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Chuck Palumbo

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Chuck Palumbo
Born (1971-06-14) June 14, 1971 (age 53)
West Warwick, Rhode Island, U.S.
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Chuck Palumbo[1]
The Dude
Jungle Jim[2]
Chuck
Billed height6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)[1]
Billed weight280 lb (130 kg; 20 st)[1]
Billed fromProvidence, Rhode Island
San Diego, California[1]
Trained byPaul Orndorff
WCW Power Plant
Debut1998

Charles Ronald "Chuck" Palumbo[citation needed] (born June 14, 1971)[citation needed] is an American professional wrestler, who is currently wrestling on the Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre.

Wrestling career

World Championship Wrestling (1998-2001)

Training and Low-Card (1998-1999)

Palumbo began his career in 1998 on the independent circuit, using a surfer gimmick and the ring name The Dude. Palumbo made his debut appearance on WCW Monday Nitro on October 19, 1998 as a fan who accepted the challenge of Ernest "The Cat" Miller. Six months later, he was offered a training contract by WCW in April 1999. Just prior to the hiring of Vince Russo and Ed Ferrera as bookers for WCW, many of the Power Plant wrestlers would debut on WCW Saturday Night and WCW WorldWide. Palumbo's initial WCW run was under the name Jungle Jim, his gimmick being a man of the jungle. Palumbo would be undefeated in matches on the lower-tier programs, which were mostly against other Power Plant graduates.

The Perfect Event (2000)

In 2000, Palumbo made his debut on the March 22, 2000 edition of WCW Thunder under his real name Chuck Palumbo and losing to Scott Steiner. Palumbo showed talent and charisma, and was chosen by Eric Bischoff and Vince Russo to be the New Blood's version of Lex Luger in May 2000. He was given the nickname "The Main Event".

Palumbo would go on to feud with Lex Luger until late May, 2000 when Palumbo formed a team The Perfect Event with Shawn Stasiak and the pair would go on to win the WCW World Tag Team Championship together. Their main feud was against KroniK (Brian Adams and Bryan Clark). In August, Stasiak and Palumbo helped form the Natural Born Thrillers with Mike Sanders, Sean O'Haire, Mark Jindrak, and Reno. They were briefly "coached" by Kevin Nash. Johnny the Bull, a tag team partner of Palumbo later on in WWE, would also join the group following the formation.

Palumbo and Stasiak won the WCW Tag Team Title two more times before splitting in early January 2001 when he and Stasiak won a tag team battle royal with Sean O'Haire and Mark 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 face The Insiders (Diamond Dallas Page and Kevin Nash). Palumbo and Sean O'Haire would be the two members of the Natural Born Thrillers who would face and defeat Page & Nash for the tag titles at WCW Sin on January 14, 2001.

Teaming with Sean O'Haire (2001)

Following the title victory, the Natural Born Thrillers broke up when the team of Mark Jindrak and Shawn Stasiak would become jealous of Palumbo and O'Haire. The teams would face each other at WCW SuperBrawl Revenge on February 18, 2001 for the tag team titles. Palumbo and O'Haire retained their titles, inadvertently turning face when the fans began backing the duo. The duo would also retain their titles against Totally Buff (Buff Bagwell and Lex Luger) at WCW Greed in March, WCW's last pay-per-view.

On the final episode of WCW Monday Nitro, Palumbo and O'Haire would defeat Team Canada's Mike Awesome and Lance Storm in the final WCW World Tag Team Championship title defense on the program.

World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment (First run, 2001-2004)

The Alliance (2001)

Palumbo and O'Haire came into the WWF on the June 28, 2001 episode of SmackDown! as part of The Alliance. The duo dropped the WCW Tag Team Title to The Undertaker and Kane quietly in mid-August.

O'Haire was sent to developmental territory Ohio Valley Wrestling in early September 2001, and Palumbo was thrown out of The Alliance in late October by storyline co-owner of The Alliance, Stephanie McMahon after he complained he wasn't given enough air-time, so he joined the WWF in November.

Billy and Chuck (2002)

After receiving the boot from The Alliance, Chuck found himself a tag team partner in Billy Gunn. The pair started as a generic babyface tandem working dark matches, but were later given a heel gimmick that saw the pair grow increasingly affectionate towards each other, showing evidence of a homosexual relationship and Palumbo became known simply as Chuck. He briefly wore his long hair in pigtails before cutting it short shortly afterwards.

On the February 2, 2002 edition of SmackDown!, Billy and Chuck defeated Tazz & Spike Dudley to win the World Tag Team Championship. They later found a "personal stylist" on March 21, 2002 in the ambiguously flamboyant then heel, Rico.

Billy and Chuck lost the tag team gold to Rikishi and Rico, who was forced to team with Rikishi on May 19, 2002 at Judgement Day. Less than a month later Rico would help Billy and Chuck recapture their titles, but this reign wouldn't last long when Billy and Chuck lost the titles to Edge and Hulk Hogan.

In the late summer of 2002, Billy and Chuck were the source of controversy when Chuck apparently proposed to Billy on September 5, 2002 edition of SmackDown! asking him to be his "partner for life". Billy and Chuck had a marriage ceremony on the 2002 season premiere of SmackDown!. Just before they tied the knot, however, they revealed that the entire ordeal was a publicity 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 and 3-Minute Warning attack the duo. Billy and Chuck both turned face and Rico subsequently jumped to Raw as the manager of 3-Minute Warning, who beat Billy and Chuck at Unforgiven 2002.

Billy Gunn was injured in early October 2002, and Chuck became a generic face, working SmackDown!'s B-show WWE Velocity for a few months using his original ring name Chuck Palumbo once again.

Full Blooded Italians (2003)

In February 2003, Palumbo formed the Full Blooded Italians (F.B.I.) in WWE, a faction which had previously been seen in Extreme Championship Wrestling. After a beating at the hands of Rikishi, Nunzio threatened to bring in his "family" in order to gain revenge. The next week, Chuck Palumbo and Johnny "The Bull" Stamboli joined Nunzio to form the F.B.I. and attacked Rikishi.

This version initially gained little success, but would go on to have brief feuds with Los Guerreros, Chris Benoit, Rhyno, Brian Kendrick, Nathan Jones, the APA, and The Undertaker. When the group turned tweener it grew in popularity and just when the group was starting to get over with the fans it was disbanded.

Working on Heat (2004)

Chuck was traded to the Raw brand on March 22, 2004 along with A-Train in exchange for Rico and Jackie Gayda. After Palumbo was traded to the Raw brand, he was kept off television until July 2004, when he debuted a new look and entrance music. His new image resembled a cross between an auto mechanic and a greaser. It was not long before Palumbo was a regular on Raw's B-show WWE Heat. His new gimmick started off as a jobber but began to rise on Heat defeating the likes of The Hurricane, Rosey, Val Venis , Ollie Young, and Stevie Richards. Towards the end of his tenure there, he started using the nickname "Custom Chucky P" to go with a car mechanic/enthusiast gimmick. The gimmick became short-lived, and as of November 3, 2004, Palumbo was released by WWE. After his release, Palumbo went on to work for All Japan Pro Wrestling.

After WWE

Chuck Palumbo, along with the later released Johnny Stamboli, went on to become a member of Voodoo Murders, AJPW's main heel group, and took part in a heated feud against RO&D. Palumbo teamed with former FBI partner Johnny Stamboli to challenge for the AJPW Unified World 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 the Nu-Wrestling Evolution promotion in Italy, where the pair reformed the FBI, using the gimmick to make themselves the top babyfaces in the promotion.

Both he and Stamboli, would also make appearances in a World Wrestling Council show where they challenged Último Dragón, Mistico, and Negro Casas, in a tag match which they would win; securing both the first and third falls.

World Wrestling Entertainment (Second run, 2005-2008)

House Shows & Dark Matches (2005-2006)

William Regal (top) and Chuck Palumbo competing at a Raw house show in 2007.

After the Tribute to the Troops Raw special on December 19, 2005 in Afghanistan rumors of Chuck Palumbo returning to WWE came up. It was announced by Dave Meltzer that WWE had an interest in bringing back Chuck Palumbo due to the fact his brother is something of a war hero in Afghanistan.[citation needed] John "Bradshaw" Layfield mentioned on television that war hero Chris Palumbo is "the brother of one of our wrestlers."

During March 2006, Chuck Palumbo began working dark matches for both brands. On March 12, 2006, it was announced on WWE.com that Chuck Palumbo would make his return to WWE. In an exclusive interview, he claimed that he was happy to be returning and that he looks forward to singles competition with a goal of winning the WWE Championship. Palumbo continued to wrestle very sporadically at house shows and in dark matches over the next year.

On April 30, 2007, Palumbo defeated Kenny Dykstra in a dark match on Raw and debuted a new biker gimmick.

Biker Gimmick (2007)

Palumbo officially returned on the May 25, 2007 edition of Heat as a face (retaining the biker gimmick, as well as growing his hair out), defeating Charlie Haas. He would then make appearances on Heat, defeating jobbers. On July 6, 2007, Palumbo made his return to SmackDown!, defeating Kenny Dykstra as well on September 7 defeating Dykstra again, with Michelle McCool as his new valet by his side. In an interview 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. A Palumbo-made motorcycle was featured on the April edition of American Iron Magazine[3]. He then engaged in a feud with Jamie Noble, after Noble made advances towards Palumbo's "girlfriend" McCool. Noble has been victorious in their four consecutive encounters. In their third encounter, however, Noble won a date with McCool after she tried to distract Noble by removing her top, Palumbo charged at Noble and almost hit McCool. Noble capitalized on the near hit and rolled up Palumbo to win, after which Palumbo blamed McCool for the loss.

On the January 4 edition of SmackDown!, McCool, was pinned by Victoria in a mixed tag match, also featuring Palumbo and Kenny Dykstra. This gave Palumbo his fourth loss in a row. Palumbo blamed McCool for the loss.

Heel Turn (2008)

Then the following week on Smackdown!, Palumbo again faced Jamie Noble, this time in a Royal Rumble qualifying match. Noble again beat Palumbo, giving him his fifth loss in a row. After Noble left the ring, Palumbo attempted to take his anger and frustration out on McCool, which brought Noble back out, and distracted Palumbo long enough for McCool to get out of the ring. Fans chanted "Chuck's A Loser." On January 26, 2008 a double turn started as Noble checked on an injured McCool. Palumbo would attack Noble and would fully become a heel once again by betraying McCool as Noble would turn face once again. On the next SmackDown he was talking about how great it felt when he attacked Noble. He was then going to apologise to McCool for his actions. However he blamed her for losing his matches against Noble and told her that if he ever sees Noble he would tear him apart - which he proceeded to do the next time they confronted each other. The storyline then abruptly ended before ever really developing any further. Palumbo would then enter short feuds with then-RAW star CM Punk and ECW star Finlay.

Raw Brand (2008)

As part of the 2008 WWE Supplemental Draft, Palumbo was drafted to the Raw brand but is yet to appear on television. His contract is expiring soon.

Lucha Libre

Chuck made his debut on Lucha Libre

In wrestling

  • Entrance themes
    • Free Hombre – WCW
    • I've Got It All – WWF; Used while teaming with Billy Gunn
    • You Look So Good To Me – WWF/E; Used while teaming with Billy
    • You Look So Good To Me (Second version) – WWE; Used while teaming with Billy
    • Tear It Down – WWE
    • Diggin' With A Spoon – WWE
    • Brooklyn – WWE; Used while as a part of the Full Blooded Italians
    • Depth Charge – WWE
    • Avant Hard – WWE
    • You Will Remember Me – WWE

Championships and accomplishments

Personal life

Chuck Palumbo's brother, Chris Palumbo is a war hero, often mentioned in commentary during Chuck's televised matches. Chris was awarded several medals for his military service in Afghanistan. Palumbo has a daughter and now resides in an eastern suburb of San Diego, California.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Chuck Palumbo bio". World Wrestling Entertainment. Retrieved 2008-09-17.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Online World of Wrestling Profile". {{cite web}}: Text "publisher-Online World of Wrestling profile" ignored (help)
  3. ^ "WWE: TV Shows > SmackDown > Articles > 07/06/2007 > Chuck Palumbo's debut reflects Superstar's passion". World Wrestling Entertainment.
  4. ^ "Pro Wrestling Illustrated Award Winners Tag Team of the Year". Wrestling Information Archive. Retrieved 2008-06-21.
  5. ^ Duncan, Royal. "WCW - WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING WCW WORLD TAG TEAM TITLE HISTORY". Solie. Retrieved 2008-06-21.
  6. ^ "World Tag Team Championship official history". WWE. Retrieved 2008-06-21.
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