Wrestling With Sin: 545

Brian Damage

This is the 545th 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.

Sticking Your Neck Out

Tony Atlas recalled wrestling for the Georgia territory and getting involved in a serious car crash with Tommy Rich. Apparently, Rich fell asleep at the wheel and flipped his car over three times. Georgia booker Ole Anderson and the Iron Sheik were following behind Rich and Atlas at the time of the accident. According to Atlas, Ole Anderson refused to get out of his car to help Atlas and Rich and instructed the Iron Sheik not to get out and help either. The Iron Sheik refused to listen to Ole and got out to help his fellow wrestlers. Atlas claimed that Ole threatened to fire the Iron Sheik for helping Atlas and rich, because if outside people saw a heel helping babyfaces, it would kill kayfabe.

Regardless, the Iron Sheik was able rip open the car door and Atlas cites the Iron Sheik as saving his life that night. Tony Atlas suffered a fractured neck and was sent to the hospital and had a halo placed on him to keep his neck upright and straight. After three days in the hospital, Ole Anderson sent wrestlers to the hospital to get him released, despite the hospital wanting to keep him admitted. Atlas said Ole was “freaking out” that Atlas would miss the television taping.

Atlas left the hospital and returned to the studios for the taping and Ole ordered Atlas to take off the halo. Atlas obliged and could not hold his head up. Ole decided to do an angle where Atlas would get attacked by Buzz Sawyer, who would hit Atlas with a gimmicked 2 x 4 to give an explanation for Atlas’ neck injury. The angle went on as planned and Sawyer clobbered Atlas with the wooden board, only it wasn’t “gimmicked” or pre cut. Sawyer hit Atlas in his legitimately injured neck a couple of times with the 2 x 4. Atlas said that Buzz was too wasted on drugs and forgot to cut the board before using it…further injuring Atlas’ neck.

A Stone Cold Stunner!

Debra Marshall revealed that WWE superstar and hall of famer Stone Cold Steve Austin abused her a couple of times before his infamous arrest back in 2002, which we talked about here. She said that Austin was very paranoid and refused her to spend time with her friends and family. She said the emotional rollercoaster Austin put her through, caused her to become withdrawn and a recluse…something that was the exact opposite of who she was as a person.

Debra remembered the first time Austin hit her, it was in a hotel room. Austin had apparently asked for oral sex and when Debra refused by saying she was too tired, Austin allegedly slapped her and threw her across the room. She ended up with a large bruise on her face and had to go to the doctor because of it. Debra blamed Austin’s hectic WWF schedule and with the combination of steroids and alcohol, created a monster within him. The couple ended up getting a divorce and Debra would auction off her wedding ring, giving a portion of the proceeds to an organization that helps battered women.

Tennessee Tragedy

In 1975, a brutal murder took place in the Memphis suburb of Whitehaven. A journeyman professional wrestler named Rufus Jones (Real name Arthur Williams) who wrestled for Nick Gulas in Tennessee and also competed in places like Arkansas, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Kentucky was found dead. Jones was shot once in the shoulder and once in the face. Another body was discovered by a window, that of a woman identified as Mary Alice Ladd. She suffered a shotgun blast to her head in what appears to be her trying to escape through the window.

The killer, was identified as 37 year old Charles Christopher, who was arrested at his home the next day. He was identified by Mary Alice’s two young sons ages 10 and 9, who both witnessed Charles arguing with both Rufus Jones and Mary Alice and then heard the gunfire that led to the murder of their mother and the wrestler. The mother of Jerry Jarrett and grandmother of Jeff Jarrett commented on the tragedy by saying that Rufus Jones was a very popular wrestler in the Tennessee area. “He had a good personality to get along with people and he was very capable as a wrestler. Rufus Jones was just 42 years old and had been wrestling for six years prior to his death. No motive was released as to why Charles Christopher killed both individuals. He was charged with a single count of murder. No word on how the case ended up. Rufus Jones should not be confused with wrestlers ‘Freight Train’ Rufus R Jones (WWF Manager Slick’s father) or Rufus Jones who tragically died in a car crash.

Take My Life, Please!

Toshiaki Kawada is considered one of the greatest Japanese pro wrestlers of all time. Kawada was named as one of the Four Heavenly Pillars of All Japan Pro Wrestling. During the 1990’s, Kawada continually had some of the greatest, hard hitting matches you will ever get the privilege of watching. Kawada began is his journey to become a pro wrestler after graduated high school in the early 80’s. He received a tryout with the All Japan dojo and was accepted.

Kawada opened up about the extreme toll the dojo took on him both physically and mentally. The long, grueling hours of intense workouts and also working as an “errand boy” for the All Japan mentors and veteran wrestlers wore Kawada out. He said he endured bullying and made to feel that we wasn’t worthy of training to become a wrestler. After a year training and working in the dojo, Kawada said that he didn’t feel he was moving up the ladder from being an errand boy. Kawada admitted that all of the suffering he endured was for nothing and felt like a failure and said he contemplated suicide. Thankfully, his old high school friend and fellow trainee and wrestler Mitsuharu Misawa helped him come to the realization that he was making strides and to stick with his training. Kawada would eventually graduate from the dojo and go on to become a legendary wrestler for the promotion.

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