Charles Robinson: WWE's GOAT Referee On Brutal Bumps, His Viral Ramp Run, Iconic Matches, John Cena, Cody Rhodes

Charles Robinson (@WWERobinson) is a professional wrestling referee with WWE. He sits down with Chris Van Vliet in Indianapolis, IN to discuss his legendary career in both WCW and WWE, refereeing some of the biggest matches of all time, being the first WWE referee to ref in 4 different decades, his viral run at WrestleMania, taking a spear from Goldberg, a shoulder block from John Cena, getting to work with Ric Flair as Lil' Naitch, being hospitalized after getting bitten by a bat, the worst bump he ever took, and more!

Book a custom intro from WWE SmackDown announcer Mark Nash: https://cameo.com/markshunock

Quote I'm thinking about: "A dream written down with a date becomes a GOAL. A goal broken down into steps becomes a PLAN. A plan backed by ACTION makes your dreams come true." — Greg Reid

On being bitten by a bat:

"Sleeping, 2am in the morning, hear a noise in the bedroom. We have two cats. One's named George, the other is Michael, George Michael. So I got up, used my flashlight, saw the two cats sitting there with their toys. I said ah, cats, they're just playing, having a good time. Well, there was a big black blob right in the middle of the room, and we carry black latex gloves as a referee. So I said, hey, they got my glove. I better pick it up so they don't choke on it. Being the good cat dad that I am bent down, picked it up, and that sucker bit me. Came down the chimney. So, five hours in hospital, seven shots later, and no reflection [laughs]. I’m a vampire."

On also previously dealing with a broken foot:

"I broke my foot in San Antonio. We were setting up the ring, I misstepped, fell off the ring and broke my foot. You know, that's how tough I am. I'm so tough I have to hurt myself. Cena couldn't do it. Brock couldn't do it. Undertaker couldn't do it. I had to hurt myself."

On also being ring crew as well as a referee:

"One thing I would love people to understand. I have people [ask me], ‘Charles, picture?’ But I have a job to do. So we get the ring out, so the lights can get out, so the video can get out. We are the very, very first thing that has to go. And I mean, I feel bad. I just don't listen and do my job. But I wish people would understand. I've been cussed out so many times by people. ‘It's just one picture.’ It's never just one picture. You take one, then it's two, then it's three, then it's four. And I love to meet the fans. I love to take photos, but when I have another job to do, that has to take priority." 

On never believing he would have been involved in wrestling:

"No, never. I mean, I didn't have the body for it. I didn't have the athleticism for it, but things happened for a reason. I got very lucky. In 1995, I got my first divorce, and then I started to work taking photographs for the PWF, which was the Professional Wrestling Federation. It was George South, The Italian Stallion, and one time they wanted to do a storyline where I'm taking the photo, the flash blinds the heel, the heel gets rolled up, 1, 2, 3. He gets mad. He comes out. He beats me up, little blade job in the corner post, and I cut a little promo, and I came back the next week as a special guest referee, The Photographer. It's ridiculous. George South told me, 'Calm down. You're cutting a better promo than most of my guys here.' But I'd watch Ric Flair for decades, and that's what I went off of."

On early Ric Flair fandom:

"Back in high school, we actually had a talent show when I was in the ninth grade, my brother was Ricky Steamboat, I was the Nature Boy. We had a hair versus hair match. I had a bathrobe, the ugliest bathrobe my mom had. I lost the match, but I didn't lose the hair. I took the scissors and punched him in the head. Talk about having heat for about six months at school. That was fantastic."

On taking a lot of bumps:

"I love taking bumps. If I could take a bump every week, I would. Easy bump, I like punches. I love punches. I love clotheslines. I mean, Kevin Owens gave me one back a few months ago, Elimination Chamber, which was freaking fantastic. I mean, that just came out of nowhere. My thing about bumps, you have some referees, they'll say we shouldn't bump like the wrestlers, but to me, we should bump exactly like the wrestlers, because they're bumping like it's real life. So we should bump like it's real life. So that's what I try to do."

On the worst bump he has taken:

"Randy Savage elbow. But it wasn't a ref bump. I was a worker then, but that was the worst bump I've taken the elbow from Randy Savage. He put me in the hospital for 12 days. It was Ric [Flair] and I against Medusa and Savage, and he came off the top with the elbow and Ric Flair wasn't going to take the elbow from Savage, so they let Little Naitch. Cracked my sternum, collapsed my lung. So two hours later, I went to my room and I said, Oh, man, I just can't breathe. Went to my room, two hours later, still can't breathe. I called Jimmy Hart lifesaver. He called the EMTs. They came to my room, took me to the hospital, said, 'Hey, we need to put you in the hospital.' So that hospital, I won't say what city, they released me the next day to fly home to Charlotte, which with a collapsed lung you're not supposed to do that. So I went straight to the hospital for 12 days. But Randy Savage called me every day just to check on me."

On Randy Savage:

"He was always real nice to me, especially if we're in a program together, very good about what he wanted. Very clear. Some people don't. Hey, it is what it is, but he knew exactly what he wanted to do."

On the Sid Vicious powerbomb:

"He folded me in half, and the expression on his face after he did, it was like, I have killed Charles Robinson, he's dead. Because I folded up like an accordion. But much younger, much more limber, and it didn't even hurt. So the ones that look the worst sometimes there's nothing to it. I don't remember how it felt the next day. I mean, because back then, we were working every day, bam, bam, bam. You didn't have time to slow down."

On the WrestleMania run:

"When I did the run to the ring for WrestleMania, that was epic. I mean, there's so many memes. It's fantastic. But I run down then Undertaker goes to choke slam me, and he's slippery, and I didn't post right. He got me up off the ground about six inches. Made him look so weak, and I felt so bad for him."

On what was going through his mind at that point:

"Wrestlemania, 24 Orlando, Undertaker and Edge. Jim Korderas, he takes a bump. Me being the professional athlete that I am, I start hauling butt down the ring just going, Don't fall, don't fall, don't fall."

On the John Cena body check:

"With Cena, when I did it recently, I didn't run as fast for a reason, he didn't want me to run past him. So he goes, 'Just take it easy coming down the ramp.' I saw the camera guy, so I looked. I wasn't looking at him, I was looking at the camera guy. And then I kept going straight, and then, boom, knocked me out of my shoes."

On the Goldberg spear in his final match:

"I mean, normally he picks you up, lays you down, nice and soft. He went right through me. [And he cracked your rib?] Well, no, my girlfriend and I were in the movie. I said, What can I do to put this over to make Goldberg feel good. I said, Hmm, there's an image of a broken rib online, so I just posted that."

People thought Goldberg hurt you.

"I called him to tell him what I was doing. He goes, 'That's a great idea.' So he didn't mind. I was sore, seriously, for about 10 days, coughing and stuff. They can't do anything about a rib anyway, so why go get it checked?" 

On refereeing Cody Rhodes winning the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 40:

"That was emotional. Just felt great to be part of that. I mean, he was crying, I was crying. His mom was crying, everybody was crying. I was just proud to be part of that. I mean, that's one of the biggest stories in the last 10 years.So just to be part of that was amazing."

On WrestleMania 18 refereeing Undertaker vs. Ric Flair:

"That meant a lot for two reasons. Number one, my first Wrestlemania, of course, he threw me in with Ric and Taker. What a great match. Very important, because my wife, at the time, she had cancer, and that was the last WrestleMania that she got to go to. So, yeah, so she was up there with me, and she was doing chemo and stuff, and she came to the WrestleMania just to support me. So great match, and great to have her there."

What is Charles Robinson grateful for?

"I have a career I love, my family and friends, and the fans."

Please support our sponsors!

PURE PLANK: The future of core fitness! Use the code CVV to save 10% on Pure Plank designed by Adam Copeland & Christian: https://gopureplank.com/?ref=tibcloux

SUPERPOWER: Go to https://Superpower.com and use code CVV to get $50 Off your annual Superpower subscription. Live up to your 100-Year potential. #superpowerpod

SEAT GEEK: Use my code for 10% off your next SeatGeek order*: https://seatgeek.onelink.me/RrnK/CVV2025 Sponsored by SeatGeek. *Restrictions apply. Max $20 discount

PRIZEPICKS: Download the app today and use code INSIGHT to get $50 instantly after you play your first $5 lineup!

TIMELINE: Go to https://timeline.com/insight to get 20% off your order of Mitopure!

VUORI: Get 20% off your first purchase! Get yourself some of the most comfortable and versatile clothing on the planet at https://vuori.com/cvv

ROCKET MONEY: Join Rocket Money today and reach your financial goals faster: https://rocketmoney.com/cvv

MIRACLE MADE: Upgrade your sleep with Miracle Made! Go to https://trymiracle.com/CVV and use the code CVV to claim your FREE 3 PIECE TOWEL SET and SAVE over 40% OFF

ZOCDOC: Instantly book a top-rated doctor today at https://zocdoc.com/insight

FAST GROWING TREES: Get 15% off with code INSIGHT at https://fastgrowingtrees.com

BONCHARGE: Use the code CVV to save 15% off your infrared sauna blanket at https://boncharge.com/cvv

BLUECHEW: Get your first month of BlueChew for free with the code CVV at https://bluechew.com