Post by Destiny on Oct 14, 2005 3:08:01 GMT -5
Muhammad Hassan
Bio
Muhammad Hassan made his TV debut on December 13, 2004, after wrestling dark matches and house shows for about two months. His introductory video and gimmick featured him and his associate introducing themselves. He described himself as a Middle Eastern-American wrestler wanting relief from the increased stereotypes created by the 9/11 attacks, as he enters professional wrestling.
Making his entrance into the WWE, he berated the way media have characterized Arab-Americans after September 11. As an example, he focused his anger on, RAW announcers Jerry "The King" Lawler and Jim Ross. He then went on to defeat Jerry Lawler at New Year's Revolution. In the course of his undefeated streak, Hassan defeated wrestlers such as The Hurricane, Sgt. Slaughter, and Chris Jericho. He also went on to feud with such popular superstars as Shawn Michaels, Hulk Hogan, John Cena, and Batista.
On the June 23, 2005 episode of SmackDown!, it was revealed both Hassan and Daivari were drafted to SmackDown! in the 2005 WWE Draft Lottery. Hassan's move to SmackDown! would spell the beginning of the end of the Hassan character and ultimately his tenure with the WWE. Hassan won his first SmackDown! match against The Big Show with help from Big Show's rival Matt Morgan. The following week, Hassan was involved in a confrontation with The Undertaker.
On the episode of SmackDown! taped on July 4, General Manager Teddy Long put Muhammad Hassan in a match against The Undertaker at the Great American Bash and placed Daivari in a match that night against the Undertaker. Daivari was defeated easily, but Hassan began to "pray" on the ramp, summoning five masked men, dressed almost completely in black. Armed with clubs and a piano wire, they beat and choked the Undertaker into submission, and Hassan put him in the Camel Clutch. Three days later, just hours before the episode was scheduled to air, the July 7th London bombings took place.
The storyline elicited national attention in the New York Post, TV Guide, Variety, and other major media outlets. In response to the criticism, UPN decided that it would monitor the storyline closely and that it did not want the Hassan character on its network that week. Hassan later delivered a promo to the live crowd for the July 14 airing of SmackDown!, but when UPN announced that the segment would be edited, WWE decided to host the video of the segment on its official website. In the segment, Hassan, reiterates that he is an Arab-American and that the American people automatically and unfairly assume that he is a terrorist. Despite being in character, he referred to the real-world media coverage.
It was revealed in late-July 2005 that UPN had pressured WWE to keep Hassan off of their network, effectively removing him from SmackDown! At the Great American Bash 2005, after Hassan's loss in a match with The Undertaker, Hassan was given the Last Ride through an open stage ramp onto a concrete floor where it was reported that he sustained serious injuries and was rushed to a nearby medical facility, apparently a solution aimed to kill off the Hassan character. Several days later, when WWE.com hosted a video of a kayfabe announcement from Theodore Long, where he reiterates the stipulation that Hassan would no longer appear on SmackDown! but left open the possibility of a reappearance on RAW. Due to increasing public pressure, the WWE was forced to later drop the character altogether, with sending Copani and Daivari to their developmental territories to alter their gimmicks. On September 21, 2005, Copani parted ways with the WWE.
Finishers
Camel Clutch 4
Complete Shot
Screens
Videos
Muhammad Hassan: Ringwalk
Muhammad Hassan: Severe beating
Muhammad Hassan: Camel clutch!
