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Matt Borne: The Tragic Genius Behind Doink the Clown

Posted: May 12th 2026 By: Joe King - RingTheDamnBell.com

Matt Borne was one of professional wrestling’s most gifted yet troubled performers—a man born into wrestling royalty who possessed extraordinary in-ring skill, creativity, and psychology, but whose personal demons ultimately overshadowed his talent. Best remembered as the original Doink the Clown, Borne’s career is a story of brilliance, reinvention, self-destruction, and an enduring legacy that still fascinates fans decades later.

Matthew Wade Osborne was born on July 27, 1957, in Charlotte, North Carolina. He was the son of professional wrestler “Tough” Tony Borne. His father was a huge star in the Pacific Northwest and influenced such greats as “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, Rick Martel, and Billy Jack Haynes. Growing up surrounded by the wrestling business, Borne was immersed in the industry from a young age. Wrestling wasn’t just a career choice—it was his inheritance. He trained under seasoned veterans and quickly developed a reputation as a natural worker, excelling in both technical wrestling and character work.

Borne debuted in 1978 and began working across numerous territories. By 1980, he was already a World Tag Team Champion for NWA Mid-Atlantic with his partner, Buzz Sawyer. He found success in promotions such as Pacific Northwest Wrestling, National Wrestling Alliance, Mid-South Wrestling, World Class Championship Wrestling, Stampede Wrestling, and All Japan Pro Wrestling…where his technical skills were particularly appreciated. In Mid-South, Borne stood out as a strong heel, displaying excellent ring psychology and adaptability. Promoters valued his ability to make opponents look good, while fellow wrestlers respected his ring IQ. He would be released by owner Bill Watts after brutally beating a fan. Vince McMahon noticed his talent and signed him in early 1985 and booked him against Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat at the first ever WrestleMania in Madison Square Garden. Borne would be released in 1986 due to drug use. Despite his talent, Borne never fully broke through to superstardom during this era—partly due to timing, and partly due to growing issues with substance abuse, which would haunt him throughout his life.

Borne had a decent run in WCW as Big Josh. He would hold the WCW 6-Man Tag Team Championship with Dustin Rhodes & The Z-Man in 1991, followed by a run with the United States Tag Team Championship with Ron Simmons. Following his WCW stint, the World Wrestling Federation had an idea for a new character that would change Borne’s career forever: Doink the Clown. At a time when wrestling was filled with colorful gimmicks, Doink initially seemed like a harmless children’s character. But under Matt Borne’s interpretation, Doink became something far darker. Borne envisioned Doink as a twisted, sadistic villain, inspired by horror films and real-world psychological menace rather than slapstick comedy. He used fake smiles, unsettling body language, and cruel pranks to psychologically torment his opponents—most notably Crush, whom Doink feuded with extensively and would wrestle at WrestleMania IX at Caesar’s Palace. Borne’s performances were subtle and intelligent. He used facial expressions, timing, and misdirection to draw reactions, often stealing the show without saying a word. Behind the scenes, he was also deeply involved in shaping the character’s presentation. Many fans and historians consider this version of Doink one of the most underrated heel gimmicks in WWF history.

Despite his creative success, Borne’s personal struggles intensified during his WWF run. His drug use, particularly with painkillers and other substances, became increasingly problematic. Backstage incidents, missed cues, and unreliable behavior caused the WWF to lose confidence in him. In one infamous incident, Bam Bam Bigelow told the office that Borne was smoking pot in a hotel corridor. This was then followed by failed drug tests and Borne allegedly falling asleep in the locker room before a match, an unforgivable offense in Vince McMahon’s tightly controlled environment.

By 1993, the WWF quietly removed Borne from the Doink role, replacing him with other performers such as Ray Apollo, Steve Keirn, and Steve Lombardi, drastically altering the character into a goofy, babyface clown aimed at children.

The sinister Doink was gone—and with it, Matt Borne’s last major spotlight in the wrestling business. Following his WWF departure, Borne had a short run in ECW as “Borne Again” in which the ECW crowds would boo him and force him to change his ways and put the Doink wig on his opponents after defeating them. The character showed a lot of promise after aligning with Shane Douglas before “disappearing” one night and never returning to the company. After a “cease and desist” order from the WWF for using the gimmick, Borne continued wrestling on the independent circuit and in smaller promotions. While flashes of his old brilliance remained, his career never recovered its momentum. His personal life unraveled further with his ongoing drug addiction, legal & financial troubles, and physical deterioration from years in the ring. Though he occasionally appeared at conventions and indie shows, Borne was largely a forgotten figure in mainstream wrestling by the late 1990s. He went into a downward spiral once he was fired from the WWF. He had a brand new home being built at the time he was fired and had a bathtub with “DOINK” engraved in 18 Karat gold. The money was no longer coming in and his drug issues had escalated.

Matt Borne passed away on June 28th of 2013, at the age of 55, due to complications related to prescription drug use. His death marked a somber end to a career defined by both immense promise and heartbreaking loss. Today, Matt Borne is remembered as one of the great character workers of his generation. He is known as the man responsible for the only truly frightening version of Doink the Clown yet also a cautionary tale about talent undone by addiction. Modern wrestlers and fans alike often cite Borne’s Doink as an example of how deep, intelligent character work can elevate even the most unlikely gimmicks.

While others wore the face paint, Matt Borne was Doink the Clown—and his version remains unmatched.

Notable Matches featuring Matt Borne:

•WrestleMania IX: Doink The Clown vs. Crush

•SummerSlam 1993: Doink The Clown vs. Bret “Hitman” Hart

•Monday Night Raw(6-21-93): Doink The Clown vs. Marty Jannetty- 2 out of 3 Falls

•WrestleMania 1: Matt Borne vs. Ricky Steamboat