Former WWE Tough Enough Winner’s Brain Tumor Has Returned

According to PWinsider.com, former WWE Tough Enough winner Matt Cappotelli has been informed that the brain tumor he had removed 10 years ago has come back. His wife issued the following update.

“Waiting to be taken for my MRI and get prepared for my second brain surgery tomorrow. Just found out that the tumor that I had removed 10 years ago has come back much more aggressively and needs to be dealt with. It’s a very large tumor and there is a portion that is inoperable. The portion that they are hoping to remove will be sent for pathology, which will determine what exactly we are dealing with and provide insight on future treatment plans and the next steps for the inoperable portion in my brain stem. #John9:1-3”

Along side John Morrison, Cappotelli won the third season of Tough Enough in 2003. He drew a ton of interest from fans when he was concussed and bloodied during a stiff match with Tough Enough trainer, Hardcore Holly. Cappotelli made a few WWE appearances on Raw and Heat after winning the competition before heading down to OVW (which is now NXT) to develop his skills.

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On November 9 at an OVW television taping, Cappotelli captured the OVW Heavyweight Championship by defeating his former tag team partner, Johnny Jeter. WWE was planning to bring Cappotelli up into the main roster, but he was diagnosed with a grade 2/3 astrocytoma in December 2005. In early 2006, he announced the brain tumor was indeed cancerous and surrendered the title to OVW owner Danny Davis during an emotional speech at a television taping in Louisville, Kentucky.WWE’s official website later posted an article, which included Cappotelli releasing a statement on his condition.

“Doctors have been monitoring the tumor since its discovery, and my last MRI revealed that it had grown a little,” Cappotelli said. “I had been feeling pretty good the last couple months, but recently I had some bad headaches and noticed a little change in my vision. They told me that because the tumor has grown, my optic nerves had swollen as well.”

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“I’m glad I’m not in control of this, because I probably would have screwed this up a long time ago,” he laughed. “God is in control, and I have complete faith in what he’s doing. There’s a scripture I read quite often that describes my situation; it says God’s strength is made perfect in my weakness, and I think this is a time where I’m at the darkest point of my life.”

On January 4, 2009, Cappotelli’s WWE contract expired and he was not re-signed. Towards the end of 2013, Cappotelli became the trainer for OVW’s Beginner Program.