Japanese pro wrestling legend Bull Nakano spoke with Oricon News, describing how she was hospitalized last year with liver disease after years of alcohol abuse.
In July 2020, the former WWE Women’s Champion was hospitalized with cirrhosis after experiencing symptoms such as flaky skin, loss of hair, and her abdomen swelling with ascites. Nakano stated that she was forced to wear diapers at work after coughing up excrement.
“I was told a long time ago that I would have to be hospitalized for treatment,” said Nakano. “However, I could not stay in the hospital for a long time due to my work, so I stopped going to the hospital. Eventually, though, I started coughing up excrement and had to wear diapers at work.”
According to the Japanese article, Nakano would empty three bottles of 750ml shochu a day during her active pro wrestler years. She explained how her health had been significantly enhanced since she stopped drinking.
“Until now, I could not imagine a life without drinking,” Nakano admitted. “But after I was hospitalized and did not drink for about two months, I did not have the desire to drink anymore even after I left the hospital. Quitting drinking made my body healthier, and I was able to live a more regular life. I can make good use of my time from morning tonight, and that is just a good thing.”
Nakano added, “I thought to myself, ‘If I continue like this, I will become an alcoholic.’ There was not a day that went by that I did not drink, and I had no intention of quitting, so if I had not had cirrhosis of the liver, I would still be drinking. I quit drinking when my health deteriorated, but I still love to drink… (laughs). (laughs) Even if I had become an alcoholic, I probably would not have known it myself.”
Nakano blamed fellow pro wrestlers for drinking alcohol underage.
“I was underage when I started so that I could not drink, but there were times in my life when I was forced to drink, and there were also times when I was forced to drink because I was under pressure, so that is how I was trained and became stronger.”
