Chuck Palumbo

At 53 years old, Chuck Palumbo has this physical status:

Charles Robert Palumbo (born June 15, 1971) is an American mechanic, reality television personality and former professional wrestler.

He is best known for his appearances with professional wrestling promotions World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation in the late-1990s and 2000s, where he held the WCW World Tag Team Championship and WWF/E World Tag Team Championship.

He hosted the Discovery Channel series Lords of the Car Hoards.

Early life

Chuck Palumbo grew up in West Warwick, Rhode Island. He attended West Warwick High School, where he earned all-state honors in basketball. He joined the US Navy soon after and spent time in the Persian Gulf, working the flight deck of the USS 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. Chuck finished up his stint in the Navy and enrolled at the Community College of Rhode Island earning All-American honors in basketball and a full scholarship to University of Central Missouri. While attending Central Missouri, watching a WCW TV show, he saw a commercial for the WCW PowerPlant. He called the number, and after graduating with a Criminal Justice degree, decided to accept their invite to travel to Atlanta and train at the WCW Power Plant.

Personal life

Palumbo's brother, Chris, was awarded several medals for his military service in Afghanistan including the Silver Star. Palumbo is good friends with fellow professional wrestlers Batista, Mark Jindrak, Booker T, Chavo Guerrero Jr. and Rey Mysterio. He was also close to former tag partner Sean 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. In January 2016, Palumbo reportedly saved a woman from a car accident by lifting the car, then lifting the woman out of the car.

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Professional wrestling career

Palumbo began his work on the independent circuit in 1998, using a surfer gimmick and the ring symbol "The Dude." He made his debut on World Championship Wrestling (WCW)'s Nitro on October 19, 1998, as a fan who accepted Ernest "The Cat" Miller's challenge. In April 1999, six months later, he was offered a WCW apprenticeship. Many of the WCW Power Plant wrestlers debuted on Saturday Night and WorldWide, just prior to Vince Russo and Ed Ferrera's arrival as bookers for WCW.

Palumbo made his debut on Thunder's 2003 edition under his real name, losing to Scott Steiner. Palumbo was chosen by Bischoff and Russo to be the New Blood's version of Lex Luger in May 2000 after this match. He was given the name "The Main Event" by the author.

Palumbo fought Luger before Palumbo formed "The Perfect Event" with Shawn Stasiak, and the pair won the WCW World Tag Team Championship in late May 2000. KroniK (Brian Adams and Bryan Clark) was their biggest rivalry. Stasiak and Palumbo were able to form The Natural Born Thrillers with Mike Sanders, Sean O'Haire, Mark Jindrak, and Reno in August. Kevin Nash briefly "coached" them.

Palumbo and Stasiak appeared in the WCW World Tag Team Championship twice before splitting in early January 2001, when they and Stasiak defeated O'Haire and Jindrak for a future tag team championship shot. Following the conclusion of the match, Mike Sanders declared both squads victorious and that any combination of the four teams would face The 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 at Sin on January 14, 2001. The Natural Born Thrillers broke down after winning the title, when Jindrak and Stasiak's staff became jealous of Palumbo and O'Haire. On February 18, 2001, the teams met at Revenge for the tag team championship, which Palumbo and O'Haire retained. At Greed, the pair also retained their title against Totally Buffed (Buff Bagwell and Lex Luger), the WCW's last pay-per-view. The World Wrestling Federation acquired the WCW and Palumbo's assets on March 23, completing their deal. In the final WCW World Tag Team Championship title defense on the program, Team Canada's Mike Awesome and Lance Storm defeated Team Canada's Lance Storm the following Monday.

On the 1996 episode of SmackDown, Palumbo and O'Haire made their WWF debuts. The Hardy Boyz were deposed by The Alliance as part of The Alliance. (A.P.A.) With the Acolytes Protection Agency, O'Haire and Palumbo began feuding. The following weeks, which culminated in WWF Invasion in 2001, when the Acolytes Protection Agency defeated them, began in the following weeks. The Hardy Boyz were defeated by O'Haire and Palumbo on August 2, 2001, the first time SmackDown became a franchise. On the SmackDown (The Undertaker and Kane) edition, O'Haire and Palumbo lost the WCW Tag Team Championship to The Brothers of Destruction (The Undertaker and Kane) on August 9, 2001. In a steel cage match the following week, the tag-team gold was lost, and the tag team lost their rematch for the tag team gold. On the August 26 edition of Heat defeating The Holly Cousins (Hardcore and Crash) was O'Haire and Palumbo's last televised match together.

Early September 2001, O'Haire was sent to the Ohio Valley Wrestling club, and Palumbo was booted out of The Alliance on the October 25 edition of SmackDown. Stephanie McMahon, a storyline co-owner of The Alliance, has told the world that she is a fan of the film. In November, he joined the WWF.

Palumbo found a tag team partner in Billy Gunn when he returned. The pair started as a tag team playing dark matches, but were later given a gimmick that made them more affectionate toward each other, revealing signs of a gay relationship. Palumbo began to be known simply as Chuck, and he was shaved his hair blond to match Gunn's.

Billy and Chuck won the WWF Tag Team Championship on February 21, 2002, beating Tazz and Spike Dudley to win the WWF Tag Team Championship. In a Four corners elimination match against the APA, The Dudley Boyz, and The Hardy Boyz, Palumbo made his WrestleMania debut at WrestleMania X8, when Billy and Chuck defend their titles. At Judgment Day, they lost the tag team gold to Rikishi and their stylist Rico Constantino, who was forced to join Rikishi on May 19, 2002. Billy and Chuck helped Billy and Chuck recapture the title, but they lost it to Edge and Hollywood Hogan less than a month later.

Billy and Chuck were the source of controversies in the second half of 2002, when Chuck was apparently speaking to Billy on September 5, 2002, the second half of SmackDown! He has begged him to be his "partner for life." On the 2002 season premiere of SmackDown, they had a marriage reception. The entire ordeal was, however, revealed to be a publicity stunt, and both actors denied their on-screen homosexuality just before they married. Rico put on Billy and Chuck's nullity by assisting Eric Bischoff and 3-Minute Warning. Rico climbed to Raw as the boss of 3-Minute Warning, who stunned Billy and Chuck at Unfortune. Billy was shot in early October 2002 and Chuck spent a few months on Velocity, using his old ring name Chuck Palumbo for the first time.

Palumbo formed The Full Blooded Italians in February 2003 (F.B.I.) In WWE, a faction that had been previously seen in Extreme Championship Wrestling. Nunzio threatened to bring his "family" in order to get revenge after a beating at his hands of Rikishi. Chuck Palumbo and Johnny "The Bull" Stamboli joined Nunzio to form the F.B.I. Rikishi was attacked. This version didn't perform well, but the APA and The Undertaker would continue to have brief feuds with Los Guerreros, Chris Benoit, Rhyno, Brian Kendrick, Nathan Jones, the APA, and The Undertaker.

Palumbo was sold to the Raw brand on March 22, 2004, as well as A-Train in exchange for Rico and Jackie Gayda. Palumbo was held off television until July 2004, when he debuted with a fresh look and entrance music. His latest photograph looked like a cross between an auto mechanic and a greaser. "Custom Chucky P" would appear on Sunday Night Heat for the first time long before Palumbo was a regular on Sunday Night Heat. His new gimmick started off losing matches, but Heat on Heat ignited his popularity, defeating The Hurricane, Rosey, Val Venis, and Stevie Richards. Palumbo's most high-profile match on the Raw brand, however, was canceled after facing former World Heavyweight Champion Chris Benoit, but was disqualified. Palumbo was drafted by WWE quickly after on November 4, 2004.

Palumbo, joined by Johnny Stamboli, became a member of All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), and they feuded with Roughly Obsess and Destroy. Palumbo teamed up with former FBI partner Stamboli in 2005 to compete in the World Tag Team Championship, but they were defeated by Jamal and Taiyo Kea of RO&D.

The next stop for Stamboli and Palumbo will be in Italy, where the pair reformed the FBI. The pair also appeared in a World Wrestling Council show where they defeated ltimo Dragón, Mstico, and Negro Casas in a tag team competition that they would win by securing both the first and third falls.

Palumbo re-signed with the WWE in March 2006 and the first working house shows and dark matches followed next year. Palumbo made his way back on the Heat in 2007 with a biker gimmick and defeated Charlie Haas. He then began appearing on Heat, where he routinely beat jobbers. Palumbo said that the biker character was not a gimmick and that he rides bikes two or three times a week. Palumbo made his SmackDown appearance on July 6, 2007. In his return match, he defeated Kenny Dykstra in a re-debutal match.

Palumbo's on-screen friendship with Michelle McCool, with whom he worked with to defeat Dykstra and Victoria in a mixed tag team match, began on September 29th. After Noble made advances toward McCool, he feuded with Jamie Noble. Noble won a match with McCool after a string of matches between the two guys by defeating Palumbo. Palumbo mistakenly elbowed McCool during a game, causing her to suffer a storyline concussion. McCool refused to accept his apology the following week, causing the break. Palumbo promised revenge on Noble and defeated Noble the next week.

Palumbo defeated Jamie Noble in the Royal Rumble match, where he disqualified him. He debuted at WrestleMania XXIV, taking part in a 24-man Interpromotional Battle Royal to crown a number one contender to the ECW Championship, where he also defeated Noble. Palumbo challenged Matt Hardy for the United States Championship in June 2008, but he was unsuccessful in winning the show. Palumbo was introduced to the Raw brand as part of the 2008 WWE Supplemental Draft. However, he never returned to the brand after being banned from his WWE deal on November 7, 2008.

Palumbo returned to Mexico to team with Damián 666 and Konnan against D-Generation MEX in Tijuana on December 25, 2008. He has also worked with Konnan in the World Wrestling Association. Palumbo competed for Ultimo Dragon's Toryumon promotion and represented in the IWL World Championship Tournament in Mexico as well.

In September 2009, Nu-Wrestling Entertainment (now known as New Wrestling Entertainment and headquartered in France) and Mr. Anderson feuded with Mr. Anderson. Palumbo, Anderson, and Tiny Iron competed in a triple fight for the vacant NWE Heavyweight Championship, which Anderson won. On October 3, 2009, Palumbo defeated Anderson to a match for the championship, but was disqualified.

Palumbo won the Herts and Essex Wrestling Championship from Brett Meadows in Braintree, England, on November 13, 2009. He is the first American to win the British promotion of the British Championship. However, he lost the championship in Colchester, England, two days later, due to Sam Knee's interference and Britani Knight's interference.

Palumbo said he was in talks with TNA to join the firm, although he declined to sign. Palumbo appeared in his last match at Future Stars Wrestling's New Years Resolution contest in 2012, where he defeated Jayson Cash and defeated Jayson Cash. In a 2014 interview, he quietly retired and told Bill Apter that his wrestling career was over.

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