In being employed in an industry that requires long stretches away from home, no health benefits, a history of death related to steroid (and drug) abuse, access to groupies, and oftentimes minimal pay, the idea that anyone would seriously consider marrying a pro wrestler is seemingly absurd. Moreover, if a woman in the wrestling industry, the idea of getting married to a wrestler (absolutely knowing this about their lifestyle - and being just as able to fall prey to the same issues) is completely insane. However, this is an occurrence that happens with alarming regularity - oftentimes with the absolute worst of results benefiting nobody at all. The divorces between pro wrestlers and their wives have become the stuff of legend. A story about infidelity here, some drug abuse there, a pre-nuptial agreement getting tossed into the mix (as well as numerous other issues), and when wrestlers get divorced - nine times out of 10 - something industry-rocking usually is the result. In this list, the kayfabe curtain gets rolled back and ten times that that we learned that all-time greats were in a bad way physically, emotionally or financially, and seeing that rising stars are having issues adjusting to success are counted down.
10. Ric Flair/Jacqueline Beems (2013)
Yes, the "jet-flying and limousine-riding" 16-time world heavyweight champion has been divorced three other times, but in this wholly digitally-driven news age, it was with his 2013 divorce from Jacqueline Beems that we learned a bit more about what life is *really* like when a woman in the company of the man who refers to himself as "Space Mountain." While married to Flair, Beems was arrested three times - twice for assaulting her husband and once for a DUI where she was nearly three times over the drunk driving limit. As well, during one of the assault's one of Flair's fresh blade wounds was re-opened and he bled profusely, possibly not unlike the times during marriage number two (to Beth Harrell) that Flair would reportedly " up wrestling scars in order to appear bloody after he called the police on her." As well, the case highlighted Flair's financial woes as the $32,000 owed by Flair to Weems in their divorce settlement went unpaid and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest.
Besides having been an independent professional wrestling manager for a decade, Marcus Dowling is a Washington, DC-based writer who has contributed to a plethora of online and print magazines and newspapers writing about music and popular culture over the past 15 years.
