Grayson Waller Bio
Matthew Farrelly, born 21 March 1990, is an Australian professional wrestler currently performing on WWE’s Raw brand under the ring name Grayson Waller. He gained recognition as one-half of A-Town Down Under alongside Austin Theory, with whom he won the WWE Tag Team Championship. Before joining WWE, Farrelly competed on the independent circuit as Matty Wahlberg and appeared on Australian Survivor in 2019.
Farrelly transitioned from a career in education to professional wrestling, working as a history teacher at De La Salle College Revesby while competing on weekends. His background includes boxing experience as a former Golden Gloves boxer in Australia. This athletic foundation helped shape his wrestling persona and in-ring style.
Early Life and Background
Matthew Farrelly was born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. He developed an interest in combat sports early in life, pursuing boxing and achieving recognition as a Golden Gloves boxer. His athletic background provided him with the physical conditioning and competitive mindset necessary for professional wrestling.
Before pursuing wrestling full-time, Farrelly established himself in education as a history teacher. He balanced his teaching career at De La Salle College Revesby with weekend appearances on the Australian independent wrestling circuit. This dual career path demonstrated his dedication to both professional stability and his passion for wrestling.
In 2019, Farrelly expanded his public profile by competing on Australian Survivor: Champions vs. Contenders 2 as part of the Contenders team. His outspoken personality on the show mirrored the character he developed in wrestling, helping him build recognition before his WWE signing.
Path to Professional Wrestling
Farrelly began his professional wrestling training in 2017, making his debut under the ring name Matty Wahlberg on 15 April 2017 at Newcastle Pro Wrestling. His ring name paid homage to Hollywood actor Mark Wahlberg, reflecting his showmanship-oriented approach to wrestling. Early in his career, he formed a tag team called The BABES with Carter Dreams.
He competed primarily for Pro Wrestling Australia (PWA), where he participated in significant matches including a PWA Heavyweight Championship match against Caveman Ugg in March 2019. His most notable independent circuit achievement came when he won the 2019 Colosseum tournament, defeating Chris Basso, Orange Cassidy, and Travis Banks en route to the championship.
After announcing his departure from PWA following the It Started Out With A Kiss event, Farrelly caught the attention of WWE scouts. His combination of athletic ability, microphone skills, and marketable personality led to his signing with the company in March 2021, marking the beginning of his journey to the global wrestling stage.
Grayson Waller Career
Early Career (2021-2022)
Farrelly made his WWE debut as Grayson Waller on the 11 June 2021 episode of 205 Live, defeating Sunil Singh. He transitioned to NXT, where he initially competed in tag team matches and challenging established stars like Roderick Strong for the NXT Cruiserweight Championship. His heel turn in November 2021 marked a significant character development, as he began berating fans and attacking popular NXT performers.
Waller participated in his first major WWE pay-per-view event at NXT WarGames, teaming with Bron Breakker, Carmelo Hayes, and Tony D’Angelo as Team 2.0. They defeated Team Black & Gold in a WarGames match. Following this event, Waller solidified his villainous persona by attacking Johnny Gargano during his farewell promo, establishing himself as a antagonist in the NXT brand.
NXT Breakthrough (2022-2023)
In early 2022, Waller entered a high-profile feud with AJ Styles, culminating in matches at NXT: New Years Evil and subsequent episodes. He recruited Sanga as his insurance policy and defeated LA Knight in a Last Man Standing match at NXT: Roadblock. Waller’s pursuit of championship gold included challenging for the NXT North American Championship at various events throughout the year.
Waller achieved his most significant NXT accomplishment by winning the inaugural Iron Survivor Challenge at NXT Deadline, earning a NXT Championship match against Bron Breakker. Their championship match at NXT: New Year’s Evil ended controversially when the middle rope snapped. Despite unsuccessful attempts to win the title in subsequent matches including a steel cage match at NXT Vengeance Day, Waller established himself as a main event player in NXT.
SmackDown Era (2023-2025)
As part of the 2023 WWE Draft, Waller moved to the SmackDown brand, where he launched his interview segment The Grayson Waller Effect. His first major interview featured AJ Styles, and he later hosted segments with Edge and John Cena. Waller made his main roster in-ring debut against Edge, who praised him despite defeating him.
Waller formed a tag team with Austin Theory known as A-Town Down Under. The duo entered the tag team division and qualified for the six-pack ladder match at WrestleMania XL. At Night 1 of WrestleMania XL, Waller retrieved the SmackDown Tag Team Championship, marking his first WWE title win. The team successfully defended the championship against The Street Profits before losing the titles to #DIY after a 90-day reign.
Style and Strengths
Waller competes with a character-driven approach, using his microphone skills and interview segment The Grayson Waller Effect to generate heat from audiences. His in-ring style incorporates strategic wrestling with opportunistic tactics. His partnership with Austin Theory showcased his ability to work effectively in tag team situations, utilizing coordinated double-team maneuvers and psychology.
Notable Events and Milestones
Waller’s career highlights include winning the inaugural Iron Survivor Challenge at NXT Deadline, capturing the WWE Tag Team Championship at WrestleMania XL, and hosting notable editions of The Grayson Waller Effect with WWE legends like Shawn Michaels, Edge, and John Cena. His Royal Rumble debut at number 3 in 2024 and his participation in Elimination Chamber in his home country of Australia represent significant career milestones.
Grayson Waller Career Wins
Grayson Waller has achieved one major championship victory in WWE, securing tag team gold on the main roster. His career includes notable tournament victories and significant match wins across both NXT and the main roster brands.
WWE Highlights
Waller won his first WWE championship at WrestleMania XL Night 1, capturing the SmackDown Tag Team Championship alongside Austin Theory as A-Town Down Under. The team defeated five other tag teams in a six-pack ladder match to claim the titles. They successfully defended the championship once before losing it to #DIY after 90 days.
Other Wins & Perfromances
On the independent circuit, Waller won the 2019 PWA Colosseum tournament by defeating Travis Banks in the final. In WWE NXT, he won the inaugural Iron Survivor Challenge at NXT Deadline, earning a NXT Championship opportunity. He returned to PWA in October 2024 under his WWE ring name, defeating Jimmy Townsend at the Colosseum Tournament.
Grayson Waller Family
Personal Life
Farrelly left his teaching position at De La Salle College Revesby in 2021 after signing with WWE to pursue wrestling full-time. He is a supporter of several sports teams including the NRL’s Sydney Roosters, the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles, and the NBA’s Sacramento Kings. His athletic background extends beyond wrestling to include boxing experience as a Golden Gloves boxer.
2025 Season Performance
In January 2025, WWE announced that A-Town Down Under would be moving from SmackDown to the Raw brand as part of the transfer window. Waller and Theory appeared on NXT in late January, hosting a special edition of The Grayson Waller Effect with NXT Champion Oba Femi as their guest. Femi issued a challenge for a triple threat match at NXT Vengeance Day, where he retained his title after interference from Waller cost Theory the victory.
Following Austin Theory’s legitimate injury, which effectively ended the A-Town Down Under partnership, Waller began aligning himself with The New Day on the July 21 episode of Raw. This new alliance suggests a potential direction for Waller’s character as he transitions from tag team competition back to singles wrestling on the Raw brand.
