Wrestling With Sin: I Love the 80’s!

Brian Damage

This is the 80th installment of the ‘Wrestling with Sin‘ series. A group of stories that delves into the darker, underbelly of pro wrestling. Many of the stories involves such subjects as sex, drugs, greed and in some cases even murder! As with every single story in the Sin series…I do not condone or condemn the alleged participants. We simply retell their stories by researching interviews, newspapers, magazines and various other sources of media.

Rude Encounter

Back in 1989, Rick Rude was put in a program with the Ultimate Warrior in the WWF. Apparently, Warrior was not too fond of Rude as an opponent and talked about Rude behind his back. During a match in Georgia, Warrior worked a bit stiff on Rude and Rude did not take kindly to it. After the match, Rick Rude allegedly went backstage, found the Ultimate Warrior and attacked him. According to several people who witnessed the attack, they all said that Rude got the best of the Ultimate Warrior that night.

Degeneration Ex

Former D-Generation X teammates and former lovers Sean (X-Pac) Waltman and the late Joanie (Chyna) Laurer had quite the tumultuous relationship. The two released a sex tape in 2004 called 1 Night in China and by the beginning of 2005, Waltman had Laurer arrested for domestic battery.

According to Waltman, he claims the abuse happened after a night of partying at the Playboy mansion. The two got into a verbal argument that quickly escalated in violence as Laurer allegedly repeatedly punched Waltman in the head and face. Laurer was arrested and released from jail a couple of days later.

Joanie Laurer would go on to accuse Sean Waltman of abusing her and raping her after slipping the date rape drug GHB in one of her drinks. Allegations that Waltman flatly denied. Sean Waltman agreed with Laurer that his addiction to drugs including Cocaine and Crystal Meth made their relationship a lot tougher than it should have been, but added that Joanie also took those same drugs with him.

A week after the domestic dispute with Waltman, Laurer was spotted high or drunk at a New York City nightclub. She allegedly stripped naked and jumped into a fish tank.

Hammer-locked

‘Sledgehammer’ Andre Baker was a British pro wrestler whose biggest claim to fame as an active wrestler was challenging Dan ‘The Beast’ Severn for the NWA world title. Baker’s biggest contributions came as a trainer and promoter in the mid 1990s. His wrestling school churned out several big names like the future Finn Balor, Katie Lea Burchill, Doug Williams, Wade Barrett and Zack Sabre Jr.

It has been said, that Baker and his promotion called ‘Hammerlock’ revitalized pro wrestling in the United Kingdom in the 90s. In 2010, Andre Baker sadly committed suicide at the age of 45. No reasons were ever given as to why Baker decided to take his own life.

Wino

In 2005, at a Wrestlemania 21 after party Terry ‘Rhino’ Gerin was involved in a confrontation with his wife. Rhino readily admitted that he was drunk that night and got into an argument with her. The argument led to Rhino throwing a flower pot at his wife. The incident was done in public and caused Rhino to get fired by the WWE soon after.

Rhino still insists that he never had a drinking problem, but says he was going through a dark time in his life and alcohol played a part in the incident. The couple did eventually divorce, but have remained friends and according to Rhino they now laugh at that flower pot incident.

The Double A Way

In 1996, Arn Anderson went through a serious surgery on his neck and spine which ended up ending his in ring career. After the surgery, Arn was in a tremendous amount of pain and despite being on morphine and taking numerous pain pills almost hourly, the pain never subsided.

In pain and with his career all but ended, Arn started getting his affairs in order and made out his will. Arn was ready to take a gun and kill himself with it in his hospital room. The only things that saved him according to Arn was his wife and his kids and with help from a therapist he decided not to commit suicide.

The End of the Chase

Chase Tatum was only a pro wrestler for about two years. He wrestled for WCW as a part of the ill fated faction called the ‘No Limit Soldiers.’ During his time as a wrestler, Tatum injured his back and began taking pain killers to ease relieve the pain from his injury.

It didn’t take long for Chase to be addicted to the medication. In 2008, a family friend discovered Chase’s lifeless body at his home in Georgia. Chase had accidentally overdosed on the pain medication he was subscribed. Chase Tatum was only 34 years old.

You can read all previous ‘Wrestling with Sin’ pieces here.