Chad Collyer

Professional wrestling career Collyer attended Manchester College, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree.

Upon graduation, Collyer traveled to Tampa, Florida to train at the Malenko Pro Wrestling School under Dean Malenko and Jeff Bradley. Collyer began training on August 3, 1997. He debuted on December 6, 1997, at Kahuna's Bar and Grill in St. Petersburg, Florida, facing Jet Jaguar.

In 2000, Collyer toured England twice with Scott Conway's Wrestling Alliance. He returned to England in 2001 and September 2002, competing for Brian Dixon's All Star Promotions.

Heartland Wrestling Association (1997–2009, 2011–2012) Collyer debuted in the Midwestern Heartland Wrestling Association immediately after debuting. In 1998, Collyer teamed with Shark Boy on a number of occasions. In 1999, Collyer and Shark Boy began feuding with "Bad Boy" Bobby Kane and Tarek the Great. On March 6, 1999, and April 3, 1999, Collyer unsuccessfully challenged Kane for the HWA Cruiserweight Championship.

Collyer returned to the HWA in July 2001. On August 9, 2001, he wrestled at the third annual Brian Pillman Memorial Show, taking part in a four way bout for the HWA Cruiserweight Championship. Throughout the remainder of 2001, Collyer wrestled a number of World Championship Wrestling wrestlers who had been assigned to the HWA (a World Wrestling Federation developmental territory) upon the purchase of WCW by the WWF.

Collyer was subsequently largely inactive in the HWA until 2003. On May 2, 2003, Collyer won a Royal Rumble match with the HWA Heavyweight Championship on the line. He lost the title to Nigel McGuinness on September 6, 2003.

Following a lengthy absence, Collyer returned to the HWA on March 19, 2006, wrestling Nigel McGuinness at the Internet pay-per-view CyberClash. Collyer won his third HWA Heavyweight Championship on August 29, 2006, defeating Jon Moxley. He lost the title to Pepper Parks on November 7, 2006. After failing to regain the title in a two out of three falls match on November 18, 2006, at the November to Dismember event, Collyer formed a tag team with Nigel McGuinness.

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2003–2004) Collyer debuted in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling on the October 18, 2003 episode of TNA Xplosion, losing to Chris Sabin. He went on to appear on the November 12, 2003 episode of Xplosion, losing to Sonjay Dutt. On the January 28, 2004 weekly TNA pay-per-view, Collyer, Eric Young, Matt Stryker and Shark Boy lost to Team Mexico in an eight-man tag team bout.

Collyer returned to TNA on June 16, 2004, as one-third of The Elite Guard, a stable consisting of Collyer, Hotstuff Hernandez and Onyx. The Elite Guard were portrayed as a militant and superior antithesis to the 3 Live Kru, who were feuding with Jeff Jarrett and assisted Jarrett in his feud with the Kru. The 3Live Kru and The Elite Guard feuded over the following weeks, culminating in a ten-man Guitar on a Pole match on July 14, 2004, that saw Dusty Rhodes, Larry Zbyszko and the 3Live Kru defeat Jarrett, Ken Shamrock and The Elite Guard when Rhodes pinned Onyx. Following the loss, The Elite Guard was removed from TNA television. In Collyer's TNA match on July 30, 2004, he and Hernandez were defeated by America's Most Wanted in a dark match. Heartland Wrestling Association HWA Cruiserweight Championship (1 time) NWA Indiana Heritage Championship (1 time) Ohio Valley Wrestling OVW Television Championship (1 time) Pro Wrestling Illustrated PWI ranked him #154 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2004