Billy and Chuck ecstatic about Mania experience
by Phil Speer

TORONTO -- Last year, Chuck Palumbo was sitting in a skybox at the Reliant Astrodome in Houston, in street clothes, watching WrestleMania X-Seven and hoping that he could one day participate in an event of that magnitude.

"I didn't know it was going to happen this fast," Chuck said moments after successfully defending the Tag Team Championship on Sunday at WrestleMania X8.

But since last April in Houston, Chuck has become one half of the fastest rising tag team in the World Wrestling Federation -- Chuck & Billy. His partner, Billy Gunn, just happens to be the most decorated tag team competitor of all time.

Chuck & Billy participated in the recent "SmackDown! Tour" of Asia, and Chuck thought the crowds were just phenomenal. Then he got to WrestleMania X8 and competed in front of 68,237 boisterous fans.

"I'm still on a natural high," Chuck said. "I feel great. I wanted to stay out there longer. Your adrenaline takes over.

"I hope for a repeat in the future."

Chuck said that retaining the titles on Sunday was one of his top two career accomplishments, along with actually winning the titles with Billy.

Interestingly, even though Billy Gunn has been in the Federation for years -- only the Undertaker has a longer tenure here -- he also said that this year's WrestleMania was one of his top two career moments. The other was when he and Road Dogg -- the New Age Outlaws -- won the Tag Team Championship for the first time. That was an indication that Billy's career was really taking off in the Federation; Sunday's WrestleMania, walking out and performing in front of that many people and retaining the titles, was just so much fun. Words can't even describe it, Billy said.

"Unless you live it yourself, there's nothing you can say," Billy said. "There's no pill you can take for that, that's for sure."

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