WWE's 10 Most Infamous Talent Wellness Program Suspensions

The WWE's Talent Wellness Program was instituted by the company in 2006, largely because of the sudden death of Eddie Guerrero and the need to monitor what substances the superstars were taking.

It has come under a lot scrutiny, however, because many wrestling fans and people within the business feel that there are too many loopholes in the policy and that it does not apply to the WWE's biggest stars.

We can argue all day about whether that's true or not, but one thing is definitely true: The Wellness Program has caught some big or surprising names and gotten them suspended as a result.

Here are the 10 most infamous Wellness Program suspensions in WWE history.

10. Andy Leavine (2011)

Although never confirmed by the WWE, multiple reports say that Andy Leavine was suspended in August for violating the Talent Wellness Program.

The Tough Enough winner's reported suspension was rather controversial because of both the fact that it was never reported by the company and the image he portrayed on the reality TV show.

Leavine carried himself as a huge family man, one with values who would do anything it took to provide for his family. Yet, he didn't mention using recreational or performance-enhancing drugs as something that would help him do that.

Perhaps we'll never really know if Leavine was suspended, but all indications are that he indeed was, and it will be interesting to see if his suspension so early in his WWE career haunts him for the rest of it.

9. William Regal (2008)

In 2008, William Regal was in the midst of the biggest push of his career when he suspended for 60 days for his second violation of the Wellness Policy.

It literally could not have come at a worse time for Regal.

He was working as a huge heel on Monday Night Raw as the show's General Manager, and he had just won the King of the Ring tournament. But the suspension forced the WWE to write Regal off of TV by having him lose a "Loser gets fired" match to Mr. Kennedy.

Regal would return as a "free agent" later that year, but his push was gone.

And it's never come back. 

8. Carlito (2010)

"I spit in the face of people who try to make me to go to rehab." That's probably what Carlito said before parting ways with the WWE in 2010.

He is one of the rare examples of a WWE star being released for his first violation of the Talent Wellness Program, because it is company policy to release a wrestler only after his third suspension.

On May 21, 2010, Carlito was released by the WWE after being popped by the program and subsequently refusing to enter a WWE-sponsored rehabilitation program.

I liked Carlito, so I hated to see him go. But I think I feel even worse for his brother, Primo, who's been completely lost in the WWE without his former tag team partner.

7. Jeff Hardy (2008)

In early 2008, Jeff Hardy was one of the fastest-rising superstars in the WWE, an incredibly popular guy who seemed destined for the main event scene.

But we all know that Hardy has a well-documented history of substance abuse, and that postponed his ascension to the top of the company.

He was suspended for 60 days in March of that year for his second violation of the Wellness Program, causing him to drop the Intercontinental Championship to Chris Jericho on Raw and miss WrestleMania.

Hardy was scheduled to participate in the Money in the Bank match at the granddaddy of them all, and many had pegged him as the early favorite to capture the briefcase.

That didn't happen, but Hardy did wind up winning the World Heavyweight Championship not long after his return from suspension. 

6. Rey Mysterio (2009)

In the summer of 2009, one of the WWE's most popular superstars, Rey Mysterio,was suspended for 30 days for violating the Wellness Policy.

He would later claim that he was using a prescription drug for injuries to his arm and knee, but he was unable to produce said prescription in time to avoid being suspended. 

Mysterio's suspension itself isn't really what made this so memorable, though.

Numerous online reports state that Mysterio, the Intercontinental Champion at the time, reportedly refused to drop his title to Dolph Ziggler (who he was feuding with) and instead persuaded management to let him drop the strap to John Morrison.

First, a suspension and then a refusal to put someone else over? What a company guy, huh?

5. Sin Cara (2011)

Sin Cara (a.k.a. Mistico) entered the WWE earlier this year with more hype than just about anyone in recent memory.

Mistico had been the biggest star in Mexico for several years, and many within the WWE expected that success to translate to their company as well.

So much for that.

Sin Cara quickly developed a reputation as a botch machine, and before we knew it, he was suspended for 30 days for his first violation of the Wellness Policy. His suspension resulted in the debut of the impostor Sin Cara and a feud between the two that now has Sin Cara 2 working as Hunico on Smackdown.

Overall, the only memorable thing about Sin Cara has been his fondness for disappointing us and everyone in the WWE.

4. Rob Van Dam (2006)

Perhaps more than any other well-known wrestler, Rob Van Dam isn't afraid to broadcast his love for a certain recreational drug.

But in July 2006, his habit of smoking marijuana got him in hot water with the WWE...and the police.

After being arrested for drug possession, RVD lost both the WWE and ECW Championships, had Paul Heyman turn on him (on-screen that is) and was suspended for 30 days all within a matter of a couple of days.

Hmm, I wonder if that was worth it?

3. Kurt Angle (2006)

Kurt Angle has opened up about his problems with drug use over the years, and those problems were never bigger than in 2006, when he was suspended by the WWE after issues with both performance-enhancing drugs and prescription painkillers.

Angle has gone on record in saying that he was working injured and that he wasn't given the time off that he had requested. So, he asked for his release and parted ways with the WWE.

The decision was probably a lifesaver for Angle, yet still one that sent shock waves through the wrestling world at the time.

Angle would sign a contract with TNA Wrestling soon after his WWE contract expired.

2. Umaga (2009)

The WWE Talent Wellness Program states that a wrestler's contract can be terminated after his third failed drug test.

But in June 2009, Umaga was released by the WWE after being suspended for his second violation of the policy.

Why? Because, much like Carlito, he refused to enter a rehabilitation program.

I wish Umaga would have taken the WWE up on its offer.

Just seven months later in December 2009, Umaga (real name: Eddie Fatu) passed away of acute toxicity, and an autopsy revealed that Umaga had ingested a deadly combination of Valium, hydocodone and muscle relaxers.

R.I.P. Umaga.

1. The Signature Pharmacy Scandal (2007)

Suspended Stars: Booker T, Charlie Haas, Chavo Guerrero, Chris Masters, Edge, Funaki, Gregory Helms, John Morrison, Mr. Kennedy, Randy Orton, Snitsky, Umaga and William Regal 

The Signature Pharmacy scandal rocked the wrestling world in 2007.

A number of WWE stars were suspended after being identified as clients of Signature Pharmacy in Orlando, a company that was found to have distributed steroids and prescription drugs to clients who had not gotten prescriptions from legitimate doctors.

It's unclear as to who was actually suspended because someone like Randy Orton never missed any TV time, but Chris Masters was nowhere to be found for a while.

Either way, though, the Signature Pharmacy scandal will always be remember as the biggest Wellness policy busy in WWE history—and one that likely will never be matched.