 | Thisbiography of a living personneeds additionalcitations forverification. Please help by addingreliable sources.Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced orpoorly sourcedmust be removed immediately from the article and its talk page, especially if potentiallylibelous. Find sources: "Chuck Palumbo" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(July 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
 Palumbo in 2015 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | Charles Ronald Palumbo (1971-06-15)June 15, 1971 (age 54)[2] |
| Alma mater | University of Central Missouri |
| Children | 1 |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Chuck Chuck Palumbo The Dude |
| Billed height | 6 ft 7 in (201 cm)[1] |
| Billed weight | 280 lb (127 kg)[1] |
| Billed from | Providence, Rhode Island San Diego,California |
| Trained by | Paul Orndorff WCW Power Plant |
| Debut | 1998 |
| Retired | 2012 |
Charles Ronald Palumbo (born June 15, 1971) is an American retiredprofessional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances withprofessional wrestling promotionsWorld Championship Wrestling and theWorld Wrestling Federation/Entertainment (WWE) in the late-1990s and 2000s, where he held theWCW World Tag Team Championship andWWF/E World Tag Team Championship. He hosted theDiscovery Channel seriesLords of the Car Hoards and "Rusted Development".
Chuck Palumbo grew up inWest Warwick,Rhode Island. He attendedWest Warwick High School, where he earned all-state honors in basketball.[3] He joined the US Navy soon after and spent time in the Persian Gulf, working the flight deck of theUSS Carl Vinson. He was initially assigned to an F-18 Hornet squadron VAQ-34 at Lemoore, California before transferring to NAS Miramar in San Diego where he worked on the E-2C Hawkeye.[4] Chuck finished up his stint in the Navy and enrolled at theCommunity College of Rhode Island earning All-American honors in basketball[5] and a full scholarship toUniversity of Central Missouri. While attending Central Missouri, watching a WCW TV show, he saw a commercial for theWCW PowerPlant. He called the number, and after graduating with a Criminal Justice degree, decided to accept their invitation to travel to Atlanta and train at the WCW Power Plant.[6]
Palumbo began his career in 1998 on the independent circuit, using a surfer gimmick and thering name "The Dude". He made his debut appearance onWorld Championship Wrestling (WCW)'sNitro on October 19, 1998, as a fan who accepted the challenge ofErnest "The Cat" Miller. Six months later, he was offered a training contract by WCW in April 1999. Just prior to the hiring ofVince Russo andEd Ferrera as bookers for WCW, many of the WCW Power Plant wrestlers debuted onSaturday Night andWorldWide.
On January 19, 2000, atWCW Saturday Night Taping (January '00 #3), Chuck Palumbo defeatedMike Sanders.[7][8]On February 16, atWCW Saturday Night Taping (February '00 #4), Palumbo teamed with Sonny Siaki to defeatAllan Funk andRick Cornell.[7][9][10]On March 1, atWCW Saturday Night Taping (March '00 #1), Palumbo and Siaki challengedBig Vito andJohnny The Bull for the WCW World Tag Team Titles but was unsuccessful at winning the titles.[7][9][11]On March 5, atWCW Live, Palumbo defeatedBobby Eaton.[7][12]On March 14, atWCW WorldWide Taping' Chuck Palumbo was defeated byLenny Lane.[7][13]In 2000, Palumbo made his debut on WCW television on the March 21, 2000, edition ofThunder under his real name, losing toScott Steiner.[14][7] After this match, Palumbo was chosen by Bischoff and Russo to beThe New Blood's version ofLex Luger in May 2000.[14] He was given the nickname "The Main Event".[14]
Palumbo feuded with Luger until late May 2000 when Palumbo formed a team called "ThePerfect Event" withShawn Stasiak and the pair won theWCW World Tag Team Championship.[15][14] Their main feud was againstKroniK (Brian Adams andBryan Clark).[14][15] In August, Stasiak and Palumbo helped form theNatural Born Thrillers withMike Sanders,Sean O'Haire,Mark Jindrak, andReno while they were briefly "coached" byKevin Nash.[14][15]
Palumbo and Stasiak won the WCW World Tag Team Championship two more times before splitting in early January 2001 when he and Stasiak won a tag team battle royal with O'Haire and Jindrak for a future tag team title shot. After the conclusion of the match Mike Sanders declared both teams victorious and that any combination of the four would faceThe Insiders (Diamond Dallas Page and Kevin Nash). Palumbo and O'Haire were the two members of the Natural Born Thrillers who would face and defeat Page and Nash for the tag titles atSin on January 14, 2001. Following the title victory, the Natural Born Thrillers broke up when the team of Jindrak and Stasiak became jealous of Palumbo and O'Haire. The teams faced each other atSuperBrawl Revenge on February 18, 2001, for the tag team title, which Palumbo and O'Haire retained.[14][15] The duo also retained the title against Totally Buffed (Buff Bagwell and Lex Luger) atGreed in March, WCW's lastpay-per-view. On March 23, the World Wrestling Federation acquired the assets of WCW and Palumbo's contract was acquired.[14] The following Monday on the final episode ofNitro, Palumbo and O'Haire defeatedTeam Canada'sMike Awesome andLance Storm in the final WCW World Tag Team Championship title defense on the program.
On April 14, 2000, Chuck Palumbo made his NJPW debut, atNJPW Strong Energy '00 Day 1, where he defeatedBlack Cat.[7][16]On April 15, atNJPW Strong Energy '00 Day 2, Palumbo teamed with Rick Cornell andOsamu Kido but was defeated byBrian Johnston,Junji Hirata andTadao Yasuda in a 6 man tag match.[7][17]On April 16, atNJPW Strong Energy '00 Day 3, Palumbo teamed with Rick Cornell, Dan Devine and Takashi Lazuka but was defeated by Hiro Saito, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Super J and Tatsutoshi Goto in a 8 person tag match.[7][18]
Palumbo and O'Haire made their WWF debuts on the June 28, 2001, episode ofSmackDown! as part ofThe Alliance, attacking theHardy Boyz. O'Haire and Palumbo started feuding with theAcolytes Protection Agency (A.P.A.) in the following weeks, which ended atWWF Invasion on July 22, 2001, when theAcolytes Protection Agency defeated them.[19] Subsequently, O'Haire and Palumbo defeated the Hardy Boyz on the August 2, 2001, edition ofSmackDown!. O'Haire and Palumbo lost the WCW Tag Team Championship to theBrothers of Destruction (The Undertaker andKane) on the August 9, 2001, edition ofSmackDown! and lost their rematch for the tag-team gold in asteel cage match the following week onRaw. O'Haire and Palumbo's last televised match together was on the August 26 edition ofHeat defeating theHolly Cousins (Hardcore andCrash).
O'Haire was sent to developmental territoryOhio Valley Wrestling in early September 2001, and Palumbo was thrown out of The Alliance on the October 25 edition ofSmackDown! by storyline co-owner of The Alliance,Stephanie McMahon. He joined the WWF in November.
When he returned, Palumbo found a tag team partner inBilly Gunn. The pair started as a tag team working dark matches, but were later given agimmick that saw the pair grow increasingly affectionate towards each other, showing evidence of ahomosexual relationship. Palumbo became known simply as Chuck, and he bleached his hair blond to match Gunn's.
On the February 21, 2002, edition ofSmackDown!, Billy and Chuck defeatedTazz andSpike Dudley to win theWWF Tag Team Championship.[20] Palumbo made his WrestleMania debut atWrestleMania X8, when Billy and Chuck defend their titles in aFour corners elimination match against theAPA, TheDudley Boyz, and The Hardy Boyz.[21][22] They lost the tag team gold toRikishi and their stylistRico Constantino, who was forced to team with Rikishi on May 19, 2002, atJudgment Day.[23][24] Less than a month later Rico helped Billy and Chuck recapture the title, but they later lost it toEdge andHollywood Hulk Hogan.[25][20]
In the second half of 2002, Billy and Chuck were the source of controversy when Chuck apparentlyproposed to Billy on September 5, 2002, edition ofSmackDown! asking him to be his "partner for life". They had a marriage ceremony on the 2002 season premiere ofSmackDown!.[26] Just before they tied the knot, however, they revealed that the entire ordeal was apublicity stunt, and both characters disavowed their on-screen homosexuality. When Billy and Chuck decided not to go through with the marriage, Rico turned on them by helping Eric Bischoff and3-Minute Warning attack the duo. Rico subsequently jumped toRaw as the manager of 3-Minute Warning, who beat Billy and Chuck atUnforgiven.[27] Billy was injured in early October 2002, and Chuck worked onVelocity for a few months using his original ring name Chuck Palumbo once again.
| This section of abiography of a living personneeds additionalcitations forverification. Please help by addingreliable sources.Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced orpoorly sourcedmust be removed immediately from the article and its talk page, especially if potentiallylibelous. Find sources: "Chuck Palumbo" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(June 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
In February 2003, Palumbo formed theFull Blooded Italians (F.B.I.) in WWE, a faction which had previously been seen inExtreme Championship Wrestling (ECW). After a beating at the hands of Rikishi,Nunzio threatened to bring in his "family" in order to gain revenge. The next week, Palumbo andJohnny "The Bull" Stamboli joined Nunzio to form the F.B.I. and attacked Rikishi.[citation needed] This version initially gained little success, but would go on to have brief feuds withLos Guerreros,Chris Benoit,Rhyno,Brian Kendrick,Nathan Jones, the APA, and The Undertaker.[citation needed]
Palumbo was traded to theRaw brand on March 22, 2004, along withA-Train in exchange for Rico andJackie Gayda.[citation needed] After Palumbo was traded to the Raw brand, he was kept off television until July 2004, when he debuted with a new look and entrance music. His new image resembled a cross between anauto mechanic and agreaser.[citation needed] He would later give himself the nickname "Custom Chucky P."[citation needed] It was not long before Palumbo was a regular onSunday Night Heat.[citation needed] His new gimmick started off usually losing matches but began to rise onHeat, defeating the likes ofThe Hurricane,Rosey,Val Venis andStevie Richards.[citation needed] On the October 31, 2004, airing ofHeat, Palumbo had his most high-profile match on the Raw brand when he faced formerWorld Heavyweight ChampionChris Benoit, but was defeated. Palumbo was released by WWE soon after on November 4, 2004.[citation needed]
Palumbo, along with Johnny Stamboli, went on to become a member ofVoodoo Murders ofAll Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) and feuded againstRoughly Obsess and Destroy. Palumbo teamed with former FBI partner Stamboli to challenge for theWorld Tag Team Championship on March 20, 2005, but were defeated by Jamal and Taiyo Kea of RO&D.
Stamboli and Palumbo's next stop would be with theNu-Wrestling Evolution promotion inItaly, where the pair reformed the FBI. The duo also made appearances in aWorld Wrestling Council show where they challengedÚltimo Dragón,Místico, andNegro Casas, in a tag team match which they would win by securing both the first and third falls. In early 2006, he made appearances in Mexico for Toryumon Mexico.
In March 2006, Palumbo re-signed with the WWE and began workinghouse shows anddark matches over the next year. Palumbo officially returned on the May 25, 2007, edition ofHeat with a biker gimmick, and defeatedCharlie Haas. He then continued making appearances onHeat, where he consistently defeated jobbers. In aninterview with WWE.com, Palumbo claimed that the biker character was not a gimmick and that he works on bikes two or three times a week. On July 6, 2007, Palumbo made hisSmackDown! re-debut, defeatingKenny Dykstra in his return match.[28]
Palumbo began an on-screen relationship withMichelle McCool, whom he teamed with to defeat Dykstra andVictoria in amixed tag team match.[29] He then feuded withJamie Noble, after Noble made advances towards McCool.[30][31] After a series of matches between the men, Noble won adate with McCool by defeating Palumbo.[32] Palumbo accidentally elbowed McCool during a match, causing her to suffer a storylineconcussion.[33] The partnership was dissolved when McCool refused to accept his apology the following week. Palumbo vowed to get revenge on Noble,[34] and defeated Noble the following week.[35]
Palumbo participated in theRoyal Rumble match, where he eliminated Jamie Noble. He next appeared atWrestleMania XXIV, taking part in a 24-man Interpromotional Battle Royal to crown a number one contender to the ECW Championship, where he also eliminated Noble. During a series of house shows in June 2008, Palumbo challengedMatt Hardy for the United States Championship, though he was unsuccessful in winning the championship. As part of the2008 WWE Supplemental Draft, Palumbo was drafted to the Raw brand.[36] He never made his return to the brand however, as he was released from his WWE contract on November 7, 2008.[37]
Palumbo returned to Mexico to team withDamián 666 andKonnan in a losing effort against D-Generation MEX atWrestling in Tijuana on December 25, 2008. He also teamed with Konnan inWorld Wrestling Association. Palumbo wrestled forUltimo Dragon'sToryumon promotion and competed in theIWL World Title Tournament in Mexico as well.
He returned to Nu-Wrestling (now namedNew Wrestling Entertainment, and located in France) in September 2009, and feuded withMr. Anderson. Palumbo, Anderson and Tiny Iron competed in a triple threat for the vacant NWE Heavyweight Championship, which Anderson won.[38] Palumbo challenged Anderson to a match for the championship on October 3, 2009, but was defeated.
On November 13, 2009, Palumbo won the Herts and Essex Wrestling (HEW) Heavyweight Championship from Brett Meadows in Braintree, England.[39] He is the first American to hold the British promotion's championship.[40] However, he lost the championship back to Meadows two days later in Colchester, England following interference from Sam Knee andBritani Knight.
In an interview withHit The Ropes Radio, Palumbo confirmed he was in talks withTNA to sign with the company,[41] though he opted not to sign. Palumbo wrestled his final match at Future Stars Wrestling's New Years Resolution event in 2012, where he defeated Jayson Cash.[42] After this, he quietly retired, and confirmed to Bill Apter in a 2014 interview that his wrestling career was over.[43]
Palumbo runs a business called CP Kustoms, where he builds his own motorcycles, as well as repairing and customizing cars and motorcycles.[44] A Palumbo-made motorcycle was featured in the April issue ofAmerican Iron Magazine.[45] In 2009, Palumbo built a motorcycle to raise money for veterans returning home. He rode the bike across the country to gather donations and raffles, with 100% of the proceeds going toFueled by the Fallen, a nonprofit that supports troops after they return home.[46][47]
In 2006 Palumbo learned how to play guitar, and now plays in his own band, 3 Spoke Wheel.[48] Using the same theme as CP Kustoms, he opened up Chuck Palumbo's Garage Gym, where he teaches cross-fit classes.[49]
In 2014, he began co-hosting the Discovery Channel'sLords of the Car Hoards with custom car builderRick Dore.[50] The show focuses on SLAM garage, the garage Dore and Palumbo co-own, to fix and customize cars and motorcycles. For the second season the show was renamedRusted Development.
Palumbo's brother, Chris, was awarded severalmedals for hismilitary service inAfghanistan including the Distinguished Service Cross.[51] Palumbo is good friends with fellow professional wrestlersBatista,Mark Jindrak,Booker T,Chavo Guerrero Jr. andRey Mysterio. He was also close to former tag partnerSean O'Haire, who died September 8, 2014.
Palumbo currently resides in San Diego, California. He has a daughter named Charli, who is an aspiring DJ.[52][53] In January 2016, Palumbo reportedly saved a woman from a car accident by lifting the car, then lifting the woman out of the car.[54]
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