TOKYO (TR) – The former girlfriend of American professional wrestler Bob Sapp, 44, has accused him of domestic violence, the details of which are chronicled in the latest issue of a weekly tabloid.
In Shukan Bunshun (Dec. 28), which hit newsstands on Thursday, the woman, a 39-year-old Japanese national, outlines the abuse she allegedly received from the wrestler, who weighs around 330 pounds, over the course of their six-year relationship.
In photographs taken in March of last year, the woman, who was not named, is shown to have large bruises on the left side of her chin and below her left eye. She also suffered numerous bruises on her right arm, side and leg. The woman documented the incidents of violence and kept medical records from hospitals.
According to the magazine, Sapp and the woman met at the end of 2010. The following year, the pair moved around frequently, including outside of Japan. During that time, he began displaying extreme mood swings. “He would change all of a sudden,” she said. “In hotels, on the Shinkansen bullet train, he would say stuff like, ‘You are having sex with someone else.’ The abuse would go on for hours on end.”
Sapp first attacked her on December 10, 2012, she claimed to the magazine. The following February, he assaulted her again while he was training for a fight in New Jersey. “At around midnight, Sapp returned to the hotel room after a meal in a bad mood,” she remembered. “Suddenly, he dropped me from the height of 1.5 meters to the floor and began hitting my body.”
The woman broke off the relationship with Sapp because of the repeated domestic violence in January of this year.
“Even though I was beaten by such a big guy, I could not escape for many years,” she said. “Those who do not understand the reality of domestic violence may quite easily say, ‘You should have escaped.’ But when you continue to be on the receiving end of violence, both physically and mentally, the power to try something like that has already been taken away.
“The Beast”
Known as “The Beast,” Sapp is a former Minnesota Vikings offensive lineman. He made his professional wrestling debut in 2001. He also participates in mixed-martial arts and kickboxing contest. As of last year, he was on the roster of the Rizin Fighting Federation. The majority of his bouts have been in Japan.
When reached for comment by email about the domestic violence allegations, Sapp did not respond to the magazine. However, he did send a text message via Facebook to apologize to the woman. The message reads: “Oh my baby I’m so sorry. Please please please. I love you 100% with everything. I will stop fight.”
