Wrestling With Sin: 552

Brian Damage

This is the 552nd 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.

Boom Goes The Dynamite

Ted Betley was a former wrestler during the World War II era who became a promoter and trainer who trained the likes of Steve Wright, Davey Boy Smith and The Dynamite Kid. Back in 1986, Betley was backstage at a WWF event as a guest of The Dynamite Kid. Betley was mingling with the various wrestlers and collecting autographs. Everyone obliged from Hulk Hogan to Andre the Giant. The only one who dismissed Betley was allegedly Brutus Beefcake. Beefcake allegedly refused to sign an autograph and basically ignored Betley.

When word got back to Betley’s protégé Dynamite Kid, he was furious and wanted to kill Beefcake right then and there. The only thing that saved Beefcake was his ‘Dream Team’ tag team partner Greg Valentine, who got in between the two wrestlers and calmed Dynamite Kid down. Dynamite would reveal that he still fully intended on paying Beefcake back for his disrespect and stated that on November 13, 1986 was a day that saved the life of Brutus Beefcake. On that night, the British Bulldogs wrestled a match against Don Muraco and Bob Orton and Dynamite severely injured his back.

Just a couple of days later, the WWF booked the Bulldogs to wrestle the Dream Team inside of a steel cage and according to Dynamite Kid, had every intention of crippling Beefcake in that match. Due to the severity of his back injury, that match never took place and Brutus Beefcake’s career and possibly his life was spared.

Acting Rabid

Timothy Smith aka Nigel Rabid who competes on the Texas independent wrestling circuit, was accused by his biological sister of sexual assault as early as six years old. The sister claims her brother touched her inappropriately and exposed himself to her from when she was six until ten years old. She also claimed that he would brag to his friends both in and out of the wrestling industry that they could have their way with her. The emotional and physical abuse lasted until she made it into her 30’s and decided to break free of her brother by distancing herself from him. She accuses her brother of being a sexual predator that should not be booked for any wrestling shows, especially where underage kids attend.

The sister also accused he and his current wife wrestler and commentator Brittani Houghtlen of taking advantage of his elderly parents by living with the parents rent free and stealing money from them. The sister claims that her mother has memory issues and the couple use that to their financial advantage. After these accusations were made, Nigel’s ex wife came forward and sided with his sister. The ex stated she was also mentally abused by Nigel and often talked about his fantasies of being with an underage girl. The ex said she was living in fear and her judgement was very clouded at the time and thought it was just pillow talk from her husband, but would later realize he was indeed a predator.

Another woman who claimed to date Nigel starting when she was 17 years old and he was in his 30’s, fell into his traps. At first she was enamored with how Nigel gave her attention and professed his love for her only to come to the realization she was being manipulated by him and began seeing a therapist. In response to the allegations, both Nigel and Brittani deleted all of their social media accounts. They have since re-emerged on social media and have denied the accusations made against both of them.

Nevermore

Scott ‘Raven’ Levy revealed that back in 1996, while he was the reigning ECW world champion, he suffered what he deemed a “mental and emotional breakdown.” Levy suffered the breakdown during the middle of a hot feud against the Sandman. Levy said he was using a lot of drugs during this time and lost his passion for wrestling and life overall. He insisted that it wasn’t so much the drugs that made him breakdown emotionally, but the rigors and stress of everyday life.

Levy said he checked himself into a mental facility for ten days to get himself figured out. During this time, Paul Heyman made the decision to take the ECW title off of him and give it to Sandman in the interim. Levy was not a fan of that decision, but understood why it was done. Once Levy checked out of the facility and returned to ECW, he was able to win back the title.

The Difference is Night and Day

Jim Myers was a teacher and football coach for over 25 years. He was also a professional wrestler for over 40 years under the moniker of George ‘the Animal’ Steele. Away from the grid iron and squared circle, Myers was married to a woman named Pat for decades. The couple had three children between them. While Myers was considered a loving husband and father to his wife and kids, Myers readily admits there was another side to him.

In an interview before his death, Myers admitted that he like many of his wrestling comrades, were unfaithful while on the road. Myers said this…”While at home, I was Jim Myers a loyal husband. When away, I earned every bit of my nickname ‘the Animal.’ Despite the semi cryptic admittance to cheating on his wife, the couple remained married for 60 years until his death in 2017.

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