10 Things We Learned From Dark Side Of The Ring: Billy Jack Haynes
6. Why The WWF Really Let Him Go
One of those legal 'yes or no' moments happened when VICE asked Billy Jack to talk about why he was let go by the WWF in 1988. Haynes wasn't 100% sure whether or not he should freely discuss the true story, but his lawyer summed it up by saying: "Well, it happened". Billy Jack didn't need too much convincing after that. He was happy to recap the real drama.
There'd often been a shadowy, mysterious air to BJ's departure throughout the 90s and into the new millennium. Most reasoned that Haynes was released from his contract because he'd grown far too comfortable with missing scheduled dates, and tag partner Ken Patera does say on this very episode that Billy Jack turned up at the venue after a show was finished one time.
That undoubtedly went against the pair; Vince McMahon wasn't going to push the team when he couldn't rely on them, which irked Patera. However, that's not the main reason why Billy Jack was cut loose. No, he'd overdosed on pills during a flight and almost died. Medics had to revive the stricken wrestler twice. They'd nearly lost him, and it wasn't a great look for the shiny, family friendly WWF.
McMahon didn't want to deal with the negative publicity something like that would bring about, so he made the call to get rid of Haynes for good. That was a bitter, sudden end to Billy Jack's popular run with the market leading promotion. He's gone from working featured bouts vs. Hercules at WrestleMania III to finding himself rushed through the exit doors.
That overdose was cited as the main reason why on 'Dark Side'.