just a great sory...

He might have lost his job as a teacher, but Matthew Kaye is on his way to becoming a wrestling star. And his real-life story has become part of the melodrama in the ring.

Mr. Kaye, a former social studies teacher at Benjamin N. Cardozo High School in Queens, lost his job after he was caught taking sick time to go on a pro wrestling tour. Now, he says, he has signed a contract with World Wrestling Entertainment, which produces televised wrestling shows.

"I'm on Cloud 9; I've been numb for weeks," said Mr. Kaye, a chiseled muscleman who is known as Matt Striker in the ring.

He has made appearances on television before, but Mr. Kaye said he was just being introduced to audiences. His wrestling persona, which is still being developed, is based on his background as a teacher.