By James Caldwell, Torch assistant editor

Former WWE wrestler Charlie Haas talked to Alex Marvez of the Scripps News Service about his WWE release, various health issues in pro wrestling, the deaths of his former colleagues Eddie "Umaga" Fatu and Lance Cade, and his upcoming debut in Ring of Honor with Shelton Benjamin.

-- Haas, who was released by WWE in February, said there was a time when wrestlers thought they needed to use "pills, drugs, whatever" to "live the life of a wrestler" in WWE. He claimed wrestlers are listening more to the education out there.

"There was a group of guys who were addicted to all that stuff before the wellness program. They thought you need to do pills, drugs or whatever to live the life of a wrestler. People are being really educated now that you don't have to do that anymore," Haas said.

Haas said he believes some wrestlers have addictive personalities and some wrestlers make an individual decision. Regardless, he said he "gets angry" thinking about wrestlers who aren't around for their families anymore.

"I get angry about a lot of it," Haas said. "Once you're an addict, you don't see how badly you're hurting people. Eddie's (Umaga) kids won't know what it's like to have their daddy in their life. Lance (Cade) will never be there to walk his daughter down the aisle or see her graduate. It really breaks my heart."

-- Haas said he felt "handcuffed" by WWE management and felt top-level stars were trying to hold him down because they didn't like him.

"When you've got guys on top who hate you and are burying you behind your back, you're not going to go anywhere," Haas said.

-- Haas promoted his debut in Ring of Honor with fellow former WWE wrestler Shelton Benjamin at the "Glory By Honor IX" Internet PPV on September 11. Haas and Benjamin will be facing the ROH tag champs Kings of Wrestling (Chris Hero & Claudio Castagnoli) in a non-title match.

"I'm not only excited to be back with Shelton, but also being able to have the handcuffs taken off so we can wrestle the way we want to," Haas said. "We're going to work for a company that appreciates wrestling and wants you to go out and steal the show."

Caldwell's Analysis: Haas had his own limitations beyond what WWE management saw in him or what he felt top wrestlers were doing to keep him down the card. He's a serviceable wrestler in the right role and has name value, but he's not a main-event level star to build a program around. ROH can certainly utilize him, very much like Jamie Noble (James Gibson) went from a WWE mid-carder to a headliner for ROH on that smaller scale. Haas can be best utilized in ROH and it will be interesting to see how Shelton and he look at the PPV.

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