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Matt Hart (wrestler)

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Matt Hart
Birth nameMatthew Aryan Dean Herweg
Born (1993-01-28) January 28, 1993 (age 31)
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
FamilyHart wrestling family
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Matt Hart[1]
Matthew Hart[1]
Billed height5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[2]
Billed weight189 lb (86 kg) (2014)[1]
224 lb (102 kg) (2016)[2]
Billed fromCalgary[2]
Trained byTeddy Hart[3]
Smith Hart[4]
Debut2012[5]

Matthew Aryan Dean Herweg, (born January 28, 1993) better known by his ring name Matt Hart is a Canadian professional wrestler. He is a third generation wrestler member of the Hart family and the son of professional wrestler Smith Hart, oldest child of wrestler Stu Hart and promoter Helen Hart. Hart has wrestled extensively on the independent scene in Canada but also in the United Kingdom and the United States. He is the first member of his family to complete the Canadian Death Tour. Hart has regularly performed for the Hart Legacy Wrestling promotion with other members of his family. He was the subject of the 2016 documentary Hart Still Beating.

Early life

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Herweg was born to Liane Reiger-Herweg, who was of German and Native American descent, and Smith Hart in 1993. Herweg's father is part of a family of Ulster Scot and Irish heritage through Smith's father Stu Hart. Herweg also has Greek as well as more Irish ancestry through his paternal grandmother Helen Hart.[6][7][8][9][10][excessive citations] He has an older half-brother named Michael on his mother's side who is also a professional wrestler and three half-siblings on his father's side named Tobi, Tania and Chad, as well as a foster brother named Steven from his father.[11] His middle name Dean is in honor of his uncle Dean Hart who died in 1990.[12] He also shares his first name with his deceased cousin Matthew Annis. Herweg's mother and father separated before he was born but they shared custody, he and his father lived together in the attic of the famed Hart House in Calgary.[13] In 2001 he and his father were among the Hart family members who attended WWF Monday Night RAW to commemorate his uncle Owen who had died two years earlier.[14] Herweg's mother died on his thirteenth birthday on January 28, 2006[15] after which he was put into foster care due to Canadian authorities deeming his father's career too unstable.[16] After some time Herweg was put in the care of Stacey Olaszak, his father's long time partner.[17][18][19][20][11] Herweg studied to be a stonemason.[21] As a member of the Hart family Herweg has many relatives in the industry, his cousins Natalie Neidhart, Harry Smith, Teddy Hart, Torrin Hart, and Bruce Hart Jr. are contemporaries in the ring while his cousin Lindsay Hart is an on screen personality for Elite Canadian Championship Wrestling.[22]

Professional wrestling career

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Various promotions (2012–present)

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After being separated from his father's side of the family after the death of his mother, Herweg reconnected to them through professional wrestling, deciding to join the industry as soon as he got the chance.[23] Matthew was trained by his father and cousins Teddy Hart and Harry Smith. He debuted in 2012 for his family's promotion, which was known as Stampede Extreme Sports at the time, for the 100th anniversary of the Calgary Stampede. In his first match he wrestled with Teddy and Harry.[5] At later events he would appear with his cousins Tory and Bruce Hart Jr. among other Stampede Wrestling alumni.[24][25] By March Matt was wrestling in Mecca Pro Wrestling[26] in Ontario for several dates[27][28] and by August he wrestled against a wrestling champion for the first time with KC Andrews who held the Big West Wrestling Television Championship.[29][30][31] In September he worked as a tag team wrestler in a storyline for Thrash Wrestling where his partner betrayed him to become the inaugural Trash Wrestling Tag Team Champion.[32] In 2016 Hart participated in the "Canadian Death Tour", becoming the first Hart family member to do so.[33] 2017 saw Hart traveling to the United Kingdom to wrestle.[34][35] In May 2022 Hart performed for his cousin Dallas Hart's promotion Dungeon Wrestling.[36]

Hart Legacy Wrestling (2012–2019)

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Hart debuted on the 2012 sneak peek of the promotion but had to take a year off from all wrestling afterwards due to injury.[37] He returned in January 2013[38][39] and was a regular performer for the promotion[40] until 2019.[41]

Real Canadian Wrestling (2015–present)

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Hart began wrestling for Real Canadian Wrestling in 2015.[42][43] He wrestle for the promotions charity show in June that year.[44] In 2017 Hart won his first championship, catching the RCW Tag Team Championship together with tag-team partner D. Dwight Davis as part of the group Hard To Kill.[45] In 2018 Hart was given his uncle Dynamite Kid (Tom Billington)s' robe by his aunt Michelle Billington in a match of the Smith Hart Memorial Tournament.[46][47] He later got involved in a major storyline with Real Canadian Wrestling's top heel wrestler,[48] Heavy Metal, after he destroyed Harts trophy for winning the Smith Hart Memorial Tournament and destroyed Smiths final letter to his children before Matt could read it.[49] During RCWs collaboration with Impact Wrestling Hart had a feuded with Raj Singh, the son of a Gama Singh who wrestled for Harts grandfather, the feud was popular and heated up the promotion.[50][51][52][53] In January 2020 Hart captured his first singles championship when he won the RCW British Commonwealth Championship.[54] Hart lost the title on March 6, 2020 to his former tag-team partner Davis.[55][56]

Canadian Wrestling's Elite (2016–present)

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Hart began working for the Canadian Wrestling's Elite by 2016.[57] By September that year Hart wrestled his first world champion in Magnus[58] who held the GFW Global Championship for Global Force Wrestling.[59][60] In 2017 Hart headlined the tribute show for his father Smith Hart for the promotion,[61] he wrestled with his cousins-in-law "Dynamite" Dan and "Pistol" Pete Wilson.[62] Hart won the match with the Sharpshooter,[63] a move which is deeply connected to his family's history.

Other media

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In 2016 Herweg and his father were the subject of the Telus original documentary Hart Still Beating which concerns his childhood, the loss of his mother, his father's then recent diagnosis with terminal cancer and their attempt to grow closer to each other through professional wrestling.[64][65]

Personal life

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Herweg is a cat owner.[66] Herweg is a big fan of The Honky Tonk Man.[67] He is close with his cousin Torrin.[68]

Championships and accomplishments

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  • Real Canadian Wrestling
    • RCW Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with D. Dwight Davis[69]
    • RCW British Commonwealth Championship (1 time)[54]
    • RCW Hardcore Championship (2 times)

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Matt Hart Overview". Cagematch — The Internet Wrestling Database. Archived from the original on 11 April 2018. Retrieved 2018-04-11.
  2. ^ a b c "Matt Hart profile". ldnwrestling.com. LDN Wrestling. Archived from the original on 21 May 2017. Retrieved 2018-04-12.
  3. ^ Andre Corbeil (March 31, 2018). "Teddy Hart Training His Cousin Matt Hart In The New 'Hart Dungeon'". Wrestling With Wrestling. Retrieved 2019-01-26.
  4. ^ Stacey May Fowles, Pasha Malla; Best Canadian Sports Writing
  5. ^ a b Olaszak, Stacey (December 28, 2017). "Stacey Angel shared a memory". Facebook.com. Archived from the original on 3 January 2018. Retrieved 2019-01-26.
  6. ^ Hart, Bret (2007). Hitman: My Real Life in the Cartoon World of Wrestling. Ebury Press. p. 8 pp. ISBN 9780091932862.
  7. ^ Hart, Diana; McLellan, Kirstie (2001). Under the Mat: Inside Wrestling's Greatest Family. Fenn. p. 16 pp. ISBN 1-55168-256-7.
  8. ^ Heath McCoy (2007). Pain and Passion: The History of Stampede Wrestling. ECWPress. p. 30 pp. ISBN 978-1-55022-787-1.
  9. ^ Slamthology: Collected Wrestling Writings 1991-2004. jnlister. 2005. p. 252 pp. ISBN 1-4116-5329-7.
  10. ^ Heath McCoy (2007). Pain and Passion: The History of Stampede Wrestling. ECWPress. p. 16 pp. ISBN 978-1-55022-787-1.
  11. ^ a b Olaszak, Stacey (July 5, 2017). "Smith Hart obituary". Facebook. Archived from the original on 11 April 2018. Retrieved 2018-04-11.
  12. ^ Letawsky, Craig (2002-05-07). "Ask 411 - 5.07.02". 411MANIA. Archived from the original on 17 November 2007.
  13. ^ Hart, Diana; McLellan, Kirstie (2001). Under the Mat: Inside Wrestling's Greatest Family. Fenn. p. ?. ISBN 1-55168-256-7.
  14. ^ Magee, Bob (June 4, 2001). "As I See It 6/04/2001". Pro Wrestling Between The Sheets. Archived from the original on 8 January 2018. Retrieved 2018-04-11.
  15. ^ "Liane Herweg Obituary". Facebook. Archived from the original on 11 April 2018. Retrieved 2019-01-26.
  16. ^ Staff (6 September 2016). Hart Still Beating: Pro Wrestling Saved My Life - A Hart Family Documentary (Film). STORYHIVE: Open Sky Pictures. Event occurs at 7:30–8:44. Archived from the original (Video file) on 2018-08-17. Retrieved 2018-01-08.
  17. ^ Olaszak, Stacey (December 5, 2016). "Hart Still Beating". Facebook. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 2018-04-11.
  18. ^ Hart, Smith (May 10, 2015). "Smith Hart 2015 May 10". Facebook. Archived from the original on 14 September 2018. Retrieved 2018-04-11.
  19. ^ Hart, Smith (March 26, 2015). "George Fraser". Facebook. Archived from the original on 14 September 2018. Retrieved 2018-04-11.
  20. ^ Hart, Smith (March 14, 2015). "Smith Hart 2015 14 March". Facebook. Archived from the original on 31 December 2018. Retrieved 2019-01-26.
  21. ^ Staff. "Trust the Pros". CalgaryStonePros. Archived from the original on 22 August 2017. Retrieved 2018-04-11.
  22. ^ "Roster : Elite Canadian Championship Wrestling – ECCW". ECCW.com. 2013-11-06. Archived from the original on 6 November 2013. Retrieved 2018-01-22 – via archive.fo.
  23. ^ Staff (September 28, 2016). "Hart Still Beating: A New Chapter In The Legacy Of The Hart Wrestling Family". Mandatory.com. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 2018-01-08.
  24. ^ "BE Entertainment Inc. Presents Stampede Extreme Wrestling". Stampedeextremesports.com. Archived from the original on 2012-06-30. Retrieved 2019-01-26.
  25. ^ "Stampede Extreme Pro Sports". Calgarydowntown.com. Archived from the original on 11 April 2018. Retrieved 2019-01-26.
  26. ^ "The MPW match fought by Matt Hart in 2012". WrestlingData.com. Retrieved 2019-01-26.
  27. ^ Martin, Adam (March 19, 2012). "Indy News #1: Rock 'n' Roll Wrestling, MPW/CWA, WAR". WrestleView. Archived from the original on 7 April 2018. Retrieved 2019-01-26.
  28. ^ Martin, Adam (March 27, 2012). "Indy News #1: !Bang! TV, Crossfire on 5/19, Ontario". WrestleView. Archived from the original on 7 April 2018. Retrieved 2019-01-26.
  29. ^ Staff (August 14, 2012). "Wrestling to make nightclub debut in downtown Kelowna". Kelowna Capital News. Black Press. p. 13. Retrieved 2019-01-26 – via Issuu.
  30. ^ Staff (November 8, 2012). "Big West to unveil Okanagan Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame". Kelowna Capital News. Black Press. p. 21. Retrieved 2019-01-26 – via Issuu.
  31. ^ Staff (September 10, 2012). "KC Andrews vs. Matt Hart - BWW". Pro Wrestling Core. Archived from the original on 13 June 2022. Retrieved 2019-01-26.
  32. ^ Staff (January 10, 2013). "2012 Okanagan Wrestling Results". BigWestWrestling.com. Archived from the original on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 2019-01-26.
  33. ^ Hart, Smith (January 28, 2016). "Happy birthday to my treasured son Matthew". Smith Hart official page. Facebook.com. Archived from the original on 31 December 2018. Retrieved 2019-01-03.
  34. ^ May, Vern (January 1, 2017). "20 Second And Third Generation Wrestlers You Never Knew About". The Sportster. Archived from the original on 18 April 2017. Retrieved 2018-04-11.
  35. ^ Staff (2017). "Second And Third Generation Wrestlers You May Not Have Heard About". Daily Scoop. Archived from the original on 27 August 2017. Retrieved 2018-01-26.
  36. ^ Staff (May 20, 2022). "Hart, Dungeon Wrestling presents 'Showdown at the Arbor' on Siksika Nation". Calgary Sun. Archived from the original on 14 March 2020. Retrieved 2023-11-11.
  37. ^ Hart, Matt (November 23, 2013). "The Black Hart 2013 23 November". Facebook. Archived from the original on 4 January 2019. Retrieved 2019-01-26.
  38. ^ Martin, Adam (December 16, 2012). "Hart Legacy Wrestling to debut in Calgary on 1/16". WrestleView.
  39. ^ "Hart Family Launches New Promotion, Live In The Old Hart House And More News". PWInsider.
  40. ^ "Hart Legacy Wrestling". Cagematch — The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved 2019-02-01.
  41. ^ "Matt Hart on Facebook". Facebook. Archived from the original on 2022-04-30.[user-generated source]
  42. ^ Staff (July 26, 2015). "Bret Hart's Nephew Matt In Action In Calgary". 1Wrestling.com. Archived from the original on 25 December 2017. Retrieved 2019-01-26.
  43. ^ Staff (June 14, 2015). "Bret Hart's Nephew Matt Hart Makes His Pro Wrestling Debut". World News Network. Archived from the original on 24 December 2017. Retrieved 2019-01-26.
  44. ^ Corbil, Andre (June 21, 2015). "Wrestling for Charity: Prodigy Matt Hart Vs Mvp Logan Cross. RCW Wrestling Double Main Event". 1Wrestling. Retrieved 2019-02-03.
  45. ^ Dean, Owen (January 7, 2018). "'The Prodigy' Matt Hart gives notice to RCW on upcoming tag match". GutBuster TV. Archived from the original on 11 January 2018. Retrieved 2019-01-26.
  46. ^ Staff (September 3, 2018). Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Figure Four Online
  47. ^ Staff (August 24, 2018). "Dynamite Kid's Robe Given To Matt Hart Before RCW Match Vs. Gama Singh Jr". Wrestling With Wrestling. Archived from the original on 26 January 2019. Retrieved 2019-02-10.
  48. ^ Rodriguez, Isabel (October 3, 2018). "Hart Still Beating – A Matt Hart Documentary Review". Soci@lSuplex. Archived from the original on 4 October 2018. Retrieved 2019-01-04.
  49. ^ "Matt Hart Reacts To Stolen Smith Hart Trophy & Heavy Metal". YouTube. 28 August 2018. Retrieved 2019-02-10.
  50. ^ Chai, Daniel (January 4, 2019). "25 things to do in Calgary this weekend: January 4 to 6". Daily Hive. Archived from the original on 1 February 2019. Retrieved 2019-02-10.
  51. ^ Staff (January 6, 2019). "Impact Wrestling Swerves Real Canadian Wrestling". Wrestling With Wrestling. Archived from the original on 17 January 2019. Retrieved 2019-02-10.
  52. ^ "Last Week in Alberta Wrestling: May 21 - 27, 2019". 27 May 2019.
  53. ^ "RCW Recap and Reactions: Oil City Rumble, Edmonton, September 14". 19 September 2019.
  54. ^ a b Love, Spencer (2020-01-06). "Matt Hart Captures RCW British Commonwealth Championship". Win Column Sports. Retrieved 2020-01-25.
  55. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip (March 6, 2020). "RCW Cruel Intentions". CAGEMATCH – The Internet Wrestling Database. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
  56. ^ Malowany, Mike (March 7, 2020). "D. Dwight Davis Captures RCW Commonwealth Championship". Win Column Sports. Archived from the original on 18 February 2020.
  57. ^ Warren, Danny (August 8, 2016). "3rd generation Hart slated for Canadian Wrestling's Elite debut in Calgary on September 22". Wrestle World. Archived from the original on 29 January 2018. Retrieved 2019-02-10.
  58. ^ Johnson, Mike (August 17, 2016). "Matt Hart To Challenge Magnus For GFW Title". Pro Wrestling Insider. Archived from the original on 25 December 2017. Retrieved 2019-02-10.
  59. ^ Staff (September 25, 2016). "Magnus defends GFW Hvt. Title vs. new Hart family member wrestler". Pro Wrestling Torch. Archived from the original on 25 December 2017. Retrieved 2019-02-10.
  60. ^ Danny Warren (September 9, 2016). "Canadian Wrestling's Elite comes to Calgary, AB on September 25 with Matt Hart vs. Magnus". Wrestle World. Archived from the original on 23 December 2017. Retrieved 2019-02-10.
  61. ^ Johnson, Mike (July 5, 2017). "Matt Hart to Headline Smith Hart Tribute Event in Calgary". Pro Wrestling Insider. Archived from the original on 25 December 2017. Retrieved 2019-02-10.
  62. ^ Warren, Danny (July 7, 2017). "Canadian Wrestling's Elite returns to Calgary, AB on August 10 in tribute to Smith Hart". Wrestle World. Archived from the original on 10 February 2019. Retrieved 2019-02-10.
  63. ^ Johnson, Mike (August 11, 2017). "Smith Hart Tribute Show Results". Pro Wrestling Insider. Archived from the original on 10 February 2019. Retrieved 2019-02-10.
  64. ^ Johnson, Mike (September 7, 2016). "New documentary on Smith and Matt Hart". Pro Wrestling Insider. Archived from the original on 8 January 2018. Retrieved 2018-01-08.
  65. ^ Thomas, Jeremy (September 7, 2016). "New Smith & Matt Hart Documentary Released". 411Mania. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 2018-01-08.
  66. ^ Staff (6 September 2016). A Telus Original – Hart Still Beating (Film). Storyhive: Open Sky Pictures. Archived from the original (Video file) on 2018-08-17. Retrieved 2018-01-08.
  67. ^ "The NXT Superstar In Line? Matt Hart Of The Hart Family Legacy". 1Wrestling Video. 16 May 2015. Retrieved 2019-01-04.
  68. ^ WrestleTalkRadio Hart Legacy Wrestling's Matt Hart Interview (Podcast). Wrestle Talk Radio. March 4, 2019. Event occurs at 15:37. Archived from the original (PodcastOne) on 2019-03-07. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
  69. ^ "Titles « Matt Hart « Wrestlers Database «". Cagematch — The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved 2019-02-01.

Further reading

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