10 Things Wrestling Fans Should Know About The Original Sheik

Mention the Sheik to most wrestling fans, and they automatically think of the Iron Sheik. But before he became a star, another man known as the Sheik became an icon in wrestling. Long before hardcore wrestling became a thing, Ed Farhat was brutal in the ring, attacking people with weapons and throwing fireballs. That made him a huge name from America (including runs with WWE) to Japan.

While Farhart’s desire to always be a star would hurt things in the end, his legacy as an icon in wrestling has been assured. It’s been added to by his refusing to drop his act and a nephew who became a hardcore legend in his own right. A recent biography finally highlighted his story, but here are ten things wrestling fans should know about the Sheik and why he was the most feared man in wrestling for decades.

10 Farhat Served His Country

Born as one of ten children in 1926, Farhat quit school to help his family work in the Depression. When World War II broke out, he tried to lie about his age so he could enlist in the army. While that failed, he was drafted when he turned 18, serving nearly two years before being honorably discharged in 1946.

That gave him some experience around the world which he’d use for his fame. Later married to his valet, Joyce, with two sons (both of whom have sadly passed away in recent years), Farhat’s family life was a far cry from his later character.

9 The Sheik Was Inspired By Real Life

Abdullah Farouk (a.k.a. The Grand Wizard) and The Original Sheik

Born to Lebanese immigrants, Farhat decided to utilize that when crafting his wrestling gimmick. After starting as himself, he became the Sheik of Araby, the supposedly privileged son of a rich Middle Eastern family. While that was good, Farhat decided to drop the wealthy part and transformed into a wild brawler.

He was aided by manager Abdullah Faraouk, who’d later become famous as the Grand Wizard. Soon, the Sheik was a hit out of Detroit to become a star, thanks to being a brutal wrestler the likes of which the business had never known.

8 He Lived His Gimmick

Even in a time when kayfabe was held sacred, Farhat took it to a new level. No known footage exists where he isn’t the Sheik. Even his own family and friends were told never to address him by his real name.

The closest he came were the annual NWA meetings and even then, he’d be in flashy outfits and only addressed as “Sheik.” In public, he would howl and scream, glower at everyone and keep appearances up. When he was given a major honor later in his life, he still showed up in character. Farhat lived his gimmick like few wrestlers in history to add to his amazing mystique.

7 His Big Time Wrestling Was A Big Territory

Through the late 1950s, the Sheik had wrestled for the Detroit-based Big Time Wrestling promotion. In 1964, with his fame assured, the Sheik bought out the promotion, with father-in-law Francis Flese as the puppet “President” so the Sheik could keep up his act.

The Cobo Arena was their home for constant sellout shows as Big Time was a major deal. They had a real-life promotional war with Dick the Bruiser’s WWA, but the economic troubles of Detroit would lead to Big Time going under in 1980. Yet, for its time, it was as hot as any territory in the business thanks to its main star running things.

6 He Was Famous For Bloody Feuds

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, wrestling magazines loved to show covers of the Sheik, usually with his face covered in blood. With his wild antics of brutalizing opponents and throwing fireballs, the Sheik was big business wherever he went.

His main opponent was Bobo Brazil as their long war waged for decades across the Midwest. He also had memorable wars with Freddie Blassie, Bruno Sammartino and Abdullah the Butcher, as the Sheik’s trailblazing hardcore ways made him known as the most dangerous man in wrestling. He also aided in training Muhammad Ali in his famous bout with Antonio Inoki to be a trailblazer.

5 He Mentored Some Great Stars

While Farhat wasn’t quite known as a warm-hearted guy, he did manage to give a break to various wrestlers who would soon emulate his ways. That included Dusty Rhodes, who certainly emulated the Sheik in some bloody wars.

Likewise, the Sheik helped Lawrence Shreve latch onto the character of Abdullah the Butcher, who became a hardcore icon in his own right. Farhat also gave a break to a young worker by the name of Randy Poffo and the advice that turned him into Randy Savage. Finally, the Sheik trained a young Rob Van Dam as he had an eye for some amazing future superstars.

4 He Dominated The United States Title

Most associate the United States title with WCW, but various territories had their versions as well. Farhat’s was the most famous of that bunch and throughout its history, no one held it as long or as often as he. His first reign started in 1965 and lasted over two years.

From there, the Sheik held the belt another eleven times, trading it back and forth with Bobo Brazil, Johnny Valentine and others. While other guys did hold the belt in that time, the Sheik basically owned it until Big Time Wrestling went out of business in 1980. That championship around the Sheik’s waist was a familiar sight to fans for decades.

3 Not Losing Was A Big Deal For Him

If there was one major issue with the Sheik, it was that losing was something he hated doing. The few times he did lose, it was by disqualification or countout, almost never a clean pin. Even when he lost the U.S. title, there had to be shady stuff coming to protect him. It was also a reason it was harder for him to work in other promotions, as he wouldn’t even put Bruno Sammartino over.

This too-familiar formula was a key reason Big Time went under and led to Farhat being blackballed by the NWA. Even in Japan, he had that problem and while Farhat defended it by protecting his mystique, his failure to lose clean harmed some of his standing in the business.

2 Sabu Is His Nephew

Through the 1980s, the Sheik would still ply his trade in the indies and a bit of fame in the documentary I Like To Hurt People. He gained further fame by mentoring his nephew Terry Brunk, who became Sabu.

Sabu clearly emulated his uncle from his outfit to never speaking English in public to obviously the hardcore brawling. Farhat aided Sabu getting into the business and one of his final appearances was managing Sabu in ECW. It’s clear how the Sheik’s legacy lived on in his nephew.

1 His End Was Sad But His Legacy Great

In 1992, while trying for a comeback, Farhat was put into a coma during a deathmatch. A broken leg in 1995 finally ended his in-ring career for good. Having blown through most of his once-great fortune, Farhat passed away in January 2003 at the age of 76.

He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by Sabu and RVD in 2007 and honored as a pioneer of hardcore wrestling. The recent book Blood and Fire shared many of his secrets as the Sheik’s legacy as a legend in the business remains assured.