Arizona veteran CC Star dead at 56

Charles Campbell, a veteran of the rings of Arizona who was best known as CC Star, died on November 27, after an emergency appendectomy put him in the hospital for a number of days. He was 56.

The news was broken on Facebook by a number of colleagues and friends, just a day after Campbell had posted “Looks like I’m finally going home today!” He never left the West Valley Hospital in Goodyear, Arizona.

The 6-foot-1, 242-pounder, born October 4, 1968, made his professional wrestling debut in 1987 after being trained by Paavo Ketonen, The Lumberjacks, John Ringer, David Rose, and Bill Anderson.

As Chuck Campbell, he wrestled on WWF programming as enhancement talent against Brutus Beefcake, Jimmy Snuka, Kamala, as well as others. He and Eddie Guerrero partnered for an independent tag-team match in 1991 when the latter made his debut in Arizona.

His passion for being in the ring led him to once drive from Kansas to Arizona to wrestle a match against Rufus R. Jones, a man he considered his idol. Crossing state lines was not out of the question for him as the independent veteran wrestled across Arizona, California, Kansas, the Dakotas, and Colorado. He had gone to Mexico to wrestle as well.

Campbell later became a trainer, and was interested in all combat sports.

On Facebook, Mendez Jiujitsu noted that about a decade ago, after moving to Phoenix, he met Campbell, who was teaching wrestling at the time at the Black Flag jiujitsu club. “CC was a pro wrestler in the ’90s and even applied to fight in the original UFC in ’93,” wrote Mendez Jiujitsu. “He was one of the nicest gentlest people I’ve ever met and he could twist you up into a pretzel if he wanted to.”

One of Campbell’s trainees, Chadd Hawkman, paid tribute on Facebook: “You were the first to see potential in me and you encouraged my education. You were there for my chop line and helped me in training. You never let me give up. You taught me so many lessons in wrestling and life. You pointed me back to acting. Things I’ll never forget. You were my first teacher. My mentor. I love you as a student loves his teacher and more importantly, a brother. God speed, My Mentor. I never wanted to say this when it came to you. God speed brother. Until we have our match in front of the biggest audience. You’re definitely going over tonight, brother. I love you.”

Manager Toom E Guci had a very poignant post to Facebook about Campbell: “I’m at a loss right now. You were one of, if not my top, believer. You were always there for me, to help me, support me, lift me up. I don’t know what to do, what to say. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Not now. So many broken hearts tonight. So many have been under your learning tree. So many loved you. I’m sure Nick, Yetti, & Ryan were there when you arrived. So many more reunited with you. I love you brutha. I’ll forever be grateful for you believing.”