Former WWE Superstar Says He Does Not Agree With “Concussion Lawsuits” Against WWE

– Former WWE Superstar Dan Spivey (Waylon Mercy), who now works as a sober coach providing one-on-one assistance to recovering drug addicts and alcoholics, posted the following on Facebook regarding former wrestlers filing lawsuits against WWE, claiming they’ve suffered long-term health problems due to the work they did with WWE. Spivey wrote:

To my fans, I am sure you have seen posts regarding former WWF/WWE Superstars who are taking part in a law suit against Vince and the WWE. The suit is in regard to injuries incurred, wrestlers forced to work hurt and forced to take pain medication and steroids.

I just wanted to let you all know my opinion about this law suit, which simply put, I don’t agree with it.

I got into wrestling because I loved it. I wanted more than anything to be a WWF/WWE Superstar. Did I get injured? Yes. 6 hip replacements, neck fusion, knee replacement, plus a few other minor injuries, but I was never forced to work hurt and these never stopped me from living my dream. Did I work 7 days a week? Yes, because in the 80s thats what you did to be the best at what you loved. Because of the WWF/WWE I traveled the world, I became a household name, and loved it!

Did I have an addiction to drugs and alcohol? Yes, but not because of wrestling, but because of me. I can tell you, 6 years later I am clean and sober…because of the WWE. The WWE has a program in place where former WWF/WWE Superstars can go to a rehab facility, all expenses paid, no questions asked, which I was able to take advantage of. The WWE has had this program in place since 2007.

Because of the WWF/WWE they allowed me to live my dream and then helped to save my life. I have no regrets or ill feelings, I am grateful for the WWF/WWE for giving this good ole country boy a chance to live his dream. Again, I don’t agree with the law suit, and I wanted you my fans, who have been faithful to me and continue to keep the name Dan Spivey aka Waylon Mercy alive, to know my opinion in this matter.

There were a lot of good hands that never got a chance to work for the WWF/WWE, and part of the law suit is that they want to form a union. For every guy that would walk out, there would be 10 guys that would cross the picket line and work for free just to say that they worked for the WWE.

This statement is my opinion.

Thank you all for all the years that you have supported me
God Bless
Dan Spivey

Earlier, Spivey posted a private message he sent to Billy Jack Haynes, who also has a lawsuit against WWE. Spivey wrote:

This is a private message I sent to Billy Jack yesterday. And since he wants to make this personal, I want everyone to know what I sent to him privately in regards to the law suit, Vince and the WWE and that this is only my opinion, and not receiving any payday for this.
I will make a statement later today as I am off to live my life to the fullest and play golf.
God Bless
“Hi Billy, this is Dan Spivey, sorry it took me so long to get back to you. You ask me about my health. Well I’ve had a neck fusion ,6 hip replacements and a knee replacement. I’ve been through 5 rehab facility for drugs and alcohol addiction, that Vince paid for. For the last 6 years I’ve been clean and sober and for the last 6 years I’ve haven’t had any medical issues. Billy the reason that it has taken me so long to get back to you is, I’ve really been thinking about the lawsuit, and I don’t feel the same way as you guys do about the WWE. In the 1980’s everybody, who was a wrestler wanted to work for the WWE, it was the place to be if you were a wrestler. It was an honor to work there because everyone who liked wrestling knew us. And at the time we made a lot of money. A lot more, than working for anyone else. Vince never ask me to take pain pills he never ask me to take steroids. I did them because I wanted to, not because anyone in the WWE ask me to. I knew what the deal was when I got into, this business of professional wrestling .If I was unable to work I didn’t get paid. If I did get hurt, it was up to me to get well. If it require surgery that was on me. And we all knew that. In 1986 I had to have surgery, I had a fusion done. Vince paid me $500.00 a week for 6 months until I was able to come back to work. No other promotor in the world would have done that. Vince did. I know for myself that if I would have never worked for the WWE, I would have been so disappointed. I would have felt that I was a failure. I wanted to be a wrestler I wanted to work for Vince. No one force me to be a wrestler, it was something that I wanted to do more than anything .There was no other job out there for me to make the money that I did working for the WWE. I took drugs long before I ever worked for the WWE. And I also drank alcohol long before. And I am sure I’m not the only one. As far as a union it will never work in my opinion because for every guy that you can get to walk out, there will be 10 that will work for the WWE for free. Billy you are asking me to take part in the suit, but I just don’t feel that the WWE and Vince owe me anything. If it wasn’t for the WWE no one would know who Dan Spivey was. And I can’t sue them for my decision of a career choice. I chose to be a pro-wrestler and I have no regrets. And if it wasn’t for professional wrestling I wouldn’t have been able to see the world. Billy guys like you and me worked for the WWE because we were special, they thought enough of us to give us opportunity to make good money. There are a lot of boys out there who were great hands in the ring but never got the opportunity that we did to work for the WWE”