"The Shooting Star" Erik Strong first came to people's attention during his rookie year, for his work on the independent circuit. A high flier who could take some of the sickest bumps imaginable, his matches caught the eye of the fans, and his hard work ethic caught the eye of Rip Chord, who brought him into Mid Atlantic Wrestling. He was originally a tag team wrestler, teaming with Mainstream Hernandez, but the team was soon dissolved in favour of a big push for Hernandez. 2007 proved to be a big year for Erik; the departure of a number of MAW's main event crew, including his ex-partner, paved the way for him to be given the opportunity to take his game to the next level. In June, he became the MAW champion, and has been suitably impressive in his lengthy title reign.