Ottawa wrestler set for next bout after winning fight of his life

Ottawa wrestler Devon Nicholson, whose dream of competing with the big boyswascrushedwhen he contracted hepatitis C during a match in 2007, is getting another chance.

• Ottawa wrestler claims WWE legend gave him hep C
• Ottawa wrestler 'Hannibal' wins $2.3M hepatitis C lawsuit

Nicholson, 35,known in the wrestling world as Hannibal,fightsFriday at Lansdowne Park'sAberdeen Pavilion ina series of matches to be filmed by IMPACT Wrestling.

IMPACT is the closest rival of World Wrestling Entertainment, the organization Nicholson had hoped to one day join, so Friday's fight isa big deal.

IMPACT broadcasts in such major markets as the U.S.,U.K. andIndia, so this appearance could lead to bigger opportunities, Nicholson said in an interview withCBC Radio's All In A Day.

"Their YouTube channel that has over a million subscribers. It's a lot of recognition to have a match with them," he said.

Friday's fight certainly won't be the biggest of Nicholson's life, however. His fight to overcome hepatitis C, and the subsequentcourt battleagainst the wrestler responsible for himcontracting the disease, far outweighFriday's smackdown.

Bloody bout ledto court battle

"I was actually offered a WWE contract in 2009, and it was during the pre-contract testing that they discovered the hepatitis C was in my system," Nicholson said.

In court Nicholson claimedhecontracted the disease during a 2007 match againstLawrence RobertShreve, the WWEhall-of-famer who wrestles under the name Abdullah the Butcher. Nicholsontold All In A Day that during the match Shreve, who had hepatitis C, cut himself with a razor blade, then cut Nicholsonwith the same blade.

Nicholson suedShrevefor $2.3 million in damages, and won in 2014.

He said the fight to collect that money has been long and difficult, but setting the record straight in court still made it worthwhile.

Former pro wrestler comes back from Hep C

11 years ago

Duration 2:21

Warning: Video contains images some viewers may find disturbing.

Thought career was over

After contracting hepatitis C, Nicholson said he thought his wrestling career was over.

He went through two rounds of treatment. The first, a standard treatment,wasn't successful and put him through hell, he said. The drugs left him feeling depressed.

"I'm a wrestler, I have tough skin," Nicholson said. "But I think someone under the same treatment, that maybe [didn't have] such a thick skin as I do, it could have gone very bad for them. Consideringsuicide is one of the potential side effects."

ThenformerWWEchampion Billy Graham, who also had hepatitis C and had just undergone a liver transplant as a result of the disease, put Nicholson in touch with his doctor at the Mayo Clinic who suggested a new experimental treatment.

It had terrible side effectsincluding insomnia and weight loss,and Nicholson said those weeks of treatment were the hardest of his life.

But it worked. Nicholson was cured of the disease, and is living to fight another day literally.

The wrestling series at Lansdowne Park wraps up Saturday,Nov. 11.