WWE Hall of Famer Abdullah the Butcher is bedridden and suffering from life-threatening infections and severe bedsores, according to his assistant. The 85-year-old wrestling legend, real name Lawrence Robert Shreve, was hospitalized in October after a stroke and has since spent months in nursing homes and hospitals in Atlanta, Georgia.
Abdullah's Current Condition
Abdullah appeared frail on Atlanta First News, telling a local TV news crew: 'I want the world to pray for me.' His assistant Malikah Marshall described the severity of his condition: 'He’s not doing too well. He has a sacral wound and it started real small. And now it’s real large to where you could probably put one or two of your fists in his wound.'
Bedsores, caused by pressure that reduces blood flow to the skin, can increase the risk of life-threatening bacterial infections. Malikah added: 'I’ve been helping him for the past 15 years and I’ve never seen him like this. He’s lost so much weight. I don’t know what to do because I need help. I need somebody to help me because I want to save his life. With a wound that deep, sepsis set in and he could die.'
Fundraising and Legal History
A fundraising page has been set up to cover his medical expenses, stating: 'Late last year, Abdullah suffered two strokes. He is still dealing with health issues related to the strokes and diabetes. The hospital in Atlanta is working hard to discharge him. Miss Malikah is working around the clock to maintain his care. His bills are piling up and he needs our support more than ever.'
Professional wrestler Devon 'Hannibal' Nicholson, who alleged Abdullah gave him Hepatitis C during a match, posted on YouTube: 'Abdullah the Butcher spending his final days literally rotting to death before he is sent off to hell.' Nicholson won a $2 million lawsuit against Abdullah in 2014 after his WWE contract was rescinded due to the diagnosis; he is now cured.
Career Highlights
Canadian-born Abdullah began wrestling as a teen in the late 1950s and gained fame in All Japan Pro Wrestling in the 1970s and 1980s. His bloody matches with Terry Funk and Jumbo Tsuruta became iconic. He also faced Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant, and terrified a young Bret Hart by brutally beating his father Stu during a Stampede Wrestling match in Calgary.
One of his most gruesome moments came at WCW's Halloween Havoc in 1991, in a Chamber of Horrors match with Sting, Cactus Jack, Vader, and the Steiner Brothers. His team lost when a bloodied Abdullah was strapped into a 'chair of torture' and appeared electrocuted. One fan wrote: 'Being a kid watching Halloween Havoc 91 I still get nightmares from the chamber match.'
Abdullah's trademark divot-like scalp scars, from frequent head cuts during matches, are so deep that Mick Foley claims he can place gambling chips into them. After losing the 2011 lawsuit, Abdullah reportedly cashed in his WWE Hall of Fame ring to raise funds and was said to be living day-by-day as recently as 2022.
