Matt Stryker

Professional wrestling career Bryon Woermann attended Milford High School, where he played basketball and Diving. After graduating, Woermann obtained a job selling cars while trying to pursue a career in Law Enforcement through one of his brothers with the Village of Terrace Park Police Dept. After various run-ins with the law and some convictions, Brian's Law Enforcement career was abruptly cut short.

In 1998, Woermann began focusing on wrestling and started training under Les Thatcher, proprietor of the Main Event Pro Wrestling Camp in Evendale, Ohio, much to the chagrin of his mother. He trained under Thatcher for five months, suffering a knee injury in the course of his training. On November 7, 1998, Woermann wrestled his first match, facing "Bad Boy" Bobby Kane. He then chose the ring name Matt Stryker and began working for Thatcher's Heartland Wrestling Association.

In May 2002, Stryker's tag team partner, Dean Baldwin, reportedly burnt his eye with a cigar. Stryker immediately sought revenge, which led to Baldwin suing him for $55 million and imposing a restraining order on him for assault, stalking and defamation of character. After feuding with Baldwin throughout June 2002, Stryker set his sights on the HWA Heavyweight Championship.

At the Second Anniversary Show on February 14, 2004, Stryker unsuccessfully entered a tournament for the newly created ROH Pure Wrestling Championship. After becoming the number one contender to the ROH World Championship, Stryker lost to the defending champion, Samoa Joe, at Reborn: Stage Two on April 24, 2004. Following the vacation of the ROH Pure Championship by A.J. Styles, Stryker once again attempted to win the title, but was thwarted by Alex Shelley. At Death before Dishonor 2: Part One on July 23, 2004, "Team Steamboat" (Stryker, John Walters and Jimmy Jacobs) defeated Shelley's faction, Generation Next, in a six-man tag team bout. Premiere Wrestling Federation PWF Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Josh Daniels Ring of Honor Field of Honor (2003) ROH Number One Contender's Trophy