Chuck Taylor

Jun 3, 2019 - by Jamie Cruickshank

Real name: Dustin Lee Howard
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 210 lbs.
Date of birth: April 22, 1986
From: Murray, Kentucky
Pro debut: 2002
Trained by: Brandon Walker
Finishing move: Awful Waffle

Biography

– Despite training in Kentucky, Taylor wrestled his early career in other surrounding states, as Kentucky wrestling licenses were not issued to under-18s
– On March 4, 2006, Taylor defeated Dave Crist to retain the IPW Junior Heavyweight Title
– On April 1, Taylor defeated Ricochet to retain the IPW Junior Heavyweight Title
– On May 6, Taylor defeated Hex Gage to retain the IPW Junior Heavyweight Title
– On June 2, Taylor defeated Jake Crist in a Ladder Match to retain the IPW Junior Heavyweight Title
– Taylor competed in the 2006 Chikara Young Lions Cup, but was eliminated at the semi-final stage. Despite this, he would become a regular for the promotion later in the year
– On September 30, Taylor defeated Toby Klein to win the IWA:MS Heavyweight Title
– In October 2006, Taylor defended the IWA:MS Heavyweight Title against Ian Rotten, Colt Cabana & Arik Cannon
– On November 24, Taylor defeated Jay Lethal to retain the IWA:MS Heavyweight Title
– On December 16, Taylor defeated Steve Corino to retain the IWA:MS Heavyweight Title
– On February 9, 2007, Taylor defeated Davey Richards to retain the IWA:MS Heavyweight Title
– Taylor teamed with Icarus & Gran Akuma as ‘The Kings of Wrestling’ to enter Chikara’s 2007 King of Trios Tournament. The trio were eliminated at the semi-final stage by Team K-DOJO (KUDO, MIYAWAKI & Yoshiaki Yago)
– On March 2, Taylor defeated Ricochet & Billy Roc to retain the IWA:MS Heavyweight Title
– On March 31, Taylor defeated Low Ki in a Street Fight to retain the IWA:MS Heavyweight Title
– On April 6, Taylor defeated Z-Barr & Tracy Smothers to retain the IWA:MS Heavyweight Title
– A week later, Taylor defeated Drake Younger to retain the IWA:MS Heavyweight Title
– On April 22, Taylor defeated Pac, Ricochet, Lince Dorado & Retail Dragon to win the Chikara Rey de Voladores Tournament
– On April 28, Taylor defeated Joey Ryan to retain the IWA:MS Heavyweight Title
– On May 11, Taylor defeated Danny Basham to retain the IWA:MS Heavyweight Title
– The next day, Taylor defeated Devon Moore to retain the IWA:MS Heavyweight Title
– On May 25, Taylor again defeated Devon Moore to retain the IWA:MS Heavyweight Title
– The next day, Taylor defeated Tank to retain the IWA:MS Heavyweight Title
– On June 16, Taylor defeated CJ Otis to retain the IWA:MS Heavyweight Title
– Taylor won the 2007 Chikara Young Lions Cup, defeating Ricochet in the final
– On June 30, Taylor defeated Josh Abercrombie to retain the IWA:MS Heavyweight Title
– On July 21, Taylor defeated Mickie Knuckles to retain the IWA:MS Heavyweight Title and win the IWA:MS Womens Title
– Over the next week, Taylor defended the IWA:MS Heavyweight Title against Nate Webb, Low Ki & Brandon Thomaselli
– On August 5, Taylor defeated Drake Younger to retain the Chikara Young Lions Cup
– On August 18, Taylor defeated Ricochet to retain the Chikara Young Lions Cup
– On August 31, Taylor defeated Brandon Thomaselli to retain the IWA:MS Heavyweight Title and win the IWA:MS Light Heavyweight Title
– On September 7, Taylor defeated Delirious to retain the IWA:MS Heavyweight Title
– A week later, Taylor defeated BJ Whitmer to retain the IWA:MS Heavyweight Title
– Taylor put his IWA:MS Heavyweight Title on the line in the 2007 Ted Petty Invitational. He battled his way to the final, but lost out to Mike Quackenbush
– In March 2008, Taylor embarked upon a brief tour of Europe, competing in Germany, Switzerland and the UK
– On May 3, 2008, Taylor defeated Michael Elgin, Vito Thomaselli & Claudio Castagnoli to regain the vacant IWA:MS Heavyweight Title
– The next day, Taylor defeated Jimmy Jacobs to retain the IWA:MS Heavyweight Title
– On May 10, Taylor entered the CZW Best of the Best Tournament. He lost out to Sabian in the final, but then defeated Sabian immediately afterwards to win his CZW Junior Heavyweight Title
– Taylor debuted for Pro Wrestling Guerrilla at the All Star Weekend 7 event in August 2008
– Team FIST (Taylor, Icarus & Gran Akuma) won the 2009 Chikara King of Trios Tournament, defeating Team Uppercut (Claudio Castagnoli, Bryan Danielson & Dave Taylor) in the final
– In June 2009, Taylor toured Japan with the Big Japan promotion
– Taylor competed on the first EVOLVE event, defeating Cheech
– On September 18, 2011, Team FIST (Taylor & Johnny Gargano) defeated Mike Quackenbush & Jigsaw to win the Chikara Campeonatos de Parejas Titles
– On October 7, Team FIST (Taylor & Gargano) defeated Momo No Seishun Tag (Daisuke Harada & Atsushi Kotoge) to retain the Chikara Campeonatos de Parejas Titles
– On October 30, Team FIST (Taylor & Icarus) defeated The Throwbacks (Dasher Hatfield & Sugar Dunkerton) to retain the Chikara Campeonatos de Parejas Titles
– On December 2, Team FIST (Taylor & Gargano) defeated The Colony (Soldier Ant & Fire Ant) to retain the Chikara Campeonatos de Parejas Titles
– On February 25, 2012, Team FIST (Taylor & Icarus) defeated The Special Envoy (Ultramantis Black & Hallowicked) to retain the Chikara Campeonatos de Parejas Titles
– On April 29, Team FIST (Taylor & Gargano) defeated 3.0 (Scott Parker & Shane Matthews) to regain the Chikara Campeonatos de Parejas Titles
– In late 2013, Taylor and Trent Beretta began teaming as ‘Best Friends’
– Best Friends won the 2014 PWG DDT4 Tournament, defeating The Inner City Machine Guns (Rich Swann & Ricochet) in the final
– In June 2015, Taylor began competing for Jeff Jarrett’s GFW promotion
– On June 17, 2016, Taylor defeated Colt Cabana & Joey Ryan to win the DDT Iron Man Heavymetalweight Title, but would lose it later that day to Scott Hall
– In July 2016, Taylor began competing as ‘DUSTIN’ in several promotions as a result of a copyright infringement storyline
– At EVOLVE 64, DUSTIN & Drew Galloway defeated Catch Point (Drew Gulak & Tracy Williams) to win the EVOLVE Tag Team Titles
– At TNA One Night Only: August ’16, Taylor defeated Rockstar Spud
– At EVOLVE 67, DUSTIN, Drew Galloway & Ethan Carter III defeated TJP, Fred Yehi & Ethan Page in a No-DQ Match to retain the EVOLVE Tag Team Titles for DUSTIN & Galloway
– On July 7, 2017, Taylor defeated Zack Sabre Jr to win the PWG World Title
– On July 21, Taylor defeated AJ Smooth, Curt Stallion & Shane Strickland to win the IPW Hall of Fame Classic
– At ROH Global Wars ’17, Best Friends (Chuckie T & Beretta) defeated Rhett Titus & Will Ferrera
– In November 2017, Taylor (as Chuckie T) began a stint with New Japan Pro Wrestling
– On January 12, 2018, Taylor defeated Ricochet in a Guerrilla Warfare Match to regain the PWG World Title
– On February 16, Taylor defeated Trent to retain the PWG World Title
– At Supercard of Honor XII, Chuckie T defeated Jonathan Gresham
– Taylor competed in the Over Budget Battle Royal at the ALL IN event
– Prior to Final Battle ’18, Best Friends defeated The Bouncers (Brian Milonas & The Beer City Bruiser) and The Kingdom (TK O’Ryan & Vinny Marseglia)
– In February 2019, Best Friends announced that they had joined the new All Elite Wrestling promotion
– At AEW’s debut show, Double or Nothing, Best Friends defeated Jack Evans & Angelico
– At Fyter Fest, Best Friends defeated So Cal Uncensored (Frankie Kazarian & Scorpio Sky) and Private Party (Isaiah Kassidy & Marc Quen)
– On the Double Or Nothing 2020 pre-show, Best Friends defeated Private Party (Isiah Kassidy & Marq Quen)
– On the All Out 2021 pre-show, Taylor, Orange Cassidy, Wheeler Yuta, Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus defeated The Hardy Family Office (Matt Hardy, Isiah Kassidy, Marq Quen, Jack Evans & Angelico)
– On the Full Gear 2022 pre-show, Taylor, Trent Beretta, Orange Cassidy, Rocky Romero & Danhausen defeated The Factory (QT Marshall, Aaron Solo, Lee Johnson, Nick Comoroto & Cole Karter)
– At All In 2023, Taylor, Trent Beretta, Pentagon Jr, Eddie Kingston & Orange Cassidy defeated Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, Wheeler Yuta, Santana & Ortiz in a Stadium Stampede

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