Matt Cross Recalls Being In ‘Backyard Wrestling’ Video Game, Why He Wasn’t In ‘Backyard Wrestling 2’

Matt Cross talks Backyard Wrestling. 

In 2003, Eidos Interactive released Backyard Wrestling video game that combined a wrestling game with a tradition 3D fighting game. The roster featured Insane Clown Posse (Violent J & Shaggy 2 Dope), Sabu, Tylene Buck, and more. 

M-Dogg 20 (Matt Cross) wasn’t a household name at the time, but gain extra notoriety through the game and went on to become a top name in independent wrestling history. 

Speaking to Jeremy Lambert & Joel Pearl on In The Weeds, Cross reflected on being part of the game. 

“It’s really crazy. When the backyard wrestling video tapes came out, the guys that were in charge were floating all these things our way. They were like, ‘this is going to be huge. There is going to be a movie. There is going to be a video game. You’re going to be on Jenny Jones.’ We didn’t really know what to believe. Some things came true, some things didn’t. We’re sort of thinking, ‘there is no possible way there is going to be a video game.’ As I remember it, there is a company called Epic Pro Wrestling out in California that booked Josh (Prohibition) and I. We went for the show, Ultimo Dragon was on it. We were so excited. The show ended up getting canceled. We were flown to LA, we’re sitting at the hotel, we don’t know what to do. Then, a bunch of the Eidos guys who were making the game, were supposed to go to the show. They were like, ‘Oh, the show is canceled, don’t worry, come to the studio and see the video game you’re in.’ That was my first, ‘this is real?’ We went to a studio where room after room, people are working on models and computers and they’re showing us this game that is well into development. As we enter the room, the developers are looking up and are like, ‘Come over here.’ There are guys designing our faces. ‘I want to see if the character looks like you.’ It was surreal because I didn’t know it was a real thing. It was bizarre, and I’m like 21 at the time. So much to take in. It never really hit me. I kept waiting, ‘some day it’s going to hit me that I’m in a game.’ It came out in October 2003, over 20 years ago, that’s what I think is crazy. How many people every weekend come to watch me wrestle that are 19 or 20 years old, they weren’t even born when it came out,” he said. 

When asked if he had to sign something to be in the game, Cross replied, “We’re saving that for the book. [laughs] There is a reason I wasn’t in the second one. The teaser is, no, we didn’t sign anything. What a whirlwind and a lesson and craziness. Whatever. Mario, Zelda, me. I feel I was immortalized to some degree in the game. Essentially, we didn’t get paid. So, check out WrestlingIsForever.com.”

Backyard Wrestling 2 was released in 2004. 

In his over two decades in wrestling, Cross has wrestled for Lucha Underground, Wrestling Society X, ROH, WWE, and more promotions. 

Fans can check out the full interview with Cross in the video above.