FEATURED E-TEAM MEMBER: JOHNNY MATOS, GATOR WRESTLER
Johnny wrestlin’ one of our wild gators!
JOHNNY MATOS
Joined the E-Team: 2002 (The senior E-Team member)
Age: 32
Major: Music Performance
What made you want to become a gator wrestler; was there a particular experience that helped you make this decision?
I was visiting family in Florida in 2002 (I was living in NJ at the time), and was told about Gatorland. I had never heard of it before so I checked it out and fell in love with the place. Once I saw the Gator Wrestlin’ show, I decided that’s what I wanted to do with my life! What was the craziest thing that has ever happened to you at Gatorland?
If I can change the word “crazy” to “cool”, I met my wife while wrestling an alligator. Almost two years later, I married her at the Gator Wrestlin’ Arena. That was very cool!
What is your favorite alligator at Gatorland and why?
His name is Tiger and he was the gator I used most when I was training; he was also the first gator to ever bite me. I love that guy!
If you had a choice to travel anywhere in the world to study animals, where would you go and what animal would you study?
I would sail around the Caribbean and study marine life. What is the best part of working here at Gatorland? Guest interaction? Bringing a smile to a guest’s face or getting a laugh out of a crowd is the biggest rush in the world. Knowing that guests leave at the end of the day filled with wonderful memories of things we did or said keeps me coming back for more each and every day.
Have you ever had any close calls working with alligators or any other animal here at Gatorland?
I have been bitten by alligators, non-venomous snakes and tarantulas. I’ve also been stung by scorpions, bees and wasps. All three gator bites happened during the Wrestling shows and the snake bite was from an 11 foot Burmese Python.
What made you interested in alligators/reptiles?
In NJ, where I lived for most of my life, there were no alligators. They were an exotic animal to me so when I had the chance to work with them, I jumped at it!
What kind of pets do you have at home? Why those pets?
I have a dog, a bearded dragon, three leopard geckos and two hermit crabs. My wife and I have a passion for reptiles and exotic pets. The dog was a gift from our family.
What kind of hobbies do you have?
Hobbies?? Hmmm…on my days off I come to Gatorland and watch the shows. Does that count?
Do you have any special talents?
I graduated from college with a degree in Opera. I was a Tenor and can carry a mean tune!
Do you have someone who inspired you to get in to this field?
I’d have to say the late Steve Irwin. He made this business look fun and exciting.
What was your last job?
Believe it or not, I worked in a funeral home.
If there was one thing you would like for our guests to know about you, what would that be?
I can’t single out one thing; I want the guests to know everything about me that I answered in all the questions!
What is the hardest part of your job as a Gatorland Entertainer?
Negative feedback; it upsets me anytime someone does not like what we say or do. I want EVERYONE to LOVE what we do as much as we love doing it.