Billy Jack Haynes
Encyclopedia
William Albert Haynes, III (born July 10, 1953 in Portland
, Oregon
) is a retired American
professional wrestler
better known as Billy Jack Haynes.
's "Dungeon" and briefly wrestled in Hart's Stampede Wrestling
under his given name, forming a tag team with Bruce Hart
. He started wrestling as Billy Jack in the Pacific Northwest territory but had to change his name when Tom Laughlin
(who starred in the movie Billy Jack
) threatened to sue him. He added his real last name to the gimmick and continued to work as a face.
in 1985. He started splitting his time between Portland Wrestling and CWF and wrestled with partner Wahoo McDaniel
in the National Wrestling Alliance
's Jim Crockett Promotions
where they feuded with Ole
and Arn Anderson
. He had just begun a feud with The Barbarian
over who was the strongest man in the territory when he abruptly left the company after a confrontation with Jim Crockett in his office which became physical.
and feuded with "Macho Man" Randy Savage
over the Intercontinental Title and then with Hercules Hernandez
over who was stronger, more muscular, and who had a better version of the full nelson (their mutual finishing maneuver). Their feud in the WWF peaked with what was dubbed "The Battle of the Full Nelsons" at WrestleMania III
, where the two men battled to a double count-out. After the bell, Hercules used his trademark chain to bloody Haynes. In the months to follow, the two had a series of "chain matches," where they were attached at the wrist by a long chain which could also be used as a weapon during the match. Haynes later teamed with Ken Patera
to feud with Demolition
after a television match where Demolition left Haynes, Patera, and Brady Boone (who played Haynes' cousin) beaten and laying in the ring. Haynes' departure from the WWF has been a subject of controversy considering the dramatic changes in the story every time Haynes tells it. In one version, he says he quit the WWF after refusing to do a job
in his hometown of Portland, Oregon. Another account of the same incident reported that he actually wrestled the match with the finish reworked and then fired afterwards. Finally, in a shoot interview, Haynes claims the WWF wanted him to lose the tag match in Portland, but when he said no, the WWF fired him.
in 1988 and wrestled in their independents, including forming his own promotion, Oregon Wrestling Federation. In the early '90s he did several shows for Herb Abrams
' Universal Wrestling Federation, where they built up another strongman feud between Haynes and Ken Patera
. Haynes returned to the major promotions when he appeared under a mask in World Championship Wrestling
as Black Blood in Kevin Sullivan
's stable. He soon left WCW after a severe knee injury. After a year and a half of rehabbing, he went back to the PNW territory where he was a heel this time and feuded with top babyface Steve Doll
. He spoke out against Vince McMahon
and the WWF in 1992 when McMahon was indicted on steroid charges, and stated that the working conditions were terrible and about how ruthless McMahon was. He showed up next in the United States Wrestling Association
in 1995 and retired in early 1996.
, who is from England
, in order for her to continue to work in the United States. Haynes married his third wife Meredith Fletcher on April 16, 2008.
Haynes ended up in a hospital when he was attacked outside a body shop on Southeast Foster Road in Portland. This was due to Haynes' skimming off the top while being a mule
in a marijuana
smuggling
operation some years ago after finding out that he was being underpaid and lied to. Unbeknownst to him, he was transporting cocaine
and not marijuana. Haynes himself admitted the motivation behind the attack on his person since the statute of limitations
on the laws he broke had run out.
In 2009, during a shoot interview with RF Video, Haynes criticized Vince McMahon for the deaths of several WWE wrestlers. He went as far as to blame McMahon for the Chris Benoit double murder and suicide
and claiming that Daniel Benoit was actually McMahon's son, causing Benoit to commit the crimes after making the discovery. He also claims to have contracted the Hepatitis-C disease.
In the same year, Haynes opened a restaurant in his hometown of Portland.
Haynes' wife, Meredith, gave birth to their first child, son Preston Jack Haynes, on May 9, 2009.
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
) is a retired American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional wrestler
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
better known as Billy Jack Haynes.
Early career (1982-1984)
Haynes started wrestling in 1982 at the age of 28. He trained in Stu HartStu Hart
Stewart Edward "Stu" Hart, CM was a Canadian amateur wrestler, professional wrestler, promoter and trainer. Hart founded Stampede Wrestling, a promotion based in Calgary, Alberta, and was the father of famous wrestlers Bret and Owen Hart...
's "Dungeon" and briefly wrestled in Hart's Stampede Wrestling
Stampede Wrestling
Stampede Wrestling is a Canadian professional wrestling promotion based in Calgary, Alberta and was for nearly 50 years one of the main promotions in western Canada and the Canadian Prairies...
under his given name, forming a tag team with Bruce Hart
Bruce Hart (wrestler)
Bruce Dennis Luis Hart is a retired Canadian professional wrestler. The second son of Stu Hart, Hart is a member of the large Hart wrestling family.Hart substitute teaches for the Calgary Board of Education.-Career:...
. He started wrestling as Billy Jack in the Pacific Northwest territory but had to change his name when Tom Laughlin
Tom Laughlin (actor)
Tom Laughlin is an American actor, director, screenwriter, author, educator and political activist. Laughlin is best known for his series of Billy Jack films. He has been married to Delores Taylor since 1954. Taylor has also co-produced and acted in all four of the Billy Jack films...
(who starred in the movie Billy Jack
Billy Jack
Billy Jack is a 1971 action film. It is the second, and highest grossing, in a series of motion pictures centering on a character of the same name, played by Tom Laughlin who also directed and co-wrote the script. Filming began in Prescott, Arizona, in fall 1969, but the movie was not completed...
) threatened to sue him. He added his real last name to the gimmick and continued to work as a face.
Championship Wrestling from Florida and Pacific Northwest Wrestling (1984-1986)
He feuded heavily with Rip Oliver until 1984, when he had a brief run in Championship Wrestling from Florida and then a run in World Class Championship WrestlingWorld Class Championship Wrestling
World Class Championship Wrestling ' was a regional professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. Originally owned by promoter Ed McLemore, by 1966 it was run by Southwest Sports, Inc., whose president, Jack Adkisson, was better known as wrestler Fritz Von Erich...
in 1985. He started splitting his time between Portland Wrestling and CWF and wrestled with partner Wahoo McDaniel
Wahoo McDaniel
Edward "Wahoo" McDaniel was a Choctaw-Chickasaw Native American who achieved fame as a professional American football player and later as a professional wrestler.-Early life:...
in the National Wrestling Alliance
National Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
's Jim Crockett Promotions
Jim Crockett Promotions
Jim Crockett Promotions was a professional wrestling promotion owned by Jim Crockett, Jr. until the late 1980s. It was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance and was the forerunner to World Championship Wrestling .-Early history:...
where they feuded with Ole
Ole Anderson
Alan Robert Rogowski , better known by his ring name of Ole Anderson, is a retired professional wrestler and a promoter. He held numerous NWA World Tag Team Championships with Gene Anderson, who was portrayed as his brother...
and Arn Anderson
Arn Anderson
Martin Anthony Lunde better known by his ring name Arn Anderson, is a former American professional wrestler and author. His career has been highlighted by his alliances with Ric Flair and various members of the wrestling stable, The Four Horsemen, in the NWA/WCW...
. He had just begun a feud with The Barbarian
Sione Vailahi
Sione Havea Vailahi is a professional wrestler best known in wrestling as The Barbarian.-Life and career:Born and raised in Tonga, Sione was one of five teenagers sent by the King of Tonga to Japan to study Sumo wrestling in the mid 1970s. Tonga Fifita was one of the other teenagers...
over who was the strongest man in the territory when he abruptly left the company after a confrontation with Jim Crockett in his office which became physical.
World Wrestling Federation (1986-1988)
In 1986, Haynes went to the World Wrestling FederationWorld Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
and feuded with "Macho Man" Randy Savage
Randy Savage
Randall Mario Poffo , better known by his ring name "Macho Man" Randy Savage, was an American professional wrestler, best known for his time with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling .Savage held twenty championships during his professional wrestling career and was a...
over the Intercontinental Title and then with Hercules Hernandez
Ray Fernandez
Raymond Fernandez was a professional wrestler who primarily wrestled in Florida and Texas before joining the World Wrestling Federation. He was best known by the ring name Hercules Hernandez or simply Hercules...
over who was stronger, more muscular, and who had a better version of the full nelson (their mutual finishing maneuver). Their feud in the WWF peaked with what was dubbed "The Battle of the Full Nelsons" at WrestleMania III
WrestleMania III
WrestleMania III was the third annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . The event was held on March 29, 1987 at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan....
, where the two men battled to a double count-out. After the bell, Hercules used his trademark chain to bloody Haynes. In the months to follow, the two had a series of "chain matches," where they were attached at the wrist by a long chain which could also be used as a weapon during the match. Haynes later teamed with Ken Patera
Ken Patera
Ken Patera is a former professional wrestler, Olympic weightlifter, and Strongman competitor.-Weightlifting/Strongman career:Patera is a former Olympic weightlifter and American powerlifter...
to feud with Demolition
Demolition (professional wrestling)
Demolition is a professional wrestling tag team most prominent during the late 1980s / early 1990s in the World Wrestling Federation made up of Ax , Smash , and later Crush . In WWF, Demolition were three-time Tag Team Champions, and hold the records for both the single longest tag title reign...
after a television match where Demolition left Haynes, Patera, and Brady Boone (who played Haynes' cousin) beaten and laying in the ring. Haynes' departure from the WWF has been a subject of controversy considering the dramatic changes in the story every time Haynes tells it. In one version, he says he quit the WWF after refusing to do a job
Job (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling slang, the term job describes a losing performance in a wrestling match. It is derived from the euphemism "doing one's job", which was employed to protect kayfabe. As professional wrestling is scripted, inevitably a wrestler will be required to lose to an opponent.The term...
in his hometown of Portland, Oregon. Another account of the same incident reported that he actually wrestled the match with the finish reworked and then fired afterwards. Finally, in a shoot interview, Haynes claims the WWF wanted him to lose the tag match in Portland, but when he said no, the WWF fired him.
Other Wrestling Promotions (1988-1996)
Haynes went back to OregonOregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
in 1988 and wrestled in their independents, including forming his own promotion, Oregon Wrestling Federation. In the early '90s he did several shows for Herb Abrams
Herb Abrams
Herb C. Abrams was an American professional wrestling promoter from New York.-Career:Abrams founded the Universal Wrestling Federation in 1990 and remained CEO of the company until his death...
' Universal Wrestling Federation, where they built up another strongman feud between Haynes and Ken Patera
Ken Patera
Ken Patera is a former professional wrestler, Olympic weightlifter, and Strongman competitor.-Weightlifting/Strongman career:Patera is a former Olympic weightlifter and American powerlifter...
. Haynes returned to the major promotions when he appeared under a mask in World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
as Black Blood in Kevin Sullivan
Kevin Sullivan (wrestler)
Kevin Francis Sullivan is an American professional wrestler and booker, perhaps best known for his role in WCW as "The Taskmaster" and his leading of the "Dungeon of Doom".-Early career:...
's stable. He soon left WCW after a severe knee injury. After a year and a half of rehabbing, he went back to the PNW territory where he was a heel this time and feuded with top babyface Steve Doll
Steve Doll
Steve Doll was an American professional wrestler, best known for his tenure in the World Wrestling Federation as Steven Dunn in the tag team Well Dunn.-Professional wrestling career:...
. He spoke out against Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
and the WWF in 1992 when McMahon was indicted on steroid charges, and stated that the working conditions were terrible and about how ruthless McMahon was. He showed up next in the United States Wrestling Association
United States Wrestling Association
The United States Wrestling Association or USWA was a professional wrestling promotion based in Memphis, Tennessee. It was founded by former CWA owner Jerry Jarrett.-Foundation:...
in 1995 and retired in early 1996.
Personal life
Haynes was briefly married to Jeannie ClarkJeannie Clark
Jeannie Clark is a former professional wrestling manager and the former wife of three professional wrestlers, including Stone Cold Steve Austin...
, who is from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, in order for her to continue to work in the United States. Haynes married his third wife Meredith Fletcher on April 16, 2008.
Haynes ended up in a hospital when he was attacked outside a body shop on Southeast Foster Road in Portland. This was due to Haynes' skimming off the top while being a mule
Mule (smuggling)
A mule or courier is someone who smuggles something with him or her across a national border, including bringing in to and out of an international plane, especially a small amount, transported for a smuggling organization. The organizers employ mules to reduce the risk of getting caught...
in a marijuana
Cannabis (drug)
Cannabis, also known as marijuana among many other names, refers to any number of preparations of the Cannabis plant intended for use as a psychoactive drug or for medicinal purposes. The English term marijuana comes from the Mexican Spanish word marihuana...
smuggling
Smuggling
Smuggling is the clandestine transportation of goods or persons, such as out of a building, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations.There are various motivations to smuggle...
operation some years ago after finding out that he was being underpaid and lied to. Unbeknownst to him, he was transporting cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
and not marijuana. Haynes himself admitted the motivation behind the attack on his person since the statute of limitations
Statute of limitations
A statute of limitations is an enactment in a common law legal system that sets the maximum time after an event that legal proceedings based on that event may be initiated...
on the laws he broke had run out.
In 2009, during a shoot interview with RF Video, Haynes criticized Vince McMahon for the deaths of several WWE wrestlers. He went as far as to blame McMahon for the Chris Benoit double murder and suicide
Chris Benoit double murder and suicide
The Chris Benoit double murder suicide occurred over a three-day period ending on June 24, 2007. World Wrestling Entertainment professional wrestler Chris Benoit killed his wife, Nancy Benoit, strangled his seven-year-old son, Daniel, and subsequently committed suicide by hanging. Autopsy results...
and claiming that Daniel Benoit was actually McMahon's son, causing Benoit to commit the crimes after making the discovery. He also claims to have contracted the Hepatitis-C disease.
In the same year, Haynes opened a restaurant in his hometown of Portland.
Haynes' wife, Meredith, gave birth to their first child, son Preston Jack Haynes, on May 9, 2009.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Full nelson
- La Guillotine (Diving knee drop)
Championships and accomplishments
- Championship Wrestling from Florida
- NWA Florida Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA Florida Heavyweight ChampionshipThe NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship was a major title in Championship Wrestling from Florida, USA and is now the major title in NWA Florida. It started in 1937 and was abandoned in 1949. It was picked back up in 1966 by CWF and lasted until 1987 when the company was purchased by Jim Crockett...
(1 time) - NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Florida version) (1 time) - with Wahoo McDanielWahoo McDanielEdward "Wahoo" McDaniel was a Choctaw-Chickasaw Native American who achieved fame as a professional American football player and later as a professional wrestler.-Early life:...
- Oregon Wrestling Federation
- OWF Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
- Pacific Northwest WrestlingPacific Northwest WrestlingPacific Northwest Wrestling is the common name used to refer to several different professional wrestling companies, both past and present, based in Portland, Oregon, United States. The first such company was founded by Herb Owen in 1925...
- NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight ChampionshipThe NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance and defended in its member promotion Pacific Northwest Wrestling, which promoted shows in the U.S...
(5 times) - NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team ChampionshipNWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team ChampionshipThe NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling championship sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance and defended in its member promotion Pacific Northwest Wrestling, which promoted shows in the U.S...
(3 times) - with Stan StasiakStan StasiakGeorge Stipich , better known by his ring name Stan Stasiak, was a Canadian professional wrestler and fifth World Wide Wrestling Federation Champion. He is the father of professional wrestler Shawn Stasiak.-Career:...
(2) and Ricky VaughnLance Von ErichWilliam Kevin Vaughan is a retired American professional wrestler, best known under the ring name Lance Von Erich.-Wrestling as "Ricky Vaughan":Vaughan started wrestling in the NWA's Pacific Northwest territory as Ricky Vaughan in 1984...
- Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- PWI Most Improved Wrestler of the Year (1984)
- United States Wrestling AssociationUnited States Wrestling AssociationThe United States Wrestling Association or USWA was a professional wrestling promotion based in Memphis, Tennessee. It was founded by former CWA owner Jerry Jarrett.-Foundation:...
- USWA Southern Heavyweight ChampionshipAWA Southern Heavyweight ChampionshipThe Memphis Wrestling Southern Heavyweight Championship is a major professional wrestling title in the Memphis Wrestling promotion. The title is part of a long lineage that is best known while the title was named the AWA Southern Heavyweight Championship for Continental Wrestling Association during...
(2 times)
- World Class Championship WrestlingWorld Class Championship WrestlingWorld Class Championship Wrestling ' was a regional professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. Originally owned by promoter Ed McLemore, by 1966 it was run by Southwest Sports, Inc., whose president, Jack Adkisson, was better known as wrestler Fritz Von Erich...
- WCCW Television ChampionshipWCCW Television ChampionshipThe WCWA Television Championship was a secondary championship that was used and defended in the World Class Wrestling Association. Originally created in 1979 as the WCCW Television Championship, it was primarily defended on their weekly television show...
(1 time)