A man quietly making/surfing waves across the BritWres scene, Chuck Mambo is a surprisingly versatile dude. I say surprisingly because, by all appearances, he comes across as your typical surfer dude.
But that exterior belies a depth that all the best performers have. But, yes, he is a bit of a surfer dude.
Debuting in 2013, Mambo first made a name for himself in PROGRESS having been trained in the company’s wrestling school.
Although you wouldn’t necessarily know it from his in-ring style, his trainers were Jimmy Havoc, Darrell Allen, and Eddie Dennis. Mambo would make his Chapter debut at Chapter 14 in a losing effort.
Shortly after debuting for the London outfit, he began a long on-screen association with Pastor William Eaver. The pair would take the humorous name Sweet Jesus when they tagged together.
The two compliment one another very well. Mambo with his smooth, accurate aerials, and Bill with his Scott Hall-style power offense. They tag on and off to this day (more on that later).
Spreading his wings early on in his career, Mambo would travel to Combat Zone Wrestling in the US. Wrestling on several shows there would enhance Chuck’s ability to work different styles.
A second education, if you like, would continue for years to come. The key to his career thus far has been steady improvement. Putting in the hours behind the scenes, training, setting up the ring et al. Mambo is aware of how the game is played and does his best to win.
Chuck Mambo
Despite his growing experience level, Mambo didn’t see many ticks appearing in the win column for several years. Losses to the likes of Paul Robinson, The London Riots, and Joseph Connors are nothing to be ashamed of.
However, in the wrestling business, more than most others, perception is reality. We all know that it’s a work, but if a wrestler never wins then he can be seen as a bit of a joke. 2018 would be the year that this would start to turn around.
The founding of RIPTIDE Wrestling in 2017 led to Mambo becoming part of a company for which he was a perfect fit. Their snazzy, hand-drawn posters, cinematic shooting style, and seaside culture-led product fit Mambo perfectly.
Debuting against Chris Brookes at Point Break, Mambo had the platform to show what he could truly do in the ring. Placed at or near the top of the card, he would excel against the likes of David Starr, Angelico, and Eddie Dennis.
Mambo & PROGRESS
Over in PROGRESS, he would undergo a dramatic change of personality shift as he turned heel. The impetus for this was Drew Parker’s call to arms for the young guys to get rid of PROGRESS’ dinosaurs.
Mambo, Spike Trivet, and the now Present William Eaver would answer the call. The group would become collectively know as Do Not Resuscitate and would get some decent wins.
They haven’t managed to achieve their mission statement as yet, but they are recruiting for a replacement for Parker (who has moved to Japan).
During this period, he also began his road diary YouTube series with traveling mate TK Cooper, Escape The Midcard. Regularly gaining several thousand viewers, the show acts as both a real diary and sketch-based comedy—similar to Being The Elite in a way.
Mambo’s biggest achievement to date came when he became RIPTIDE’s inaugural Brighton Champion.
Winning a three-day tournament in August of last year, Chuck Mambo toppled perennial opponent/partner Spike Trivet to take the strap.
Since then he has defended against all comers and remains undefeated in RIPTIDE. Quite the record over the course of nearly two years. Shots for AAW and even IMPACT, whilst in North America recently, can only help improve his profile.
Growing His Act
What the rest of 2019 and beyond holds for Chuck Mambo is hard to say. It’s to be imagined that he will continue to reign as Brighton Champion for some time yet.
With Rampage Brown, Spike Trivet and TK Cooper all gunning for the belt, he’ll have to have his working boots on to retain.
Do Not Resuscitate haven’t really been used to their full potential, and it will be interesting to see who the new member is. They could be a top-of-the-card act if PROGRESS puts a bit of faith in them.
One thing is for certain, as long as he continues to grow his act, Chuck Mambo is a topline act on the BritWres scene in the years to come. All together now: hey, ho, Mambo! Hey, ho, Mambo! Hey, ho, Mambo!
