Former WWE Superstar Billy Jack Haynes is looking to grapple with Vince McMahon's company in court as he has filed a lawsuit claiming he contracted Hepatitis C due to bloody wrestling matches in the 1980s.
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TMZ Sports reports that Haynes is seeking more than $5 million in the lawsuit against the WWE after filing the suit in federal court in Oregon.
Haynes, whose real name is William Albert Haynes, claims he contracted the disease during bloody bouts with wrestlers that were carrying the illness during his time in the WWE, then known as the WWF. Haynes wrestled for the WWE from 1986-88.
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Haynes also claims that the WWE put wrestlers in danger during that time period by withholding important medical information from them and encouraging the use of steroids and cocaine during one of the most profitable times for the organization.
The WWE issued a statement following the lawsuit going public, denying Haynes' claims.
"Billy Jack Haynes spent only two years of his 14-year wrestling career with WWE," the company said in the statement. "It would be impossible to know if he contracted Hepatitis C as a result of his wrestling career or from something else."
Haynes also claimed that the WWE never warned its wrestlers of the health risks they took by performing in the ring. The company has made it a point in recent years to be more careful with head injuries and to ensure the wellness of its Superstars, as the organization pointed out in its statement.
"Since 2008, WWE has conducted physicals and blood work, including tests for Hepatitis C, as part of our Talent Wellness Program," the statement read. "These tests take place before a performer signs a contract and twice per year thereafter, and results are shared with the State licensing authorities that require it."
Haynes, 61, wrestled for several promotions throughout his career and was a part of the gigantic WrestleMania III event that took place in Pontiac, Mich.
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Haynes took on Hercules in the "Battle of the Full Nelsons" in a match that ended in double disqualification on the undercard of the WrestleMania III event that featured Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant in the main event.
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