"The Latin fans and the black fans definitely know what I'm saying because that's straight out of the hood," Konnan said in a 1998 interview with The Miami Herald. "And the down white boys that like rap know too." "The ones that don't know what it means want to be cool because they think it's cool so they say it along with us. Right now, a lot people just want to be hip, and I think our persona is some hip guys. Maybe, one day, people will be into the nerds, and then I'll be in trouble."

Konnan was born in Cuba but was brought up on the streets of Miami,FL. He soon got in trouble and ended up in jail a couple of times. "I went to Coral Gables High and got thrown out of there. I went to South Florida Military Academy and got thrown out of there."

He then joined the US Army, and tried to sort out his life. He started competing in Boxing, and had much success. He became California's Middleweight Amateur Boxing Champion in 1982 and 1983 and the champion of the Army in 1984, but then picked up a shoulder injury which kept him out for almost 12 months. When he finally returned to the ring, he had lost his quickness and some of his power, so he quit the sport. "One day I was in San Diego in a suburb called National City. I was playing basketball and I got into a fight with another guy, and some guy who was walking his dog saw me, and he said, 'You look like you know how to punch'."

He stayed in the Army for the next 4 years, and then left for Los Angeles, where he played basketball and practiced Bodybuilding. It was there that he met John Roberts, a lucha libre wrestling scout who was impressed at Konnan's size and stature. Konnan went with Roberts to a lucha show in Tijuana, and he was amazed at the speed and high-flying talent of wrestlers such as Silver King and Super Astro. He decided to give lucha libre a go.

Konnan was trained first by Rey Mysterio Sr. at the same school attended by Psychosis, Ciclope, Damien and Rey Mysterio Jr. Later he learned from Super Astro, Eddy Guerrero, Negro Casas and Ary Romero who taught him other lucha moves and secrets.

He started out in Tijuana for Benjamin Mora promotions, under the ring name 'El Centurión'. At first, he had little wrestling skill, but was booked in high-calibre matches mainly because of the crowd reaction. Canek and Perro Aguayo saw great potential in Carlos and brought him to their UWA/Lucha Libre Internacional. On January 6th, 1988, Konnan celebrated his birthday by making his UWA debut in an eight-man tag team match. He learned a great deal there and later moved on to what was known as 'The Big Show', the EMLL(CMLL). It was here he finally reached main event status and had long feuds with established legends Perro Aguayo and Cien Caras. He was able to wrestle in Arena Mexico and reached even more popularity. Unfortunately, he lost his mask in a match against Perro Aguayo, but that didn't stop Carlos there.

By 1992 he was in a promotion headed by Antonio Peña, who had just left EMLL to start a brand-new promotion: AAA.

He wrestled as 'Konnan El Barbaro'(Konnan The Barbarian) and became a legend in AAA, drawing crowds of near 60,000 and selling out arenas that boxers and bull-fighters couldn't do. He soon dropped The Barbarian to become simply Konnan.

In 1995 he was contacted by Vince McMahon of the WWF about a possible role for him under the name 'Max Moon'. Instead, the name was given to Paul Diamond and Konnan didn't get the job.

In early 1996, Carlos was still hugely popular in the AAA, and became head booker. He introduced a ECW table-breaking and hardcore style which drew even more fans to Tijuana.

In Spring that year, Konnan was contacted by Kevin Sullivan and WCW. Konnan signed a three-year deal and bought in ECW friends Juventud Guerrera, Rey Mysterio Jr and a whole invasion of Luchadors.

Konnan wrestled in front of family and friends for the first time in the United States in April when WCW Monday Nitro invaded the Miami Arena before a sellout crowd of more than 13,000. They did not leave disappointed as Konnan defeated 'Black Magic' Norman Smiley.

He won the United States Title quickly from One Man Gang at Superbrawl and kept it for several months until Ric Flair defeated him at Bash at the Beach 1996, the same night the nWo formed.

Konnan seemed to have taken a back seat in things and started a new promotion called Promo Aztecas with some of the best Mexican talent still available.

Konnan re-entered WCW on Monday Nitro in late 1996. He came in as the reigning Mexican Heavyweight Champion, playing a babyface. He got little fan reaction. He soon turned heel and joined Kevin Sullivan's Dungeon of Doom with a gimmick similar to a Mexican gang member.

He began using 'Street Language' and Spanish phrases during his interviews, sometimes even using profanity in Spanish. He only had a few minor fueds at first, and then formed an impressive tag team with fellow DOD member Hugh Morrus. However, things soon started to fall apart.

During an interview in April 1997, Konnan was quoted as saying: "The only wrestlers I think, beside us in the Dungeon who are cool...are The Outsiders, Scott Hall and Kevin Nash. I don't think you can just jump in (to the NWO). I think you have to be invited in. That's an exclusive club. Hey, I'd be honored to be a part of it, but if I'm not, I still respect them."

Morrus was angered at this and split up from Konnan, who left the DOD. When Scott Hall was temporarily out-of-action, Konnan teamed with Kevin Nash at house shows, and was seen to be wearing an Outsiders-nWo T-shirt.

Soon the entire DOD faded away and Konnan fueded with Hugh Morrus. The day after Chris Benoit defeated Kevin Sullivan at BATB '97, Konnan officially joined the New World Order.

This was on the 7.14 edition of NITRO, and Nash and Hall announced him as 'K-Dogg'. At first K-Dogg had a small role, usually interfering in matches and generally aiding fellow nWo members. When the nWo started to fall apart into two groups, and Konnan was the first person to join The Outsiders in the original Wolfpac. Konnan even won the TV Title from Chris Jericho, and held it briefly.

However, when the nWo's combined, Konnan was viewed as "dropping the ball" when he lost the TV Title to Big Poppa Pump. Kevin Nash said he was sick of "Konnan riding the coat-tails of the nWo," and when he came to Rey Mysterio Jr's aid while Lex Luger was racking him, he was stripped of his shirt, spray painted, and hit with Scott Hall's stun gun.

Konnan and Rey joined the No Limit Soliders shortly after Master P's appearance in WCW. Master P left shortly thereafter, and Konnan has assumed the reigns of the stable. He then formed The Filthy Animals faction with Rey, Kidman and Eddy Guerrero.

Konnan is the leader of the Animals and loves to pump up the crowd before matches. The group have been on a major push of late, and K-Dogg is expected to win a singles title soon.