Matt Knowles
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For other people named Matt Knowles, see Matt Knowles (disambiguation).
Matt Knowles (born October 8, 1974 in Elmira, New York) is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, H.C. Loc.
[edit] 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.
[edit] 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.
[edit] Ring of Honor
Knowles debuted on the inagurual ROH show, Era of Honor Begins, on February 23, 2002 as the referee. 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 Championship on July 9, 2005, but lost them back to Whitmer and Jacobs on July 23.
[edit] 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!"
[edit] Previous identities
- The Extreme Official
- The Extreme Referee
- Gumby
- H.C. Loc
- HC Loc
- Loc
- The Masked Chicago Superstar
- The Masked Wisconsin Superstar
- The Masked New York Superstar
[edit] Finishing and signature moves
- R.E.F. - Really Effective Finish (Full nelson wheelbarrow facebuster)
- Saito suplex
- Tornado DDT
- Katahajime
- Facebreaker DDT followed by swinging neckbreaker
- Fireman cutter
- Budweiser frog splash
[edit] With DeVito
- Carnage Driver (spike piledriver with Loc jumping off the top rope)
- CarnagePlex (rotating belly to back suplex by Loc into a swinging neckbreaker by DeVito)
[edit] Wrestlers trained by H.C. Loc
[edit] Championships and accomplishments
- AWA
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- 1-time AWA Cruiserweight Champion
- Eastern States Wrestling
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- 1-time ESW Cruiserweight Champion
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- 1-time NWA Upstate Heavyweight Champion
- New Breed Wrestling
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- 1-time NBW Cruiserweight Champion
- New Era Pro Wrestling
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- 1-time NEPW North Coast Champion
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- 1-time ROH Tag Team Champion (with DeVito)
- United States Wrestling Federation
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- 1-time USWF Light Heavyweight Champion
- World of Hurt Wrestling
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- 1-time WoHW Heavyweight Champion
- 2-time WoHW United States Champion
- 1-time WoHW Tag Team Champion (with Danger)
[edit] Trivia
- Knowles is a New York Yankees fan, and has a tattoo to that effect on his left forearm.
- Knowles was the drummer in a band known as "5th Man Out".
- Knowles originally supplemented his income from wrestling by working as a carpenter alongside his father during the day.
- Knowles is currently a drummer for the band "Full Blown Zero".
- Competed in the first-ever "Intergender" match on WWE Raw (April 6, 1998), suffering a defeat to Luna Vachon.
[edit] References
- H.C. Loc at Bodyslamming.com
- H.C. Loc at OWW.com
- Interview with DOI.net
- Interview with Jonathan Barber
- Interview with Todd Brantley
- Interview with Dan Ottman
