| Robert Knapik | |
|---|---|
| Ring name(s) | Robbie Rage[1] Rob Rage[1][2] Rage[1] Ruckus[1] |
| Billed height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[2] |
| Billed weight | 254 lb (115 kg; 18.1 st)[2] |
| Born | 1970[1][2] Plymouth, Massachusetts[3] |
| Resides | Atlanta, Georgia[1][2] |
| Billed from | Anchorage, Alaska[4] |
| Trained by | Sgt. Buddy Lee Parker[1] WCW Power Plant[2] |
| Debut | 1995[1][2] |
| Retired | 2007[5] |
Robert J. Knapik[1][2] (born 1970) is an American former professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure with World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Robbie Rage and as a part of the tag team High Voltage with Kenny Kaos.
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Knapik grew up in Plymouth, Massachusetts and played a variety of sports while growing up, including baseball, hockey and soccer.[3] Throughout his childhood, he suffered abuse from his father.[3] Knapik began working out to relieve stress, and eventually began taking steroids at age 18.[3] After graduating high school, he attended college, but left after it didn't pan out.[3]
Knapik attended a wrestling show in Florida in 1995 at the suggestion of a friend, and after calling various promoters and wrestling promotions, he was signed to a contract with World Championship Wrestling later on in the year. Along with Kenny Stasiowski, Knapik began training in WCW's Power Plant wrestling school. Upon completion of their training, Knapik and Stasiowski debuted on WCW television under the ring names Robbie Rage and Kenny Kaos, respectively, and they formed the tag team High Voltage.[6][7]
High Voltage regularly appeared against mid-card opponents on the WCW television shows Saturday Night and WorldWide during the late 1990s, while also appearing as enhancement talents on Monday Nitro.
In 1997, Rage and Kaos travelled to Japan to compete for New Japan Pro Wrestling. Upon arriving, they feuded with nWo Japan, the Japanese version of the New World Order (nWo) before representing WCW in the Super Grade Tag League. Upon their return to the United States, Knapik joined Tim Catalfo's Obake Gym and befriended Yuji Nagata, who was also wrestling in WCW. After suffering a rotator cuff tear, Knapik was sidelined from wrestling for seven months.[3] During this time, High Voltage disbanded as Stasiowski began competing as a singles wrestler and Knapik was ultimately released from his contract during his recovery.[3]
After leaving WCW, Knapik returned to NJPW under the shortened ring name Rob Rage and would become a successful mid-carder within the promotion until leaving on July 20, 2002.[5] After leaving NJPW, Knapnik went on a hiatus before returning to wrestling after signing with the World Wrestling Council on August 28, 2005. He remained with the WWC until September 14, 2007, when he wrestled his final match at WWC's Septiembre Negro Tour.[5]
After retiring from wrestling, Knapik began working as a personal trainer.[3]
During his recovery for a rotator cuff tear, Knapik became depressed before being released from WCW during his recovery.[3] Soon afterwards he began using, and ultimately became addicted to, painkillers and ecstacy in order to combat his depression.[3] Knapik also lost his home, several cars and a house in Florida due to being unable to pay for them all.[3] After becoming sober from the drugs and going through intense soul searching, Knapik became a born again Christian.[3]
Knapik has two tattoos. One is a tribal design on his right forearm while the other is a signature design surrounding kanji on his left forearm.[8]
