The Boogeyman

Martin Wright (born July 15, 1964), better known by the ring name The Boogeyman, is an American semi-retired professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE under a legends contract, and is an aerobics instructor.

Wright first entered the world of professional wrestling to take part in the fourth season of the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) produced reality television competition Tough Enough.

On October 15, 2004, he attended the two-day event in Venice Beach, California, where he was among eight finalists chosen.

After surviving the first day of eliminations he admitted that he was actually 40 years old—five years over the competition's cut off point—and not 30 as he'd claimed.

As a result, he was cut from the competition.

Though he had been cut from Tough Enough, WWE officials invited him to come to their developmental territory Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) for possible training.

He trained between January and June 2005, making his OVW debut on June 25, 2005.

During a dark match pitting the team of Seth Skyfire and Robert Fury against Robbie Dawber and his partner, Wright entered the ring and squashed all three men, no-selling the offense of Skyfire in the process.

He then announced that he was "The Boogeyman" before leaving the building.

The Boogeyman gimmick further evolved into a "monster" face who would appear when another wrestler said his name and attack him, while not selling any offense he received.

On the July 11, 2005 episode of Raw, horror movie-style vignettes began airing to promote the debut of his "The Boogeyman" gimmick, a horror-themed, disturbing, worm-devouring, Beetlejuice-like freak of nature.

After a few weeks, the vignettes were moved from Raw to SmackDown!, but the planned debut was delayed when Wright hyperextended both knees and needed time to recover.

He made his debut on the October 14, 2005 episode of SmackDown!, being brought in by network executive Palmer Canon as part of a "new talent initiative".

The storyline referenced to vignettes months ago as promos for a television series on the network called "The Boogeyman".

The show was cancelled before it could air, but they still had the actor under contract, so he was brought to SmackDown!

to wrestle.

The Boogeyman then proceeded to recite a modified version of the chant One, two, Freddy's coming for you from the movie A Nightmare on Elm Street before smashing an oversized alarm clock on his own head.

For the next few weeks, The Boogeyman appeared in unexpected places backstage (closets, vans, et cetera), reciting different nursery rhymes and holding up clocks before screaming his catchphrase "I'm The Boogeyman and I'm comin' to get'cha!" and laughing maniacally.

At Survivor Series, The Boogeyman helped SmackDown! general manager Theodore Long defeat his Raw counterpart, Eric Bischoff.

He made his official in-ring debut on the December 2 episode of SmackDown!, defeating Simon Dean in a squash.

During this match, he took a handful of live worms from his pocket and stuffed them into his mouth.

Over the next few weeks, Boogeyman's opponents were generally "flattened" in the ring, left with worms in their mouths and/or spit on their faces.

His official pay-per-view debut was at December's Armageddon when he came to the ring to confront Vito and Nunzio who were dressed as Santa Claus and an elf.

Boogeyman's first major feud occurred with John Bradshaw Layfield (JBL) and his "fixer" Jillian Hall, and it began when he stalked the duo throughout a number of shows.

During the January 6 episode of SmackDown!, he caught a fleeing Hall and shoved worms down the back of her skirt.

On the January 13 taping of SmackDown!, during a Piper's Pit segment, The Boogeyman not only sniffed a "growth" on Jillian's face, but then licked it, bit it off and ate it.

The Boogeyman faced JBL at the Royal Rumble, winning in under two minutes.

After defeating The Dicks in a handicap match on the February 24 episode of SmackDown!, The Boogeyman dumped a bucket of worms on the announce table, frightening special guest commentators Booker T and his wife Sharmell.

The Boogeyman subsequently began to stalk Booker T and Sharmell over the next few weeks.

He and Booker T were set to face off on the March 18 Saturday Night's Main Event XXXII, but the match was canceled due to Booker T faking a knee injury to escape competition.

The feud eventually culminated at WrestleMania 22, with The Boogeyman defeating Booker T and Sharmell in a handicap match.

During the match, Boogeyman kissed Sharmell with a mouthful of worms.

The match had to be cut short because of a biceps tear at a house show.

To explain his absence to rehab his injury, Booker T and Sharmell obtained a restraining order against The Boogeyman on the April 7 episode of SmackDown!.

As SummerSlam approached, The Boogeyman began appearing in TV spots to promote the event.

Vignettes also began airing advertising his return to SmackDown!.

On September 20, WWE.com reported that Wright had been released from the company, however, on October 6, WWE.com announced that Wright had re-signed with the company and would be sent to be trained at Booker T and Stevie Ray's wrestling school in Houston, Texas.

Wright returned on the October 27 episode of SmackDown!, attacking and spitting worms into the faces of The Miz and Kristal Marshall.

During the feud he again terrorized and stalked his opponents, and eventually ended The Miz's undefeated streak at the Armageddon pay-per-view on December 17.

Wright then feuded with Finlay, who ended The Boogeyman's undefeated streak when Hornswoggle interfered.