BCW Championship Match at KAW Adrenaline Rush 2

title match and then to The Niggler in his encounter with Murph, Murph finally granted Bonnett a title shot. Taking advantage of a downed ref, Bonnett delivered a vicous chair shot to Murph, followed by his finishing manuever The Blackout to win the championship.

During the next show, Murph earned a rematch after surviving a handicap match with Bonnett and Tangredi, Bonnett's new accomplice. The No DQ Rematch would occur in Bethel, CT at KAW with Bonnett retaining after a hard-fought and brutal battle. The two shook hands, ending the beef, but apparently not the feud as BCW merged into something bigger.

Northeast Championship Wrestling [NECW] (2008-2009)

Formation and 2x BCW Champion

After BCW and KAW met at Adrenaline Rush 2, Murph and PJ Matthews quickly formed a friendship. The duo, along with KAW booker John Crosby and backyard great Shawn Matthews -- who had also started attending KAW events -- decided to combine BCW, KAW, and EWA into a superfed known as NECW. Murph, Matthews, and Crosby would then become the fed's secret owners, bookers, and show runners.

Murph and John Crosby, co-leaders of the Crossbreeds.

After NECW was formed, Murph quickly got himself involved in the ongoing war between KAW's stables, The Renegades and The Crossbreeds. Needing backup against Bonnett and Tangredi, Murph partnered up with John Crosby, leader of the Crossbreeds, to form what would become the fed's most successful tag tandum. The duo defeated the teams of Bonnett and Tangredi, Wraith and Pyro, and The Renegades themselves (represented by Ace Reed and Nick Adams) to become the first ever NECW Tag Team Champions. The victory eventually split Bonnett and Tangredi, as it turned out the latter star was merely looking for an opportunity to get the BCW Championship for himself and betrayed Bonnett in a rematch for the tag titles at the next NECW event.

This led to a Triple Threat Ladder Match at NECW's first monthly payoff event, Rebirth. After Tangredi had powerbombed Bonnett through a chair table off the ladder, Murph hit Tangredi with his finisher, The Hands of Destiny, off the ladder. He returned to the top unchallenged and claimed his second BCW title reign, the last the fed would ever have.

Unification and Its Fallout

With the BCW Championship secured, Murph fully asserted himself as co-leader of the Crossbreeds and took a major role in its fight against The Renegades. NECW's second event, Union, would see the EWA, KAW, and BCW titles merged into the NECW Championship. With The Renegades in possession of both the EWA and KAW titles via Shawn Matthews and Ace Reed, it looked like Murph was outnumbered. However, EWA's The Crippler entered himself in as a wild card after winning the EWA Championship from Matthews at EWA's Last Show Ever right before Union, making things more fair for Murph.

Unfortunately, it was still too much for him. Murph and Crippler lost the match to Reed, who had broken up a devastating submision by Crippler on Murph only to put Murph in one of his own, the Triangle Choke. Unable to hold on from suffering a second finishing submission, Murph tapped out. Following the event, Murph and Crippler battle for the No. 1 Contendership to Reed's title, which Murph again lost.

It was at this time that Murph began a feud with a rising star in NECW, Danny Madness. Madness was the goofy, yet highly talented member of The Renegades. Murph's encounters with Madness took on a perverted mentorship, as his victories over the Renegade began to change Madness' opinion of The Renegades and his own motivations.

Murph vs. Reed, Adrenaline Rush 3 Main Event

Eventually, fate would favor Murph. Crippler never cashed in his contendership and after several months passed, NECW GM Jack Lethal/J Fatal put the spot up for grabs in an innaugural Rumble. The winner would gain the contendership and a guaranteed title shot at Adrenaline Rush 3. Murph eliminated growing rival and enemy Renegade PJ Matthews to put himself on another collision course with Reed.

At the time, Reed was a broken man. Having lost his girlfriend, enduring taunts from Murph, and watching the Renegades slowly wane in strength for months, the NECW Champion decided to start taking it out on the fed's roster. Reed began delivering his finisher, The Knockout Elbow, to NECW stars after matches and in the backstage area. Having never been one for physical bullying, Murph took it upon himself as No. 1 Contender to step in.

The duo had a war of words and passive physical statements towards one another. It all came to a head when Murph confronted Reed in the middle of the NECW base about his actions. Reed then revealed to Murph he had done his research and learned the No. 1 Contender had more emotional investment in Reed's actions that previously beleived. He revealed Murph's history as a suicidal teenager, bully victim, and social outcast. Noticably shaken and enraged, Murph exploded on Reed when the champ gave a taunting shove, causing the two to brawl around the base until separated by PJ Matthews, John Crosby, and Black Davy Bonnett. Reed would get the last statement before their match, however, knocking out Murph's brother backstage before he and Bonnett were meant to have their own NECW Championship match on Day 1 of the event.

Adrenaline Rush 3's main event went down as one of

NECW Adrenaline Rush 3 Main Event Ace Reed vs Murph-0

Murph and Ace Reed in their classic Adrenaline Rush 3 Main Event

the best in the fed's history, as Murph and Reed brawled and battled each other tooth-and-nail. Despite hitting Reed with the Hands of Destiny and new finishing submission the Clovertamer, Reed refused to tap or be pinned. Going for a second Hands of Destiny, Reed reversed it mid-pumphandle lift into a Triangle Choke, the second of the contest. Murph would eventually tap out after Reed began delivering elbows to his skull during the submission. However, Murph would earn a small victory in another way, as a reborn Danny Madness instantly cashed in his Money in the Bank opportunity on Reed and emerged the new NECW Champion, ending Reed's reign of terror.

Decline and End

Shortly following Adrenaline Rush 3, NECW lost its hosting location. The group tried other locales, but none of them ever stuck. One included moving NECW from Bethel to Murph's hometown of Pawling, NY, where Murph acted as GM due to a back injury. With the fed having no place to go, it dissolved. Some members of the fed have since moved on to become roster members or guests for IWC (Jake Hudson, Onya, PJ Matthews, Danny Madness, Ace Reed, Murph). Reed, Murph, and Matthews would also move on to that of traveling supershow yarders and become headliners in a short-lived but popular fed.

Jersey Wrestling All-Stars [JWA] (2009)

Beginnings

While NECW was on the road to Adrenaline Rush 3, something was brewing in New Jersey that called to the top stars of the roster. This was the formation of another superfed: Jersey Wrestling All-Stars. JWA included several notable, successful, and respected future backyard talent such as Matt Demorest, TKO, Ryan Rage, Joey Adams, Danny Danger, Jamie Anderson, FX and NECW's own PJ Matthews, Ace Reed, and Murph. Shawn Matthews was also a JWA regular, but had moved on from NECW in order to be a part of 2KW in New York City when JWA began.

Murph's first bout in JWA saw him on the losing end of a match that, unbeknownst to everyone, included two future GBYWN World Champions: himself and FX. He would not appear in JWA again until four shows later, where he defeated J Fatal, Joey Adams, and the man who beat him in Week 1 in a Four-Way Elimination Match to earn a No. 1 Contendership to Matt Demorest's JWA title.

JWA's No. 1 Contender

However, Murph was made to prove himself once again when his on-again, off-again fued with PJ Matthews flaired in a No. 1 Contenders Match at JWA Week 5. Matthews had been screwed in his title match against Demorest, and felt he deserved Murph's position, bringing about the match. The two fought to a double countout, forcing GM Silent Enemy to make them both the No. 1 Contender. However, Matthews later revoked his right to the title match at JWA 2 in order to wrestle his longtime idol, Danny Danger. This set up a Murph vs. Matt Demorest singles match.

JWA 2 - JWA Championship Match - Matt Demorest (c) vs. Murph-0

Murph and Demorest battle at JWA 2 for the federation's championship.

Considered by some to be the best match at the time of both men's careers, Demorest and Murph fought a grueling contest that saw Demorest dominate Murph for the majority. However, after kicking out of the Downfall and refusing to tap to the Boston Crab, Murph was able to turn over and roll up Demorest from the manuever and win the contest to the shocked suprise of all. Demorest was defeated but livid, Murph victorious and ecstatic. The ending begged for a rematch, but it wouldn't happen for another three years with a much higher prize on the line.

JWA Champion

Murph's first title defense happened at the JWA vs. 2KW supershow at 2KW's famed playground in lower Manhattan. Murph succesfully defended the JWA Championship against future GBYWN Hall of Famer Tek, becoming one of the few to ever counter Tek's famous cannonball and following it up by locking in the Clovertamer.

Like NECW before it, JWA also lost its hosting location and was forced to fold. Though JWA would be revived for a brief period in 2011, the distance to the new location prevented its champion from ever appearing. However, Murph kept the fed alive in people's mind as a traveling champion, defending the title at supershows from 2009-2012.

Summer of 2009

Summertime

After JWA 2, Murph began to spread out and travel to supershows. 2KW vs. JWA was actually the third and final show he would appear at, having been to RLSW No Remorse IV and WZW Domination 7. It was at these shows that Murph finally began to make a name for himself in the larger backyard wrestling community.

No Remorse IV

The first true weekend-long supershow of his career, Murph joined fellow NECW alums PJ Matthews, Ace Reed, and J Fatal to partake in the giant No Remorse IV. One the first night, known to some as Day 0, Murph fought a losing contest in a three-way contest against RLSW's own Genocide and EJay. Though a good match, it was not enough to raise the eyebrows of the community. That would come on Day 1.

No Remorse 4 JD Static vs. Murph MV

Murph and JD Static steal the show on Day 1 of RLSW No Remorse IV

That day, Murph went one-on-one with arguably backyard wrestling's most lovable yarder, JD Static. At the time, Static was the BKW Champion and a champion in RLSW, but neither he nor Murph had truly broken out. This match was the coming out party for both men, as the two killed each other with spots on cinder blocks, the entrance ramp, and finally JD Static leaping off RLSW's set and onto Murph. Despite the devastating plunge, Murph was able to kick out when brought back into the base, and introduced the community at large to The Hands of Destiny by using it to beat Static. Knowing what the two had just done for one another, they shook hands and embraced, raising each other's arms in celebration.

Day 2 would not happen for Murph. In catching JD Static from his leap on Day 1, he suffered a severly bruised right leg, hobbling him and rendering him unable to compete. He would return to upstate New York a few weeks later, however, to steal the show with JD Static yet again.

WZW Domination 7

Though a two-day event, Murph only attended Domination 7 for Day 1 as it occured on the weekend of Black Davy Bonnett's birthday. He would take the momentum he earned at No Remorse IV and keep it going in Domination's annual ladder match.

WZW Domination 7 - International Title 6-Way Ladder Match (2 2)

The Domination 7 ladder match Part 1. The match was one of the craziest in WZW history.

The match pit Murph against JD Static, Joey Tornado, DC Doom, Scotty Skills, and another future GBYWN World Champion in Robby Roberts for Roberts' WZW International Championship. Becoming one of the best matches in the history of Domination and WZW, the contest saw some of the craziest spots one will ever witness in a ladder match. It included a canadian destroyer to the face, double stomp with a ladder, ladder dump to a stack of pallets, and more.

Murph would get to the top of the ladder for the belt, but lose to Roberts via a devestating, unprotected elbow to the temple.

Ending on a Bad Note

Despite Murph's success, the bumps a bruises taken from the spots that got the attention of the community were not kind to his body. Murph suffered damage to his lower back, which at the time had the JWA Champion thinking he was finished for good. He would then take up the GM position in the attempt to restart NECW, but after almost a year's time, his back healed. Murph was ready to return to wrestling.

In Wrestling

• Signature Moves
  • Flatliner
  • Enziguiri
  • Calf Kick
  • Spinning Heel Kick
  • Springboard Kick
  • 2x Snap Suplex/Norther Lights Suplex Combo
  • 2x Senton/Elbow Drop Combo
  • Dragon Suplex
  • Murphy's Law (Horizontal Backcracker)
  • Codebreaker
  • Crossrhodes
• Finishers
  • Hands of Desitny (Pumphandle Emerald Flowsion)
  • Clovertamer (Lion Tamer/Texas Cloverleaf Hybrid)

Championships and Accomplishments

• Backyard Championship Wrestling
  • BCW Championship (Two Times, First Ever, Longest Reigning)
• Northeast Championship Wrestling
  • NECW Tag Team Championships (w/ John Crosby, Two Times, First Ever, Longest Reigning)
  • 2008 NECW Rumble Winner (First Ever)
  • NECW Championship (w/ PJ Matthews and Ace Reed, Longest Reigning)
• Jersey Wrestling All-Stars
  • JWA Championship (Longest Reigning)
• IWC
  • 2012 Moment of the Year Nominee
• Global Backyard Wrestling Nation
  • 2010 GBYWN Match of the Year Nominee
  • 2011 GBYWN Money in the Bank Winner
  • GBYWN World Championship (Longest Reigning)