Charlie Haas Talks His Time With WWE, ROH, and working with Impact
Charlie Haas has been making a lot of waves for himself recently as he worked with Impact Wrestling and took on one of the best Impact has to offer, Josh Alexander. Haas is one of the all-time great technicians and tag team wrestlers as well, winning gold all over with Shelton Benjamin.
The Beginning of Charlie Haas
Charlie Haas got into wrestling because like everyone else, he was a fan first. The first time he ever saw it on TV, he recalled seeing Snuka get beat up and “juiced” by Lou Albano and Ray “The Crippler” Stevens, and after that, Charlie says he was hooked.
“After that, cable came along,” says Haas. “I was able to pick up Georgia Championship Wrestling, WWF, Mid-South, World Class Wrestling, and World Class Championship Wrestling.” Haas also recalls getting the magazines all the time which is how he would find out about everything going on in the territories.
Growing up, Haas says he was the biggest fan of the four horsemen. “Arn Anderson, I loved his promos and just loved him,” says Haas. “What he said he backed up in the ring.” Haas was also a big fan of Hogan getting into WWF. “When Hogan beat the Iron Shiek, you couldn’t write the story any better.”
Charlie Haas: The Amateur Wrestling Star
“Amateur wrestling is an individual sport,” says Haas. “You can not rely on anyone out on those mats besides yourself.” Haas was always one of the best amateur wrestlers that WWF/WWE had to offer, which is why he worked so well with Kurt Angle and Shelton Benjamin in Team Angle.
“Amateur wrestling puts you in a lot of uncomfortable positions but it also teaches you how to get out of them,” says Haas. Haas says that amateur wrestling taught him a lot of life lessons and it has helped him to this day. “Using the work ethic I learned from amateur wrestling, I was able to excel and not take no for an answer.”
Haas credits Dave Finlay, Steven Regal, Dave Taylor, and Arn Anderson for teaching him a lot as well. “Being able to combine learning from them, and my background in amateur wrestling, helped me a lot.”
Haas also looked up to “Iron Mike Sharp, Jim Ketner, Kevin Kelly, Terry Golden, Jerry Lawler, Wes Thatcher, and Jim Cornette.” Haas also recalls when Arn Anderson and Jerry Briscoe trained him as well. “If it wasn’t for them there wouldn’t be a World’s Greatest Tag Team.”
Charlie Haas Signs With WWE
When Haas debuted on WWE, he was quickly thrown into a faction with his tag team partner, Shelton Benjamin, and Kurt Angle, to form Team Angle. This was a “dream come true” for Haas. Haas also won the WWE Tag Team Championships with Shelton as well, twice.
“I was so fortunate to win the WWE Tag Team Championships,” says Haas. “Sadly losing my brother I didn’t really know what to expect. He was my dream tag team partner but then I met Shelton. Shelton is my brother and I do have to thank him for everything. If it wasn’t for him, none of this would have happened.”
Haas says he is so grateful for Shelton, for his work ethic, and for just being a brother to him, after losing his own. “We got to wrestle the greatest right away, Edge and Christian, Los Guerrero’s, Kurt Angle, Brock Lesnar, and Hulk Hogan,” says Haas. “I’m thankful WWE had faith in us and gave us that opportunity.”
Charlie Haas also spoke about working with some of the greats, like Los Guerrero’s. “It was insane,” says Haas. “They were the ultimate pros and I love them and have so much respect for them both. Edge, Rey Mysterio, Billy Kidman, Rhyno, just to be able to say I competed against them as well, I’m very grateful.”
When Haas worked for WWE, he also got to compete at Safeco Field in Seattle at the granddaddy of them all, Wrestlemania 19. “Being able to work at mania and win, it was really a great match and I was very blessed,” says Haas. “This was my brother’s and mine’s dream and Shelton helped me accomplish it.”
Later on in his WWE career, Charlie Haas also got the chance to work side-by-side with another legend who doesn’t always get the respect he deserves, Viscera. “He was awesome,” says Haas. “Not only did we get to wrestle for WWE, but we also went to NJPW as well. We were able to take on Akebono in Sumo hall and that was awesome.”
“I love Big Vis, I miss him and he was such a gentle giant,” says Haas. “He taught me so much and he was such a great guy. We had a good little run there and I was happy to be with him.”
Charlie Haas Goes To Ring of Honor
When Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin went to ROH in 2010, they were, fortunately, able to catch the very end of the really great tag teams in WWE, as Haas said. “We sadly never got to wrestle The Dudley’s or DX.”
Going to ROH was a breath of fresh air for Haas. “The tag team titles meant something again,” says Haas. “WWE doesn’t use tag team wrestling as a positive or main event anymore, unlike ROH or AEW who might.”
Haas remembers going to Ring of Honor and just thinking how “every tag team meant something again.” Haas and Benjamin’s first match with the Kings of Wrestling, Haas described as “just unbelievable.”
“All Night Xpress and American Wolves were also unbelievable,” says Haas. “The Briscoe Brothers as well, we broke them into tag team wrestling when they were just getting started. Colt Cabana, El Generico, Adam Cole, Kyle O’Reilly, Roderick Strong, we had a part in wrestling them as they were just starting off.”
Charlie Haas Returns To Work With Impact Wrestling
On the January 13th, 2022 episode of Impact Wrestling, Haas made his debut there challenging Josh Alexander. “I was very fortunate for D-Lo, Scott D’Amore, and Gail Kim, for letting me go again,” says Haas. “I wanted to come out as a heel, but I was pretty taken back because I got cheered a lot.”
Haas had his first match in Impact with Josh Alexander. “He’s the ultimate pro,” says Haas. “He’s everything they say he is. He’s snug, he’s solid and that’s the way I like it. He’s a very solid worker that you believe what he does and is able to talk the talk and walk the walk.”
Haas is very thankful to Impact management for taking care of him as well. “I’m not signed with them but I would love to work with them again,” says Haas. “I would love to be a coach or work in management and help the younger generation the way people helped me.”
What’s Next For Charlie Haas?
Right now, Haas is starting his “Haas of Pain Tour,” and is accepting bookings as well. His socials are @RealCharlieHaas on Instagram, and @CharlieHaas on Twitter. He is also continuing to run his podcast, Wrestling’s Greatest Podcast where his goal is to continue to bring amateur and professional wrestling together.
“We all helped pave the way for amateur wrestling to get into pro,” says Haas. “My goal is to let people know that I’m still here. I want to work for other promotions and other companies as well and help the younger guys and also help build back tag team wrestling to where it once was.”
“One day again, tag team wrestling can main event these pay-per-views.”
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