Matt Bloom
A hulking wrestler turned master architect, he now builds the WWE's future stars from the ground up at its Performance Center.
Born 1972 (age 54)·American professional wrestler·Birthday: November 14·Generation X
Biography
Matt Bloom's journey in professional wrestling is a tale of two distinct, powerful acts. First, he carved a formidable presence in the ring under various personas, most notably as Prince Albert and A-Train, a massive competitor who clashed with the industry's biggest names across WWE and Japan. His in-ring career, marked by a bruising physical style, provided a deep well of experience he would later draw from. After retiring, Bloom didn't leave the business; he reinvented it for a new generation. Recruited by WWE, he ascended to become the head trainer at the state-of-the-art Performance Center in Orlando. In this role, he shifted from executing moves to instilling the discipline, psychology, and toughness required to survive in WWE, effectively becoming the foundational coach for countless newcomers and NXT standouts.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Matt was born in 1972, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Matt Was Born
The biggest hits of 1972
#1 Movie
The Godfather
Best Picture
The Godfather
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Matt's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1972Born
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1977Started school
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1985Became a teenager
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Could drive
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1990Could vote
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1993Turned 21
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2002Turned 30
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 40
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 50
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 54 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the head trainer at the WWE Performance Center, shaping the developmental pipeline for the entire company.
- Competed in WWE under the ring names Prince Albert and A-Train, achieving notable recognition as a dominant heavyweight.
- Won the IWGP Tag Team Championship twice while wrestling in New Japan Pro-Wrestling.
- Successfully transitioned from a full-time in-ring performer to a key executive and coach within WWE's infrastructure.
Did You Know?
He was a standout college football player at the University of Pittsburgh before pursuing wrestling.
Before his WWE training role, he worked as a high school health and physical education teacher.
He made a surprise return to WWE television in 2019 for a one-off match in the André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal.
His early WWE character, Prince Albert, was known for multiple piercings, including distinctive facial ones.
“My job is to make the person across from me look like a million bucks.”
