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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Matt Borne—also known as Matt Osborne—was WWE’s original Doink the Clown. Other documented WWE portrayals include Steve Keirn, who played the hidden Doink double at WrestleMania IX; Ray Apollo, who says he was hired after Borne left; and Steve Lombardi, identified in interview-based reporting as another performer. This is the best-supported list, not a proven count of every house-show or independent-circuit Doink.
Who played Doink the Clown in WWE?
The answer depends on what “played Doink” means. Borne was the original performer; Keirn appeared as a planned double in one high-profile match; Apollo says he was hired to take over the character; and Lombardi is also reported to have portrayed Doink. These roles were not all equivalent, and the available sources do not establish every performer who may have worn the costume.
| Performer | Documented role | What the evidence establishes |
|---|---|---|
| Matt Borne / Matt Osborne | Original Doink | WWE identifies Osborne as the original performer. WWE’s Doink profile and WWE’s retrospective describe the character and his impact. |
| Steve Keirn | WrestleMania IX double | WWE says Keirn hid beneath the ring and appeared as Doink’s doppelganger during the match. WWE’s WrestleMania IX account. |
| Ray Apollo | Later replacement, by his account | A 2020 interview excerpt reports Apollo’s recollection that he was approached to play Doink after Borne left the WWF. Wrestling Inc.’s interview excerpt. |
| Steve Lombardi | Additional reported portrayal | A 2019 report based on Lombardi’s interview says he had runs as Doink after Borne’s release; it does not establish the precise dates or number of appearances. WrestleZone’s report. |
Matt Borne: the original Doink
WWE identifies Matt Osborne—known in wrestling as Matt Borne—as the original Doink. Borne’s name and Osborne’s name refer to the same person, not two different performers. WWE’s character profile describes an early Doink who used trick flowers and prosthetic clown limbs to torment opponents, while also emphasizing his in-ring ability.
The character later took on a kinder presentation and was accompanied by Dink, a smaller clown character. That change describes Doink’s evolving persona; it does not by itself identify who wore the costume in every later appearance.
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Steve Keirn: the second Doink at WrestleMania IX
At WrestleMania IX, Doink faced Crush. WWE’s retrospective identifies Steve Keirn as the Doink double who emerged from beneath the ring during the match. The second Doink was a planned in-match doppelganger, not evidence that Keirn took over the character as its ongoing performer.
Ray Apollo: a later replacement, according to his account
In a 2020 interview excerpt, Ray Apollo recalled that he was approached to play Doink after Matt Borne had left the WWF. Apollo attributed the approach to Vince McMahon and talent-relations executive JJ Dillon. That is Apollo’s retrospective account of how he got the role; the source does not provide a complete accounting of all his appearances.
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Steve Lombardi: another reported portrayal
A 2019 WrestleZone report based on an interview with Steve Lombardi says he had runs as Doink after Borne’s release. The report supports including Lombardi among the documented WWE portrayals, but it does not establish a precise timeline or appearance count.
Why there is no definitive list of every Doink
WWE’s sources clarify the original performer and Keirn’s special role, while the Apollo and Lombardi reports add later portrayals. They do not document every house-show appearance, one-off substitution, or independent wrestler who later used the Doink identity. WWE’s profile lists later character appearances—including the WrestleMania X-Seven Gimmick Battle Royal and a July 2, 2012 match against Heath Slater—but those character records do not identify the costume performer for each appearance. So the four names above are the best-supported WWE portrayals in these sources, not a verified exhaustive roster across wrestling.
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Doink’s character outlasted any one performer
Doink was more than a disguise: the character shifted from a malicious prankster to a kinder figure associated with Dink, and appeared in matches and later WWE segments over time. WWE also recalls the WrestleMania X bout involving Doink and Dink against Bam Bam Bigelow and Luna Vachon. Character history and performer identity are related, but a listing of a Doink appearance should not be treated as proof of who was under the makeup unless a source identifies that person.
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