Local Wrestler JC Mateo Chases Dreams in WWE After Olympic Journey

HONOLULU, Hawaii — A local wrestler has made waves in the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) world, earning his place after an inspiring journey from Hawaii to the Olympic stage. JC Mateo, formerly known as Cobb, grew up in Pearl City, where he watched wrestling with his father and dreamt of becoming a sports entertainer.

“Just seeing him on TV, the red and yellow, and it’s like, ‘Say your prayers and take your vitamins.’ I was like, ‘I’m going to be like him when I grow up,’” said Mateo, referencing wrestling legend Hulk Hogan.

After moving to Guam, Mateo stumbled into high school wrestling, misinterpreting a flyer about the sport. “I thought they were going to teach us how to do elbow drops,” he recalled, surprised by the absence of a wrestling ring. Despite the misunderstanding, he quickly adapted and competed at the collegiate level in Missouri.

Mateo’s dedication took him to the 2004 Olympics in Athens, competing for Guam. After graduating in 2008, he returned to Hawaii, where a glimpse of a local wrestling show reignited his long-held ambitions.

“I rode my bike from Foster Village all the way down to Sand Island, and watched this wrestling show. It was everything that I wanted it to be and more,” Mateo said. He soon signed up for classes at Hawaii’s Action Zone Wrestling.

His impressive agility for a man over 200 pounds earned him the nickname “Mr. Athletic” and three heavyweight titles. Mateo wrestled on the independent circuit, eventually catching WWE’s attention during a 2014 tryout, though he faced rejection. “They said no at the time, and that kind of hurt my ego,” he admitted.

Undeterred, Mateo continued racking up championships, enhancing his reputation. Over the next few years, he received multiple offers from WWE. “It’s very fortunate in my career where I could turn them down and be fine with it, and then finally they got me,” he remarked.

Now, as a member of WWE’s Friday Night SmackDown with his new persona, JC Mateo, he embraces his role as a villain in the ring. Yet, he shares an encouraging message for aspiring wrestlers: “The main thing is just never give up. You can’t give up. If this is your dream, then you gotta do ‘um.”

With his career taking off at WWE and opportunities knocking, Mateo reflects on the dream he chased and finally caught.