New Bedford Toy Shop Owner Makes ‘Smackdown’ Appearance Ahead of Store Move

A Westport pro wrestler who also co-owns a New Bedford toy shop has found himself involved in one of the biggest stories in World Wrestling Entertainment just a week out from the annual Wrestlemania spectacular.

As if Ted Bolduc didn’t already have enough on his plate as his store, Cojo’s Toy World, is making the move from Purchase Street around the corner to William Street to its new expanded space.

Bolduc is known in the wrestling world as “Teddy Goodz” and he has made appearances in WWE before.

Just about two years ago, he took on Gunther in a televised match, and he’s also called upon from time to time when WWE is in town to play various on-screen roles such as security guards and other extras.

He's also made appearances for WWE's rival promotion, All Elite Wrestling.

READ MORE: Westport Wrestler's Childhood Dream Comes True

Last Friday, however, he was the “mystery man" as part of one of WWE's biggest storylines heading into Wrestlemania XL next weekend in Philadelphia.

Former WWE Champion A.J. Styles is embroiled in a bitter feud with upstart L.A. Knight, with Knight recently showing up at Styles’ home (and subsequently getting arrested) and making multiple attempts to get into his Wrestlemania opponent’s head.

On last Friday’s edition of Smackdown on Fox, Styles went into the center of the ring and called out Knight, after Smackdown GM Nick Aldis told him Knight was asked not to be in the building (which, if you know how wrestling works, means he was absolutely in the building).

Paranoid that Knight was planning a sneak attack, Styles first accused the cameraman of actually being Knight, but that proved untrue.

Just then, a figure in a black hooded sweatshirt jumped the ringside barrier before being tackled by security.

“Get him. That’s him!” Styles exclaimed, coming down from the ring. He pulled back the hood and unzipped the sweatshirt to reveal – well, not L.A. Knight, but rather “Teddy Goodz” himself, Ted Bolduc.

It turns out “The Megastar” was actually dressed as one of the security personnel, and he then attacked Styles.

After the segment, a WWE online exclusive video showed Bolduc being hauled away from the backstage area by security, but Knight arrived on the scene and asked them to hold on a minute, just long enough for him to give Bolduc some cash for helping him in the ambush of Styles.

That cash might come in handy, as Cojo’s Toy World has been temporarily closed while in the process of moving from its original location at 763 Purchase Street around the corner to a larger location at 104 William Street, in the former Paradise McFee Gallery.

READ MORE: New Bedford Toy Store Announces Expansion and Move

The move will expand Cojo’s from a 400-square foot store to over 2,500-square feet, allowing Bolduc and his cousin/fellow Cojo’s co-owner Jason Aguiar to bring in all new types of toys and other merchandise.

Bolduc said Cojo’s expects to officially open its new location on April 13.

Of course, having a New Bedford shop owner on WWE programming isn't the only connection the Whaling City has to the wrestling promotion; New Bedford native Samantha Johnson is the ring announcer for Monday Night RAW under her ring name Samantha Irvin.

READ MORE: Troll Targets New Bedford WWE Star Samantha Johnson