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Firebreaker Chip
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Curtis Thompson (born January 20, 1963) is an American retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling from 1991 to 1992 under the ring name Firebreaker Chip.
Key Information
Professional wrestling career
[edit]Early career (1987–1991)
[edit]Curtis Thompson started wrestling in 1987 in NWA. Subsequently, he wrestled in the World Wrestling Council in Puerto Rico under a mask as a heel (White Angel) and was betrayed and unmasked by his manager Chicky Starr resulting in a feud including a cage match, in Stampede Wrestling (as the masked Archangel), South Atlantic Pro Wrestling, and in Pacific Northwest Wrestling where he won the NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship, defeating Scotty the Body. He formed a tag team with Ricky Santana called the U.S. Males in PNW and won the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship.[3] He also wrestled briefly in 1988 as a jobber in the World Wrestling Federation, losing to the likes of The Ultimate Warrior and Bad News Brown.[4]
In 1990/1991 Thompson would use the "U.S. Male" gimmick where he wore a mailman uniform to the ring in the United States Wrestling Association (USWA) and South Atlantic Pro Wrestling (SAPW) in the Carolinas as a member of Robert Fuller's Stud Stable. Thompson would eventually free himself from the Stud Stable, turning face in the process at the end of 1990 while wrestling in SAPW. In 1990 he went to North Georgia Wrestling and won a match against Fabulous Fabian (aka Buff Bagwell).
World Championship Wrestling (1991–1993, 1997)
[edit]In 1991 he joined World Championship Wrestling. He became Firebreaker Chip and teamed with Todd Champion as The Patriots. He had the gimmick of being a fireman while teaming with Todd Champion who had the gimmick that he'd returned from Desert Storm and were billed as being from "WCW Special Forces".[2] They feuded with the Fabulous Freebirds and won the WCW United States Tag Team Championship. They next feuded with Steve Armstrong and Tracy Smothers who beat them for the titles.[5]
Thompson and Todd Champion reunited as the Patriots in WCW on December 15, 1997, defeating Samu and Sam Fatu in a dark match for Monday Nitro.
Later career (1993–2005)
[edit]Thompson left WCW in early 1993 and wrestled in the independent promotions and took time to participate in several bodybuilding competitions and came in top three in Mr. North Carolina bodybuilding contest. He also wrestled briefly for Smoky Mountain Wrestling from 1993 to 1995. In 1996 he became the first CWA (Texas) Heavyweight Champion defeating Scott Putski. Later in late 1999, he turned up in the NWA's Mid-Atlantic promotion in a tag team with Drake Dawson called "Triple X". Together they won the NWA World Tag Team Championship and the NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship in 2000. Following the disbandment of the tag team, he wrestled in various independent circuits and won some indy heavyweight titles. He retired in 2005, married and now works for JetBlue.
Championships and accomplishments
[edit]Bodybuilding
[edit]- Mr. North Carolina (1987)[6]
Professional wrestling
[edit]- Confederate / Continental Wrestling Alliance
- International World Class Championship Wrestling
- National Championship Wrestling
- National Wrestling Alliance
- NWA World Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Drake Dawson[1]
- NWA Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling1
- NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Drake Dawson
- NWA Northern Continental Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Drake Dawson
- Pacific Northwest Wrestling
- NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[7]
- NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Ricky Santana[3]
- Ring Around The Northwest Newsletter
- Tag Team of the Year (1990) with Ricky Santana[8]
- World Championship Wrestling
1This promotion, while operating out of the same area and having begun using some of the same championships, is not the same Mid-Atlantic promotion once owned by Jim Crockett, Jr. That promotion was sold to Ted Turner in November 1988 and was renamed World Championship Wrestling.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Wrestler profile: Curtis Thompson". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved February 6, 2010.
- ^ a b RD Reynolds and Randy Baer (2003). "Welcome to Oz! Welcome to Oz!". Wrestlecrap – the very worst of pro wrestling. ECW Press. pp. 97–116. ISBN 1-55022-584-7.
- ^ a b Duncan, Royal; Gary Will (2000). "Portland: NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. pp. 317–320. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
- ^ "Firebreaker Chip: Profile & Match Listing - Internet Wrestling Database (IWD)".
- ^ a b Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2006). "United States: 19th century & widely defended titles - NWA, WWF, AWA, IWA, ECW, NWA". Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. p. 23. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
- ^ Lentz III, Harris M. (2003). Biographical Dictionary of Professional Wrestling (2 ed.). McFarland. p. 107. ISBN 0786417544.
- ^ Duncan, Royal; Gary Will (2000). "Portland: NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. pp. 315–317. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
- ^ Rodgers, Mike (2004). "Regional Territories: PNW #16 Page #2". KayfabeMemories.com.
External links
[edit]- Curtis Thompson at IMDb
- Firebreaker Chip's profile at Cagematch , Internet Wrestling Database
Firebreaker Chip
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
Early life
Childhood and family
Curtis Thompson was born on January 20, 1963, in Charlotte, North Carolina.[3] Thompson grew up in Charlotte during his early years.[4] His family had longstanding ties to Avery County, North Carolina, where relatives had resided for generations, though specific details about his parents' occupations or siblings remain undocumented in public records.[4]Education and amateur athletics
Curtis Thompson attended West Mecklenburg High School in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he was a multi-sport athlete participating in football, basketball, and baseball.[4] As a standout football player, Thompson demonstrated exceptional aggression and commitment, earning praise from his coach for always playing at 110 percent.[4] During his freshman year at West Mecklenburg, Thompson began competing in amateur wrestling, quickly making an impact by pinning the school's top 155-pound senior wrestler.[4] He trained under Coach Humanik, who oversaw both football and wrestling programs, and advanced to finish second in the North Carolina 4A state wrestling tournament that year after additional guidance from professional wrestler "Quick Draw" Rick McGraw.[4] After graduating from high school, Thompson continued his football career at Chowan Junior College in Murfreesboro, North Carolina, for two years, where he also won his weight class in the school's intramural wrestling tournament.[4] He later transferred to Valdosta State University on a football scholarship, excelling as a linebacker before earning his degree and briefly working as a high school football coach and teacher.[4]Bodybuilding career
Entry into bodybuilding
After his amateur athletic pursuits in football and wrestling during high school and college, Curtis Thompson engaged in bodybuilding in the mid-1980s. He began training at Gold’s Gym in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he both worked and lifted weights. This gym affiliation provided access to equipment and a supportive environment.[4][5] His exposure at Gold’s Gym to professional wrestlers such as Tully Blanchard, Arn Anderson, and Ric Flair offered indirect guidance on physical conditioning.[4] To sustain his pursuits, Thompson balanced bodybuilding with part-time employment at Gold’s Gym. This phase marked his commitment to physique development, contributing to his later entry into professional wrestling.[4]Competitions and rankings
Curtis Thompson entered the bodybuilding scene in the mid-1980s, competing in regional events.[4] He secured notable placements, including a victory in the Mr. Mountaineer competition at Appalachian State University and the Mr. North Carolina title in 1987.[4][6] Thompson's training at Gold's Gym in Charlotte, where he interacted with prominent wrestlers like Tully Blanchard and Ric Flair, played a key role in sculpting his muscular build, paving the way for his entry into professional wrestling.[4]Professional wrestling career
Debut and early years (1987–1991)
Curtis Thompson began his professional wrestling training in the mid-1980s in North Carolina, attending a tryout camp in Mooresville run by veteran wrestlers Nelson Royal and Gene Anderson.[4] He trained under their guidance for approximately six months, honing his skills alongside other aspiring wrestlers in the Mid-Atlantic territory.[5] This preparation, combined with his background in bodybuilding and amateur athletics, positioned him for entry into the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA).[4] Thompson made his professional debut in 1987 for the NWA under Jim Crockett Promotions, initially working as enhancement talent in televised matches across North Carolina and the Mid-Atlantic region.[7] His early appearances often pitted him against established stars such as Larry Zbyszko and Barry Windham, helping to showcase their abilities while building his in-ring experience.[8] These bouts, broadcast on platforms like WTBS, provided Thompson with exposure and mentorship from figures like Dusty Rhodes, Tully Blanchard, Ric Flair, and Arn Anderson, who offered guidance during his formative matches.[5] In 1989, following initial NWA appearances, Thompson ventured to Puerto Rico to compete in the World Wrestling Council (WWC) promotion, adopting the ring name "White Angel" and wrestling there for over a year.[9] He followed this with a stint in Canada's Stampede Wrestling promotion in Calgary, where he gained further experience for about a year in the late 1980s.[5] Returning to the United States, Thompson joined the Pacific Northwest Wrestling territory in Portland, Oregon, around 1989, competing in house shows and title pursuits.[9] In early 1991, Thompson worked in the United States Wrestling Association (USWA) as "U.S. Male," aligning with Robert Fuller's Stud Stable in multi-man matches and feuds. A key highlight of Thompson's early career came in 1990 when he formed the tag team U.S. Males with Ricky Santana in the Pacific Northwest promotion.[10] On May 12, 1990, at a show in Portland, Oregon, they defeated Art Barr and Jeff Warner to win the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship, marking Thompson's first title success in professional wrestling.[11] The duo held the belts for 42 days, defending against regional competitors before vacating due to Santana's departure.[9] This partnership solidified Thompson's reputation as a reliable performer in territorial wrestling prior to his national breakthrough. During this period, he also captured the NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship once.World Championship Wrestling (1991–1993)
In 1991, Curtis Thompson signed with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and debuted under the ring name Firebreaker Chip, adopting a firefighter persona that emphasized his role as a heroic public servant combating "fires" in the wrestling ring.[9] This gimmick was part of WCW's effort to create patriotic, everyday-hero characters amid the post-Gulf War era, positioning Chip as a relatable everyman fighter.[12] Soon after his arrival, Firebreaker Chip partnered with Todd Champion to form the tag team The Patriots, drawing on their prior independent circuit experience as a duo.[13] The team's backstory portrayed them as members of the fictional "WCW Special Forces," with Champion as a returning Gulf War veteran in military fatigues and Chip as a frontline firefighter donning a yellow helmet, suspenders, and coat during entrances to symbolize national service and unity.[14] Their entrance music and vignettes often highlighted anti-drug messages and themes of American resilience, aligning with WCW's family-friendly programming push.[15] The Patriots quickly entered a high-profile feud with The Fabulous Freebirds (Michael Hayes and Jimmy Garvin), established veterans holding the WCW United States Tag Team Championship. On August 12, 1991, during a WCW television taping (aired September 7 on WCW Worldwide), The Patriots upset the Freebirds to capture the WCW United States Tag Team Championship in a 12-minute bout, with Champion securing the pin after a double-team clothesline sequence, marking a surprising elevation for the newcomers.[9] The feud continued with a non-title rematch at Clash of the Champions XVI: Fall Brawl on September 5, 1991, where the champion Patriots faced the Freebirds in a competitive tag team match. During their 85-day title reign, The Patriots defended the belts on house shows and television against midcard opponents, including a series of matches against the jobber team State Patrol (Lt. James Earl Wright and Sgt. Buddy Lee Parker), where they dominated with signature moves like Chip's fireman's carry slam and Champion's military press, reinforcing their heroic image through squash victories on WCW Power Hour episodes.[16] The reign ended on November 5, 1991, on WCW Worldwide, when The Young Pistols (Steve Armstrong and Tracy Smothers) defeated them for the titles via Armstrong's roll-up on Chip after a miscommunication spot, transitioning the feud to the more established Southern tag team.[17]Independent circuit and retirement (1993–2005)
Following his departure from World Championship Wrestling in early 1993, Curtis Thompson transitioned to the independent wrestling circuit, where he competed under his real name and various gimmicks, including the "U.S. Male" persona he had developed earlier in the United States Wrestling Association (USWA).[6] He appeared in Smoky Mountain Wrestling (SMW) throughout the mid-1990s, teaming with wrestlers like Jackie Fulton in tag team defenses against groups such as PG-13, showcasing his versatility in regional southern promotions.[18] Thompson achieved notable success in the Confederate Wrestling Alliance (CWA) in Texas, capturing the inaugural CWA Heavyweight Championship on December 29, 1995, by defeating Scott Putski in a high-profile bout that established him as the promotion's top singles competitor.[19] He held the title for 147 days until May 24, 1996, defending it against local challengers before vacating it amid scheduling changes.[20] During this period, he also won the NWA Wildside United States Heavyweight Championship on June 9, 1995, and the PWF Eastern States Heavyweight Championship on December 14, 1996, solidifying his reputation as a title contender on the indie scene.[9] In 1997, Thompson briefly reunited with longtime partner Todd Champion as The Patriots for a WCW dark match on December 15, defeating the Samoan Swat Team (Samu and Sam Fatu) in a tryout appearance before Monday Nitro, though it did not lead to a contract renewal.[21] Continuing on the independent circuit, he wrestled sporadically into the early 2000s, including a tag team run as Triple XXX with Drake Dawson, where they captured the NWA World Tag Team Championship twice in 2000.[19] By the mid-2000s, accumulating injuries, particularly three knee replacements, prompted his gradual withdrawal from in-ring competition.[22] Thompson's final documented matches occurred around 2005 in regional independents, after which he officially retired from professional wrestling, citing chronic pain and physical toll as key factors in his decision to step away.[1] This marked the end of a nearly two-decade career, allowing him to focus on life outside the ring.[22]Championships and accomplishments
Bodybuilding
In the late 1980s, Curtis Thompson competed in regional bodybuilding events sanctioned by the National Physique Committee (NPC). His notable placements include first place (overall winner) at the 1987 Mr. North Carolina competition. He also earned the title of Mr. Mountaineer during his time at Appalachian State University.[6][4]Professional wrestling
- NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Ricky Santana (1990).[20]
- NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship (1 time) (1990).[20]
- WCW United States Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Todd Champion (1991).
- CWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time) – 1996.[23]
- NCW United States Championship (1 time) (1995–1998).[20]
- CWA Television Championship (1 time) (1996–1997).[20]
- PWF Eastern States Championship (1 time) (1996–1997).[20]
- NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Drake Dawson (as Triple XXX) (2000).[20]
- NWA World Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Drake Dawson (as Triple XXX) (2000).[24]