Posted on by bdamage1
Brian Damage
This is the 462nd installment of the ‘Wrestling with Sin‘ series. A group of stories that delves into the darker, underbelly of pro wrestling. Many of the stories involve 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.
Will to Live
New Japan star Will Ospreay opened up about his personal battle with mental illness and how close he came in 2020 to committing suicide. Ospreay shared this message on social media…
“Few weeks ago, I came very close to something I know I’d regret. I’m still dragging my feet but I’m getting better. I’m still smiling, barely but a smile nonetheless. Suicide isn’t an option even when you feel like you’ve dropped the world, learning and pushing forward to be better is an option. Thank you to the people who have ever made me smile and been there to pick me up. Because of you, my heart still beats. I love you all.“
Ospreay did not go into detail of what caused his suicidal thoughts, but has been very open about his struggle with mental illness in the past. Ospreay spends a good portion of his free time supporting the United Kingdom organization called ‘Samaritans’ which helps people from that area deal with mental illness. Here is hoping Ospreay can continue to fight through the darkness that he often battles through day in and day out.
Bar Code
On September 19, 1930, a trio of men walked into a bar in the Chicago suburb of Argo and fired multiple shots hitting two men inside. One was the bartender, who was shot multiple times, but survived. The other was a local boxer/pro wrestler named George Peters who was hit eight times in the torso and died at the scene.
According to police, the reason for the hit was to send a message to the bar’s proprietor Christopher Peters (The deceased George Peters cousin). Chris Peters allegedly ran an illegal speakeasy and gambling den after hours. The people responsible for the hit were believed to be members of Chicago’s mafia boss Al Capone’s gang. The hitmen were never brought to justice in the bar slaying of George Peters.
The Gorilla Imposition
During a television taping for WWF Wrestling Challenge in 1995, wrestler Harry Del Rios aka ‘Phantasio’ did something that quickly ended his WWF career. According to Bruce Prichard, Del Rios secretly brought in a Visine sized container of a liquid that was extremely flammable. The wrestler did not get the liquid cleared by the building’s fire marshal or WWF management.
Phantasio was allegedly practicing using the liquid as a part of his act backstage, when Prichard said that Phantasio dropped the liquid onto the Gorilla Position and the entire table caught fire. After the ring crew were able to extinguish the Gorilla Position….Harry Del Rios was subsequently fired from the company and never returned.
Riding Shot-Gun
WWE star Sonya Deville was arrested at an Atlantic City casino in New Jersey on a charge of unlawful possession of a weapon. A handgun was found in the glove compartment of her vehicle by one of the casino’s valets. Police were called and Deville was arrested at the scene. Deville reportedly fully cooperated with authorities and provided a license for the weapon, however, it was licensed in Florida and illegal for Deville to have the gun in the state of New Jersey.
She was eventually released on a summons. It is believed that Deville possessed the weapon due to an incident where an obsessed fan attempted to kidnap her at her home in Florida. There was no statement made by Deville or WWE after her arrest.