Local Pro Wrestler Sean Morley, Better Known as Val Venis, Returns to the Ring at Age 55

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By Scott Arnold

A familiar WWE character returned to the spotlight last week as Peterborough-connected wrestler Sean Morley brought back Val Venis for a viral in-ring comeback.

A familiar WWE character returned to the spotlight last week as Peterborough-connected wrestler Sean Morley brought back Val Venis for a viral in-ring comeback.

former wwe superstar sean moley, who has ties to peterborough and ennismore, came out of retirement at age 55 last week, reprising his val venis character, for a match in new jersey (photo via x @wrestlingnewsco

The 55-year-old former WWE star stepped back inside the ring for Independent Stars of Pro Wrestling’s Legends of Wrestling Night in Wildwood, New Jersey, reprising the character that made him famous.

Complete with the trademark white towel around his waist and the familiar Val Venis entrance, Morley’s return quickly gained attention online, with photos and videos spreading among wrestling fans who had not seen the character in years.

Morley faced Rico Gold in his return match, which ended in a loss, but the result was secondary to the nostalgia surrounding the return of one of WWE’s recognizable personalities from the late 1990s and early 2000s.

While Morley now lives in Mesa, Arizona, he has strong ties to the Peterborough area. Born in Oakville, Ontario, he spent years living in Ennismore and is considered by many as a local wrestling product.

After his WWE career came to an end, Morley returned to Peterborough for several years, where he ran a wrestling camp focused on training aspiring professional wrestlers.

His influence on the wrestling world also includes helping a young Peterborough athlete named Bobby Roode get started in the business. Before becoming a multi-time world champion and a prominent WWE producer, Roode credited Morley with teaching him some of the fundamentals of professional wrestling early in his career.

Morley joined WWE in 1998 and became known around the world as Val Venis. During his time with the company, he won the Intercontinental Championship, European Championship and World Tag Team Championship before departing WWE in 2009.

Although he stepped away from full-time wrestling, Morley continued making occasional independent appearances over the years, with his most recent appearance before last week coming in 2023.

For wrestling fans, seeing Val Venis return was a nostalgic reminder of one of WWE’s most recognizable characters. For people in Peterborough, it was another chance to see a local connection return to the spotlight on the world of professional wrestling.


Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

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Professional Wrestler Cody Deaner To Guest Speak At Local Elementary Schools

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Through a sponsorship with the Kiwanis Club of Peterborough, Chris Gray, known professionally as TNA Wrestling’s Cody Deaner, is doing his sixth guest speaker tour of several Peterborough schools this February.

photo courtesy of the kiwanis club of peterborough, facebook.

Gray will speak at St. Theresa Catholic Elementary School and Kawartha Montessori School on Feb. 2, and St. Catherine Catholic Elementary School and Keith Wightman Public School on Feb. 3.

“We’re very excited to bring Chris back to Peterborough for another tour,” said Kiwanis Club of Peterborough Past-President Jeff Westlake. “His previous tours have been tremendously popular with both students and staff. This will bring the number of schools we’ve visited to twenty.”

Gray is a recommended speaker with the Canadian Student Leadership Association, who’s mission is ‘to support and encourage student leadership in Canada.’

“I’m delighted to be returning to Peterborough next month”, said Gray. “The partnership with the Kiwanis Club of Peterborough has been outstanding these last few years, and I’m eager to inspire area kids with my stories and message of ‘Dare to Dream Big.’”

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Felicia Massey


Peterborough Memorial Centre to Host OFSAA Wrestling Championship From March 2 to 4

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Canada’s largest wrestling tournament –the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) Wrestling Championship – is returning to town on March 2 to 4 at the Peterborough Memorial Centre.

Photo courtesy of the City of Peterborough.

The championship brings together over 900 competitors and 450 coaches from 250 secondary schools across Ontario. Last held in Peterborough in 2012, it will be hosted in collaboration with three Peterborough secondary schools: Kenner Collegiate, Adam Scott Collegiate and Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School.

“Events like the OFSAA Wrestling Championships celebrate the incredible dedication, spirit, and talent of young athletes from across Ontario,” said Councillors Lesley Parnell and Alex Bierk. “We’re proud to welcome this next generation of athletes and their supporters to Peterborough, and to showcase the best of what our community has to offer as we continue to position the City as a destination of choice for sporting events.”

OFSAA is a federation of 18 regional school athletic associations from across the province that supports 45 provincial championships and seven festivals across 21 sports for Ontario’s student athletes.

“It is a dream come true to bring the OFSAA Wrestling Championship to Peterborough,” said Ryan McCracken, OFSAA convenor and Adam Scott Collegiate teacher and coach. “Being able to host this event will not only inspire a new generation of wrestlers in the region, but it will also recognize the hard work our local athletes and coaches have been doing to grow the sport after it was shut down for several years due to the pandemic. With the help of local partners and sponsors, we plan on pulling out all the stops to put on an unforgettable event.”

Athletes will be competing this season to earn the right to attend the OFSAA Championship, with the top two wrestlers from each region qualifying.

Each category features 32 wrestlers competing for the podium, divided into 18 female and 18 male categories.

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Professional Wrestler Cody Deaner To Guest Speak At Local Elementary Schools Through Kiwanis Club Sponsorship Tour In Feburary

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Through a sponsorship by the Kiwanis Club of Peterborough, Chris Gray, better known as professional wrestling/speaker Cody Deaner, is doing a fifth tour of several Peterborough schools as a guest speaker, announced on Tuesday.

The Kiwanis Club of Peterborough is celebrating 104 years of service to the Peterborough community. It is part of a global membership of over 550,000 in 80 countries. Photo courtesy of Kiwanis Club of Peterborough.

The Total Nonstop Wrestling star will speak at St. Paul’s Catholic Elementary School and Rhema Christian School on Feb. 6 and Monsignor O’Donohue Catholic Elementary School and Prince of Wales Public School on Feb. 7.

“We’re very excited to bring Chris back to Peterborough for another tour”, said Jeff Westlake, Kiwanis past president. “His previous tours have been tremendously popular with both students and staff. This will bring the number of schools we’ve visited to 15.”

“I’m delighted to be returning to Peterborough next month,” said Gray. “The partnership with the Kiwanis Club of Peterborough has been outstanding these last few years, and I’m eager to inspire area kids with my stories and message of ‘Dare to Dream Big.’”

Gray is a recommended speaker with the Canadian Student Leadership Association. Their mission statement is ‘to support and encourage student leadership in Canada.’

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Hometown PTBO: Joe Dawson Winning His First Professional MMA Fight

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This week on Hometown PTBO, David Tuan Bui talks with Joe Dawson about his recent professional MMA fight, his family's legacy in combat sports and his business, Joe's Gym in East City.

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Renowned Professional Wrestler Cody Deaner To Guest Speak At Local Elementary Schools Through Sponsorship Tour

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Through a sponsorship by Kiwanis Club of Peterborough, Chris Gray better known as professional wrestling/speaker Cody Deaner is doing a fourth tour of several Peterborough schools announced on Tuesday.

The Kiwanis Club of Peterborough is celebrating 103 years of service to the Peterborough community. It is part of a global membership of over 550,000 in 80 countries. Photo courtesy of Kiwanis Club of Peterborough.

The Total Nonstop Wrestling star will speak at Edmison Heights Public School on Feb. 12 and St. John’s Catholic Elementary School and Adam Scott Intermediate School on Feb. 13.

Gray also launched a top-rated podcast in 2023: Wrestling is Life is Wrestling.

“We’re very excited to bring Chris back to Peterborough for another tour”, said Jeff Westlake, Kiwanis past-president. “His previous tours in 2019, 2020 and 2023 were tremendously popular with both students and staff.”

“I’m delighted to be returning to Peterborough next month,” said Gray. “The partnership with the Kiwanis Club of Peterborough has been outstanding these last few years and I’m eager to inspire area kids with my stories and message of ‘Dare to Dream Big.’”

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Hometown PTBO: Robert Roode Discusses His Athletics in Peterborough, His Close Friendship With Tracey Kelusky and Professional Wrestling Career

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This week on Hometown PTBO, Pete Dalliday speaks with WWE Superstar and current SmackDown Tag Team Champion (with Dolph Ziggler) Robert Roode on his playing sports as a child, his relationship with local lacrosse star Tracey Kelusky and his career in professional wrestling.

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