The WWE has dominated professional wrestling
since the 1980s, with legendary titans like
Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, and The Rock.
In 2017 alone, the WWE reported revenue of
over $800 million.
And superstar wrestlers like Brock Lesnar
can make over $12 million per year.
But only those at the very top reap the big
rewards.
Many wrestlers never got a piece of the multimillion-dollar
action, others lost their earnings entirely,
and some signed with much smaller franchises.
Whatever the reason, these are the wrestling
stars who have been knocked out by financial
ruin.
Virgil
Michael Jones, a.k.a. Virgil, rose to fame
during the golden era of WWE alongside Hulk
Hogan and Andre the Giant.
Virgil was cast most famously as the valet
and bodyguard of the Million Dollar Man, Ted
DiBiase.
But in real life, post-wrestling, Jones and
DiBiase had a falling-out.
According to an ESPN DiBiase interview, Jones
would book an event representing both himself
and DiBiase - when he knew DiBiase couldn't
attend - as a gimmick to make more money.
In his desperation for cash, Jones set up
a GoFundMe in 2015 with the goal of becoming
a millionaire.
As of mid-2018, it's raised just over $1,000.
Kamala
Billed as the "Ugandan Giant," at 6'9" and
over 300 pounds, James "Kamala" Harris, was
one of the literal giants of mid-'80s WWE.
But due to the rigors of his 30 year career,
Harris suffered from numerous health issues.
By mid-2012, he had undergone three amputations
due to complications from diabetes, leaving
him at first without feet and then without
legs.
In 2014, according to Bleacher Report, Harris
had self-published his life story through
a Kickstarter campaign and, at the time, was
making ends meet thanks to his monthly disability
check.
Generous fans helped raise over $40,000 on
a GoFundMe after the Bleacher Report article
brought attention to his plight, but the health
problems haven't let up for the superstar.
He underwent surgery in 2017 that nearly killed
him, according to TMZ.
"I will always be Kamala.
Ha ha ha."
Sunny
WWE Divas are a big part of the brand these
days, and one of the first names to break
out in the WWE in the '90s was Sunny.
But since leaving the WWE, Sunny, whose real
name is Tammy Lynn Sytch, has landed herself
in both legal and financial trouble.
Back in 2012, she was arrested five times
in just four weeks, on charges that included
violating a protective order and burglary.
Then, in 2016, she signed a deal with Vivid
Entertainment to release an adult video, suggesting
in an interview with TMZ that she needed the
money.
"But I'm a business woman and I always look
for what's best for business, what's best
for my bank account."
Sytch has also been in and out of rehab, with
the WWE picking up the bill for her.
But after she criticized the treatment she
was given, the WWE issued a statement saying
it would no longer fund her rehabilitation.
After three DUIs in 2015, Sytch was arrested
in March 2018 on charges of contempt of court
and being a fugitive from justice.
The constant battles with substance abuse
and the legal system seem to be taking a toll
on this former Diva's finances.
Tony Atlas
With a remarkable career not just in wrestling
but in body building as well, Tony Atlas holds
several records and is the 1987 National Powerlifting
Champion.
But he's had a heck of a string of bad luck
outside of the ring.
He told The Hannibal TV, that after going
through a divorce and paying his taxes, he
was on the street for over a year and a half
before he got back on his feet.
"My money ran out, I had no trade.
I never did nothing.
I started wrestling when I was 20 years old
so I never did nothing but wrestle."
In 2015, an Indiegogo campaign was set up
to help fund a video featuring Atlas, the
proceeds of which would go to help him pay
for his home which was in danger of foreclosure.
The campaign ended without meeting its goal,
with Atlas still wrestling occasionally on
the independent circuit to help make ends
meet.
Scott Hall
Once one of the biggest names in the WWE,
Scott Hall was known in the ring as fan favorite
Razor Ramon.
But unfortunately he couldn't overcome his
serious substance abuse issues.
In 2013, Hall was in such poor health that
it took wrestler Diamond Dallas Page putting
together an Indiegogo campaign, and a rehab
program, to save Hall's life.
At 54, Hall already had a pacemaker and needed
a hip replacement he couldn't afford without
insurance.
Luckily, Page's campaign worked amazingly
well, raising over $100,000, and saving Hall's
life.
"Anybody who's been around Dallas knows he's
obnoxiously positive.
To the point where it's like ok, uncle, uncle."
These days, Hall looks healthy - and happy
to be enjoying this next chapter.
Jake the Snake
Few names in the history of wrestling are
as recognizable as Jake "The Snake" Roberts.
While Roberts was very much at the top of
the heap during the meteoric rise of wrestling
in the '80s, he fell on hard times in the
'90s after years of drug and alcohol abuse
finally caught up with him.
Diamond Dallas Page also intervened in Robert's
life, utilizing his comprehensive rehab program,
and a successful fundraising campaign for
much-needed shoulder surgery.
These days, Roberts is touring not as a wrestling
star, but a speaker.
The routine, which he calls Road Stories,
is half tales from his life, and half stand-up
comedy.
And it's allowing him to stay clean and make
some cash - all while still entertaining his
fans.
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