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Three Former Wrestlers Diagnose With CTE or Similar Disease

Three former professional wrestlers, including Mr. Fuji and Superfly Snuka, have been diagnosed with CTE or a similar disease.

Three former professional wrestlers, including Mr. Fuji and Superfly Snuka, have been diagnosed with chronic trauamatic encelopathy or a similar disease, according to a court document filed on behalf of more than 60 former wrestlers who are suing the WWE over injuries they suffered while wrestling. 

The Boston Globe first reported the story. 

In response, the WWE issued a statement calling into question the integrity of the lawyer who is representing the wrestlers, Konstantine Kyros. 

“[Kyros] has been repeatedly admonished by the court for presenting false and misleading information, and no medical report was included in this filing," the statement reads.

"We will review the medical reports when they are made available to us and respond appropriately via the judicial system.’’

Mr. Fuji, whose real name is Harry Fujiwara, died in 2016 at the age of 82. He was diagnosed with dementia ten years before his death. Snuka, who died in January at 73, was found civilly responsible for the death of his girlfriend in 1983. He was charged with third degree murder and involuntary manslaughter, but the charges were dropped after he was found incompetent to stand trial. He died 13 days later, and a postmortem brain exmaination showed he had CTE and Alzheimer's disease, according to the court document.