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Charlie Haas

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Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Charlie Haas, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 8 August 202519 sources
Charlie Haas
Born
Charles Doyle Haas II

(1972-03-27) March 27, 1972 (age 54)
United States
OccupationProfessional wrestler
Years active1996–2013, 2013–present
Known forWWE, Ring of Honor

Charles Doyle Haas II (born March 27, 1972) is a former amateur and professional wrestler from the United States, widely recognized for his work with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) between 2000 and 2009, as well as with Ring of Honor (ROH) from 2010 to 2013. During his WWE career, he was a member of Team Angle and later formed "The World's Greatest Tag Team" alongside Shelton Benjamin.

Haas began wrestling in high school and secured a wrestling scholarship to Seton Hall University before briefly pursuing a career as a stockbroker. He turned professional in 1996 and often partnered with his brother Russ Haas, capturing several titles on the independent circuit, such as the CZW World Tag Team and JAPW Tag Team championships. After joining WWE, the Haas Brothers competed in developmental leagues where they won the MCW Southern Tag Team Championship three times. Following Russ's passing due to a heart attack in 2001, Haas shifted to singles competition and earned the HWA Heavyweight Championship.

In December 2002, Haas teamed up with Shelton Benjamin on SmackDown, and together they secured the WWE Tag Team Championship twice before their team dissolved in 2004. Haas later won the tag titles again with Rico Constantino and was accompanied by Miss Jackie as his valet; the two eventually married. After transitioning back to singles wrestling, he was released in 2005 but returned to WWE in 2006. He briefly partnered with Viscera before reuniting with Benjamin. When Benjamin moved to ECW, Haas adopted various gimmicks including a luchador persona and impersonations of WWE Hall of Famers. Significantly, he won the final match on WWE Heat prior to its cancellation in May 2008.

After being released once more in February 2010, Haas resumed competing on the independent scene, including appearances in JAPW and ROH. He captured the NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship in September 2010 and teamed with Benjamin to win the ROH World Tag Team Championship in April 2011, holding it until December of that year. Haas initially retired in March 2013 but returned to wrestling later that year. Outside of wrestling, Haas and his then-wife Jackie operated Custom Muscle Nutrition and Smoothie Shop in Frisco, Texas from October 2008 until it closed.

Early career (1996–2000)

Making his professional debut in 1996, Haas frequently joined forces with his brother Russ across numerous independent promotions. On July 22, 1998, The Haas Brothers captured the Jersey All Pro Wrestling Tag Team Championship by defeating The Skin Head Express but lost the titles on August 25 after just over a month. They regained these championships on May 21, 1999, overcoming The Big Unit (Rick Silver and Dave Desire), and held them until February 25, 2000, when Da Hit Squad claimed victory. During 2000, they also secured both the Pennsylvania Championship Wrestling Tag Team Championship and the ECWA Tag Team Championship within the East Coast Wrestling Association, defeating The Backseat Boyz (Trent Acid and Johnny Kashmere).

Beginning their tenure with Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW) in November 1999, The Haas Brothers initially fell to The King Pinz at The War Begins event on November 20. They maintained a regular presence in CZW through early 2000 and won the CZW World Tag Team Championship on February 12 at Climbing The Ladder by besting The Kashmerino Brothers and The Thrill Kill Kult in a triple threat match. However, on July 10 at Caged To The End, they lost the championship to The Backseat Boyz when Johnny Kashmere defeated Russ in a singles bout and was subsequently awarded the tag titles.

World Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling Entertainment (2000–2005)

Following a tryout with the World Wrestling Federation at Madison Square Garden on August 7, 2000, the brothers secured developmental contracts with WWF.[1] They advanced through the developmental circuits of Memphis Championship Wrestling (MCW) and the Heartland Wrestling Association (HWA), participating in dark matches and house events. Early in 2001, they captured the MCW Southern Tag Team Championship on three occasions.[1] Tragically, Russ passed away from a heart attack on December 15, 2001, at just 27 years old. After his passing, Charlie continued competing in dark matches, paying tribute to Russ by inscribing his name on his wrist tape and adopting the ring name "R.C. Haas" prior to his promotion to WWE’s main roster.[1][2] On January 2, 2002, Haas secured his first singles accolade by winning the HWA Heavyweight Championship against Val Venis, though he was later stripped of the title within the same month due to a scripted contractual technicality.[3] Once WWE ended its partnership with HWA, Haas transitioned to Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW), where he remained until December 2002.[1]

Haas made his main roster debut for WWE on December 26, 2002, portraying a villainous persona alongside Shelton Benjamin as part of Team Angle.[4] Under the management of Paul Heyman and aligned with WWE Champion Kurt Angle, they captured the WWE Tag Team Championship on February 6, 2003, by defeating Los Guerreros.[5] Their reign lasted three months with successful defenses including at WrestleMania XIX, before ultimately losing the titles in a ladder match at Judgment Day.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad nameCite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name On June 12, they were dismissed by Angle after challenging his leadership.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name The pair then rebranded themselves as the self-styled The World's Greatest Tag Team, reclaiming the championship on July 3 but dropping it again in September.[6] The team dissolved when Benjamin was drafted to the Raw brand during the 2004 Draft Lottery.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name

With Benjamin's exit, Haas turned into a fan favorite and gained Miss Jackie as his valet. He partnered with Rico to capture the WWE Tag Team Championship on April 22, 2004,[7] though they lost the belts to the Dudley Boyz in June. Haas then pursued singles competition while still accompanied by Miss Jackie as valet. He became involved in a storyline romantic triangle featuring Miss Jackie and Dawn Marie, culminating in him serving as special guest referee at Armageddon.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad nameCite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name Following this storyline, Haas ended ties with both women in kayfabe but maintained an off-screen relationship with Miss Jackie. Early in 2005, he formed a tag team with Hardcore Holly, engaging in a feud with MNM over the WWE Tag Team Championship but failed to recapture the titles.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad nameCite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name

On July 8, 2005, both Haas and his real-life spouse Jackie Gayda were released from WWE contracts.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad nameCite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name

Independent circuit (2005–2006)

He made his return to JAPW in July 2005, engaging in a rivalry for the JAPW Heavyweight Championship against Jay Lethal. At the event JAPW Haas of Pain on September 10, Lethal successfully defended the championship.[8] On October 27, 2007, both Haas and his late brother Russ were honored as the first inductees into the Jersey All Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame.[9]

At Ballpark Brawl V on August 13, 2005, Haas secured the New Legacy Championship by prevailing over reigning champion Christopher Daniels and Chris Sabin in a triple threat contest.[10] The following evening at Ballpark Brawl VI, he retained the title against Harry Smith, with Mick Foley officiating as referee.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad nameCite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name

Within the independent wrestling scene, Haas participated in the 2006 ECWA Super 8 Tournament, advancing to the final round before being defeated by Davey Richards.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad nameCite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name

Return to WWE (2006–2010)

In 2006, Haas rejoined WWE, making his debut on the April 17 episode of Raw as the opponent selected by Rob Van Dam for Shelton Benjamin, securing a victory over Benjamin. He became a frequent competitor on Heat, primarily appearing in midcard matches.[1]

On June 5, 2006, an accidental incident involving Haas resulted in ring announcer Lilian Garcia sustaining a genuine wrist sprain. This event sparked a storyline feud involving Garcia’s on-screen partner Viscera, during which Haas pursued Garcia and eventually teamed with Viscera until their partnership ended in December 2006.[11][12][1]

Haas reunited with Shelton Benjamin on December 11, 2006, reviving the World's Greatest Tag Team by defeating The Highlanders in their comeback match. They clashed with teams such as Cryme Tyme, John Cena and Shawn Michaels, as well as Ric Flair and Carlito. At the June 3, 2007 One Night Stand pay-per-view, they challenged The Hardys for the World Tag Team Championship in a ladder match but were unsuccessful. The team disbanded once more when Benjamin transitioned to the ECW roster in November 2007.[1][13]

Early in 2008, Haas adopted a new character who would vanish beneath the ring during matches and reappear masked, executing humorous luchador-inspired maneuvers. This persona typically appeared during dark matches preceding Raw or on Heat.[14][15]

By late August 2008, Haas shifted to a fan-favorite role and began mimicking other wrestlers—an idea developed by WWE executive John Laurinaitis. His initial performance under this gimmick was as "Charlito," a parody of Carlito. Throughout this period, he impersonated stars like John Cena, The Great Khali, legends such as Stone Cold Steve Austin, and even WWE Diva Beth Phoenix, earning a Slammy Award for his efforts.[16][17]

On April 15, 2009, during the Supplemental Draft, Haas was assigned to the SmackDown brand. Returning as a villain on May 8, he dropped his impersonation act and lost to John Morrison, accompanied by Shelton Benjamin. Although they unofficially reunited briefly, Benjamin was traded to ECW in June.[18]

Haas continued to appear sporadically on SmackDown and Superstars, teaming with Mike Knox in a defeat against Cryme Tyme on December 31, 2009. This encounter marked his final WWE appearance before being released from his contract on February 28, 2010.[19]

Return to the Independent Scene (2010)

On March 20, 2010, Haas made his comeback to Jersey All Pro Wrestling by defeating Devon Moore to capture the JAPW New Jersey State Championship. Later, on May 22, Haas teamed with JAPW Heavyweight Champion Dan Maff to defend their respective titles in a tag team bout against the Hillbilly Wrecking Crew (Brodie Lee and Necro Butcher). However, Maff betrayed Haas, enabling Lee to secure a pinfall over Haas and claim the JAPW New Jersey State Championship.

Haas secured the NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship on September 10, 2010, by overcoming Michael Faith in Amarillo. In May 2011, he participated in New Japan Pro-Wrestling's inaugural U.S. tour, known as the NJPW Invasion Tour 2011. On May 13 in Rahway, New Jersey, Haas paired with Rhyno to defeat IWGP Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi and Togi Makabe in the main tag team event. The next day in New York City, Haas challenged Tanahashi for the IWGP Heavyweight title but was unsuccessful. On August 20, 2011, Haas became the first-ever Family Wrestling Entertainment (FWE) Heavyweight Champion by defeating Jay Lethal and Eric Young. He maintained possession of the championship for four months before dropping it to Young on December 17.

Ring of Honor (2010–2013)

Haas and Shelton Benjamin debuted as Wrestling's Greatest Tag Team in Ring of Honor (ROH) on September 11, 2010, suffering a loss to The Kings of Wrestling at the Glory By Honor IX pay-per-view event. They returned at the Ring of Honor Wrestling tapings on December 9 with a victory over the Bravado Brothers. The following day, they defeated the All-Night Xpress and took part in an eight-man tag match that concluded without a result. During Final Battle 2010, Haas and Benjamin declared their intention to compete regularly in ROH throughout 2011.

At the ROH 9th Anniversary Show on February 26, 2011, they defeated the Briscoe Brothers to earn another opportunity against the Kings of Wrestling for the ROH World Tag Team Championship. On April 1, during night one of the Honor Takes Center Stage pay-per-view, Haas and Benjamin captured the ROH World Tag Team titles by besting the Kings of Wrestling. They successfully defended their championships on June 26 at Best in the World 2011 in a four-way contest featuring top teams such as the Briscoe Brothers and All-Night Express. The following day, ROH confirmed that both athletes had signed contracts with the promotion.

During Final Battle 2011, Haas and Benjamin lost their ROH World Tag Team Championships to the Briscoes after turning heel by attacking them prior to their match. At Border Wars on May 12, 2012, they reclaimed the titles from the Briscoes but were defeated on June 24 at Best in the World 2012 by Kenny King and Rhett Titus. Subsequently, Benjamin was suspended within storylines to justify his absence while competing in Japan but returned at Death Before Dishonor X, supporting Haas and Titus in a tag title contest. Haas and Benjamin continued their rivalry with Titus and his new partner B. J. Whitmer, defeating them at Glory By Honor XI and once more in a street fight at Final Battle 2012: Doomsday.

On February 2, 2013, during an ROH World Tag Team Championship match against the Briscoe Brothers, Haas betrayed Benjamin, sparking a feud with BJ Whitmer that culminated in a No Holds Barred encounter at the ROH 11th Anniversary Show, where Whitmer emerged victorious following referee intervention.

Later career (2013–present)

On March 30, 2013, Haas declared his retirement from professional wrestling and parted ways with Ring of Honor, although he made a comeback to the ring several months afterward.

In November 2014, during the JAPW 18th Anniversary Show, Haas reunited with Benjamin and Angle as Team Angle, securing a victory over Chris Sabin and Teddy Hart in the event's headline match.

At the NWA Parade Of Champions 2K16 held in March 2016, Haas was bested by Jax Dane, the reigning NWA World Heavyweight Champion.

Following a two-year hiatus from wrestling, Haas returned to competition in 2020 with SWE Fury. On February 6, 2021, he captured the SWE Heavyweight Championship by defeating Tim Storm in Irving, Texas.

Impact Wrestling (2022)

Haas made his Impact Wrestling debut on the January 13, 2022 episode of Impact!, issuing a challenge to Josh Alexander. The subsequent week on Impact!!, Haas was defeated by Alexander; however, the two shared a respectful embrace in the ring after the bout.

Personal life

In 2005, Haas wed fellow professional wrestler Jackie Gayda. Together they had four children born between 2006 and 2012. In December 2020, Haas publicly announced their divorce. Later, on July 9, 2022, he revealed via Twitter that he had remarried Jennifer Haas.

Haas participated in amateur wrestling throughout high school and received a wrestling scholarship to Seton Hall University. He earned two Big East Championships and graduated with a degree in economics and business. After completing college, he worked as a stockbroker at Goldman Sachs. A committed Christian, Haas has honored his late brother Russ—who passed away in 2001—by wrestling with "Russ" inscribed on his wrist tape. Since 2002, he has maintained a strong bond with longtime tag team partner Shelton Benjamin, who served as best man at his wedding to Gayda and is godfather to his eldest daughter.

His grandfather Hugh Devore was an assistant coach for the Houston Oilers and previously held the position of head coach for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. His brother Russ also pursued professional wrestling until his untimely death from a heart attack in 2001.

In 2008, Haas and Gayda launched "Custom Muscle Nutrition and Smoothie Shop," a nutrition-focused retail outlet located in Frisco, Texas.

Championships and accomplishments

External links

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named OWOW
  2. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Russ
  3. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named solieHWATitle
  4. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named WWE Bio
  5. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named WWEtag1
  6. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named WWEtag2
  7. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named WWEtag3
  8. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named JAPW
  9. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named JAPWHOF
  10. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Ballpark Brawl V
  11. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named kiss this
  12. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named slam
  13. ↑ "Heating up for the holidays". World Wrestling Entertainment. 2007-11-20.
  14. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named mask
  15. ↑ "WWE Heat TV report for January 6". Wrestling Observer/Figure Four Online. 2008-01-06.
  16. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named impersonations-SLAM
  17. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Slammy
  18. ↑ "Smackdown: Hardy's hot, Edge is not". Canadian Online Explorer. 2009-05-08.
  19. ↑ "Charlie Haas released". World Wrestling Entertainment. 2010-02-28.

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