Originally appeared on E! Online.
A WWE Hall of Famer is fighting for his life.
Abdullah the Butcher (real name: Lawrence Shreeve) has been hospitalized, according to booking agent Steve Stasiak.
“At 84 years old, the Wild Man from the Sudan is battling serious health issues and is currently in the hospital,” Stasiak said in statement on Facebook Oct. 23, using the retired wrestler’s nickname. “Right now, he needs all of us. Let’s come together as fans, friends, and family of this business to send our prayers, positive thoughts, and strength his way.”
He also noted that Abdullah is “one of the most iconic and feared figures to ever step inside a wrestling ring—a man who helped shape the sport with his unforgettable presence from Japan to Puerto Rico to Georgia and beyond.”
The nature of Abdullah’s ailment was not made public. News of his hospitalization comes more than a year after multiple reports reported that he’d been hospitalized in Georgia for intestinal issues. A GoFundMe set up for him in 2024 also noted that he was also “in need of a hip replacement.”
Hulk Hogan’s loved ones continue to mourn the wrestling icon. On Aug. 2, Hulk’s son Nick Hogan attended Night 1 of the WWE’s SummerSlam 2025 event at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
READ: How WWE Kept Brock Lesnar’s Return to the Ring a Secret
Abdullah, who was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2011 despite never being a formal member of the organization, began wrestling in his native Canada as a teenager in the 1950s. He went on to compete in Japan Pro Wrestling in the 1970s and 1980s.
Throughout his career, he faced off against some of the most famous wrestlers in history.
“If the money was right, Abdullah would be there,” reads his WWE bio. “He battled Andre the Giant in front of 25,000 fans in Puerto Rico and clashed with Hulk Hogan in Japan.”
It continued, “The list of The Butcher’s rivals reads like a Hall of Fame itself — The Sheik, Harley Race, Bobo Brazil, Jack Brisco, Stan Hansen, Giant Baba. All these men can attest to the same fact — a champion wasn’t a champion until he came face to face with Abdullah the Butcher.”
