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WWE Hall of Famer Abdullah the Butcher got his iconic name for a reason. Lawrence Robert Shreve is one of the most violent and bloody wrestlers in the history of the sport. He used props such as rusty forks and coffee pots to draw blood from his opponents in almost every match he competed in.

One particularly bloody instance with Devon “Hannibal” Nicholson actually led to the wrestler contracting Hepatitis C from Abdullah. Nicholson later sued Shreve for $2.3 million for giving him the disease, but it still ruined his WWE career.

Abdullah the Butcher is one of the bloodiest fighters in WWE history

Before WWE changed courses and started broadcasting with a G rating, the sport was full of violence and blood. Throughout the 2000s, wrestlers had much more leeway with how gruesome they could make the matches.

In this age of violence and little rules, Abdullah the Butcher was the perfect wrestler. He didn’t just want to beat his opponent. He wanted to hurt them. Abdullah’s signature move was using a rusty fork to cut his opponent’s forehead and make them bleed all over their face.

If you’ve never seen a match from the Butcher, the scars on his head will tell you everything you need to know about the ferocity he wrestled with. Abdullah has multiple deep grooves above his forehead from various injuries during his career. The scars are so deep he can stick quarters in the grooves and they won’t budge.

Abdullah faced legends such as Andre the Giant and Hulk Hogan during his WWE career. In 2011, Abdullah the Butcher eventually joined them in the WWE Hall of Fame.

Abdullah the Butcher cut Hannibal during 2007 match and gave him Hepatitis C

On May 2, 2007, Abdullah the Butcher met Hannibal in the ring in Alberta, Canada. It turned out to be an extremely violent fight, with both wrestlers bleeding excessively during and after.

Hannibal was bleeding noticeably more out of his head and face. He learned after the fight that Abdullah attached a small razor blade to his finger to cut Hannibal during the match. The wounds led to Hannibal contracting Hepatitis C from Abdullah at some point during the fight.

Two years after the fight, WWE offered Hannibal a three-year contract. However, WWE canceled the offer after learning Hannibal had contracted Hepatitis C. In 2014, Hannibal sued Abdullah for infecting him with the liver-attacking disease.

Hannibal won $2.3 million from Abdullah in the lawsuit

After the news of Abdullah the Butcher giving Hannibal Hepatitis C spread, Abdullah became a hated figure across the wrestling world. Obviously, no one hated him more than Hannibal himself.

In 2014, Hannibal filed a $6.5 million lawsuit against Abdullah. A judge ruled that Hannibal did contract Hepatitis C from Abdullah and forced Abdullah to shell out $2.3 million in damages and fees.

Hannibal was actually cured of the disease by an experimental treatment in 2014. Despite the controversy surrounding him, Abdullah was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2011.

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Staff Writer

Jack Dougherty

Writing professionally since 2015, Jack Dougherty spent six years as a sportswriter with publications such as GoPSUSports.com, the Centre Daily Times, and the Associated Press before joining Sportscasting in 2020. He covers the NBA, the NFL, and the world of golf extensively and has added expertise on any team located in or around his hometown of Philadelphia. Yes, that includes the Philadelphia Eagles, the Philadelphia 76ers, and Philadelphia Phillies.

When Jack isn’t writing about sports, he’s watching them or playing them as he regularly heads to the gym for some pickup basketball or the golf course to hit the links. He’s also an avid participant in the sports betting scene who worked at a casino sportsbook for a year and learned the ins and outs of the industry before bringing his expertise to Sportscasting with one excellent gambling recommendation after another.