Athletes - Matt Knowles

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	Athletes - Matt Knowles

Matt Knowles (born October 8, 1974 in Elmira, New York) is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, H.C. Loc.

Career

Knowles' professional wrestling career began on January 14, 1995 when he watched a television advertisement for "Crunchers Gym", a professional wrestling school operated by Bob Bailey. Despite being uncertain as to whether or not he would be accepted into the school, given that he was exceptionally small for a professional wrestling in the mid-1990s, Knowles contacted Bailey that night. He was admitted to the school, and trained under Bailey and T.C. Reynolds for six days a week over the course of fifteen months. After taking part in several tag team matches and battle royals, he wrestled his first singles match on August 8, 1996 in Bailey's United States Wrestling Federation, facing Steve Corino. Knowles originally wrestled under his own name, but later renamed himself H.C. Loc. The "H.C." stood for "Hard Core" (as in hardcore music, not hardcore wrestling).

From 1996 to 1999 Knowles wrestled on the independent circuit in the northeast, appearing on occasion as a jobber with World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation. Early in his career he formed a tag team with Big Pappa Chill, the Mack Daddies, and in New Breed Wrestling he was managed by Kenny Casanova, and teamed with fellow Casanova client Danger as Camp Casanova.

Extreme Championship Wrestling

In the summer of 1999, Knowles attended a training seminar held by Dory Funk, Jr. in Ocala, Florida. Funk arranged for Knowles to have a try-out match with Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), which he wrestled the next week in Queens, New York, New York. Knowles was hired by ECW on the basis of the match, and originally worked as a member of the ECW ring crew, constructing and dismantling the ring before and after shows. Knowles was eventually made a referee, and was renamed The Extreme Official. His in-ring debut saw him attacked by a cowbell-wielding Steve Corino, and he would go on to absorb offense from numerous heels, including a piledriver from the ring apron to the ground below at the hands of Rhino. Knowles appeared on nine pay-per-views before ECW declared bankruptcy in April 2001. Like many other ECW employees, Knowles received several bounced paychecks as owner Paul Heyman's debts began to spiral out of control.

Ring Of Honor

Knowles knew the owners of Ring Of Honor (Rob Feinstein, Gabe Sapolsky and Doug Gentry) from their involvement in ECW, and sent them a tape of his work after he heard that they were opening a promotion. He debuted on the inagurual ROH show, Era of Honor Begins, on February 23, 2002 as the referee in a match between The Natural Born Sinners (Homicide and Boogalou) and the Boogie Knights.

On April 27, Knowles formed a tag team with his long time friend DeVito known as The Carnage Crew. The Carnage Crew was later expanded to include Masada, and then again to include Justin Credible. Credible left ROH in 2004, while Masada turned heel by betraying Knowles and DeVito on May 22, 2004.

Knowles and DeVito feuded with Special K, then with Dan Maff and B.J. Whitmer. After Maff left ROH, they began feuding with Whitmer and his new partner, Jimmy Jacobs. The Carnage Crew defeated Whitmer and Jacobs for the ROH Tag Team Championships on July 9, 2005, but lost them back to Whitmer and Jacobs on July 23.

Profile

Height: 5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight: 195 lb (88 kg)
Born: October 8, 1974
Hometown: Elmira, New York
Trained by: Bob Bailey at Crunchers Gym, T.C. Reynolds, Dory Funk, Jr.
Debut: 1995
Previous manager(s): Kenny Casanova
Quote(s): "We don’t want to beat you...we want to kill you!"

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