Matthew Farrelly (born 21 March 1990) is an Australian professional wrestler. As of March 2021, he is signed to WWE, where he performs on the NXT brand under the ring name Grayson Waller and is the current NXT Champion in his first reign. He is also a former one-time WWE Tag Team Champion alongside Austin Theory as A-Town Down Under.
Before signing with WWE, he previously performed on the independent circuit under the ring name Matty Wahlberg. Outside of professional wrestling, Farrelly was a contestant on season six of Australian Survivor.
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Professional wrestling career
Independent circuit (2017–2021)
On 15 April 2017, at a Newcastle Pro Wrestling event, Farrelly made his debut under the ring name Matty Wahlberg (a reference to Hollywood actor Mark Wahlberg), losing to SnapChad. Wahlberg would form a tag team with Carter Dreams, known as The BABES (Blonde And Blue Eyed Squad), managed by Harley Wonderland. Wahlberg then returned to singles competition and he would receive a PWA Heavyweight Championship match against Caveman Ugg, but lost to Ugg at the PWA Black Label: Wahlberg Vs. Ugg event in March 2019. At the PWA Black Label: Break Their Back & Make Them Rumble event, Wahlberg lost to TJ Perkins. At the PWA Black Label: Colosseum event, Wahlberg won the 2019 Colosseum tournament by defeating Chris Basso in the first round, Orange Cassidy in the semi-finals, and Travis Banks in the final. After the PWA Black Label: It Started Out With A Kiss event went off the air, Wahlberg addressed the live crowd, informing them that he was leaving PWA. On 12 October 2024, Farrelly returned to PWA under his WWE ring name Grayson Waller, defeating Jimmy Townsend during Night One of the Colosseum Tournament.
WWE
On 14 March 2021, it was reported that Farrelly had signed with WWE. On the 11 June episode of 205 Live, he made his WWE debut under the ring name Grayson Waller, defeating Sunil Singh. He then made his debut for NXT on the 24 August episode of NXT, teaming with Drake Maverick against Imperium's Marcel Barthel and Fabian Aichner, where they lost. On the 28 September episode of NXT, Waller took on newly crowned NXT Cruiserweight Champion Roderick Strong for the title after issuing the challenge the week prior, and would go on to lose the match. On the 9 November episode of NXT, he lost to Solo Sikoa in a triple threat match which also included LA Knight.
On the 23 November episode of NXT, Waller berated the fans, thus turning heel. At NXT WarGames, he teamed up with Bron Breakker, Carmelo Hayes, and Tony D'Angelo as Team 2.0, where they defeated Team Black & Gold (Johnny Gargano, LA Knight, Pete Dunne, and Tommaso Ciampa) in a WarGames match. On the following episode of NXT, Waller brutally attacked Johnny Gargano during his farewell promo where he thanked his fans and friends, thus cementing his heel turn. On the 21 December episode of NXT, he attacked Dexter Lumis after the latter's match and announces that he will dismantle the old NXT one by one, and he then confronted AJ Styles, whom he had criticized on social networks a few days before. At NXT: New Years Evil on 4 January 2022, Styles once again confronted Waller, resulting into a brawl between the pair. The following week, Waller lost to Styles. After the match, he was attacked by the returning LA Knight. On the 1 February episode of NXT, Waller, alongside his new "insurance policy" Sanga, interfered in Knight's match against Joe Gacy, causing Knight to lose the match. At NXT: Roadblock on 8 March, Waller defeated Knight in a Last Man Standing match when he used Sanga to make it to his feet and beat the ten count.
At NXT Stand & Deliver, Waller failed to win the NXT North American Championship in a ladder match. Waller and Sanga would enter the tag team gauntlet match for the vacant NXT Tag Team Championship, where they were eliminated by the Creed Brothers. Waller then turned on Sanga and defeated him a week later on the 19 April episode of NXT. Waller then briefly feuded with the debuting Nathan Frazer, who he lost to at Spring Breakin'. Waller would then pursue the NXT North American Championship by tricking Carmelo Hayes into signing the contract. At NXT: The Great American Bash on 5 July, Waller lost to Hayes due to interference from Trick Williams and Wes Lee. Despite this, Waller blamed his loss on Wes Lee and defeated him on the 26 July episode of NXT due to interference from Williams. Waller then started a rivalry with Apollo Crews, defeating him on the 30 August episode of NXT after "injuring" his eye, but lost to him at NXT Halloween Havoc in a casket match.
Other media
In 2019, Farrelly appeared on Australian Survivor: Champions vs. Contenders 2. He competed on the Contenders team, and garnered attention for his outspoken personality, essentially playing a version of his Matty Wahlberg wrestling character on reality television. He would be eliminated from the competition after several weeks on the island.
Farrelly also made a cameo appearance on Young Rock in 2021, playing the role of Ric Flair.
Farrelly, as Grayson Waller, made his first video game appearance in WWE 2K23, also returning for WWE 2K24 and would appear again in WWE 2K25 and WWE 2K26.
Personal life
Farrelly is a former Golden Gloves boxer in Australia, and also worked as a history teacher at De La Salle College Revesby in Revesby Heights, New South Wales while competing on the Australian independent circuit on the weekends. He left his teaching job in 2021 after signing with WWE and became a full-time professional wrestler.
Farrelly is a supporter of the NRL's Sydney Roosters, the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles, and the NBA's Sacramento Kings.
Championships and accomplishments
Future Wrestling Australia
FWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
Newcastle Pro Wrestling
Newy Pro Middleweight Championship (1 time)
King of the Castles (2018) – with Carter Deams
Pro Wrestling Australia
PWA Colosseum Tournament (2019)
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Ranked No. 439 of the top singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2021
Wrestling GO!
Wrestling GO! Silver Medal Championship (1 time)
Wrestling GO! 24/7 Watermelon Championship (1 time)
Wrestling GO! Year End Awards (3 times)
Male Wrestler of the Year (2018)
Match of the Year (2018) – Dalton Castle vs Matty Wahlberg vs Ricky South
Rivalry of the Year (2018) – Matty Wahlberg vs Ricky South
WWE
NXT Championship (1 time, current)
WWE Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Austin Theory
WrestleMania XL Six-Pack Ladder Match SmackDown Qualifier Tournament (2024) – with Austin Theory