You remember Mohammed Hassan? [Archive]

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The Naitch

09-28-2010, 01:08 PM

http://sabbah.biz/mt/images/mohammedhassanWWE_01.jpg

Didn't he leave to pursue acting? He was money during his short time in WWE

BollywoodSingh

09-28-2010, 01:10 PM

So I know UPN (or whatever network Smackdown was on at the time) wanted WWE to get rid of this character. So, why didn't WWE just put him back on Raw instead of ending his WWE career?

Snowden

09-28-2010, 01:14 PM

So I know UPN (or whatever network Smackdown was on at the time) wanted WWE to get rid of this character. So, why didn't WWE just put him back on Raw instead of ending his WWE career?

Probably because of the general backlash surrounding his character/the piano wire incident airing the day of the London bombings. If he stuck around they probably believed they were risking significant negative publicity.

The Naitch

09-28-2010, 01:18 PM

SmackDown! controversy

On the episode of SmackDown! taped on July 4, General Manager Theodore 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 in black shirts, ski-masks, and camo pants. Armed with clubs and a piano wire, they beat and choked the Undertaker out, and Hassan put him in the Camel Clutch. Afterward, the masked men lifted Daivari above their heads and carried him away. Three days later, hours before the episode was scheduled to air, the London bombings took place.[24] Without sufficient time to properly edit the segment out of the show, UPN showed the footage unedited in the United States and on The Score in Canada with an advisory warning shown several times during the broadcast. It was removed from the Australian and European (including in the UK) broadcasts.[25]

The angle 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.[26] 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 of the storyline, singling out the New York Post's Don Kaplan by name, and denouncing his description of the events on SmackDown!, such as Kaplan's comment of the masked men being "Arabs in ski masks". On the July 14 episode of SmackDown!, Hassan's absence was explained by a statement delivered by his lawyer, which said that Hassan refused to appear on the show until that month's Great American Bash due to the way he had been treated by the media and WWE fans.[27]

It was revealed in late July 2005 that UPN had pressured WWE to keep Hassan off of their network, effectively removing him from SmackDown![28] However, Hassan had been booked as the winner in his number one contender's match against the Undertaker at The Great American Bash, setting up a Batista-Hassan match for the World Heavyweight Championship at SummerSlam and winning the title. With no chance of having Hassan wrestle on SmackDown!, the Undertaker won the match instead. At the Great American Bash, after Hassan's loss, he was given the Last Ride through an open stage ramp onto a concrete floor where it was reported that he sustained serious injuries and had to be rushed to a nearby medical facility, apparently a solution aimed to end the Hassan character.[29] Several days later, 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!. He said to Hassan, "You can go to Raw, or you can go anywhere else in the world. But as far as I'm concerned, you can go to hell!!" Due to increasing public pressure, the WWE was forced to later drop the character altogether, sending Copani and Daivari to their developmental territories to alter their gimmicks. This resulted in huge fan backlash, mostly because Hassan was at the height of popularity (or notoriety, as it would be, since the character was a villain). Copani was released from his WWE contract on September 21, 2005.

The Pope

09-28-2010, 01:18 PM

Muhammad Hassan?

Schlomey

09-28-2010, 01:19 PM

I don't remember Hassan. I was on a break.

Xero

09-28-2010, 01:47 PM

VSG

09-28-2010, 01:59 PM

:'(

Of course I remember him!

BizarroKing

09-28-2010, 02:42 PM

The funny thing is, he gets released yet Davari returned to Raw a few months later...WTF?

The Naitch

09-28-2010, 02:45 PM

Daivari kinda got lost in the shuffle after Hassan left. Nobody cared about him. He was best when he was just a mouthpiece. I think he bacame Khali's mouthpiece for a while too, didn't he?

Dark-Slicer Diago

09-28-2010, 03:03 PM

Yeah he did, and I do miss Muhammad Hassan.

Rammsteinmad

09-28-2010, 03:10 PM

From what I remember he wasn't that good in the ring, but he was a good speaker and definitely had the right gimmick to get heat. Shame he was released though.

Kane Knight

09-28-2010, 03:15 PM

So I know UPN (or whatever network Smackdown was on at the time) wanted WWE to get rid of this character. So, why didn't WWE just put him back on Raw instead of ending his WWE career?

It was an amicable end.

MoFo

09-28-2010, 03:15 PM

He was scheduled to win the title at Summerslam?

WOW.

Loose Cannon

09-28-2010, 03:23 PM

:nono: I do not like to talk about this subject. such a waste

MoFo

09-28-2010, 03:25 PM

He was scheduled to win the title at Summerslam?

WOW.

Rollermacka

09-28-2010, 03:30 PM

Kane Knight

09-28-2010, 03:49 PM

He was scheduled to win the title at Summerslam?

WOW.

He was scheduled to win the title at Summerslam?

WOW.

Ermaximus

09-28-2010, 04:01 PM

WWE must've been really high on him to want to put him over both Taker and Batista.

MoFo

09-28-2010, 04:02 PM

lol wtf at posting that twice.

MoFo

09-28-2010, 04:03 PM

He was shit anyway, why the fuck were they putting the title on him

BizarroKing

09-28-2010, 04:08 PM

Is there any confirmation they were actually gonna put the belt on him or just get a shot at the belt? If he actually did, he probably would have been the youngest champion at the time...

nelioneil

09-28-2010, 04:10 PM

Is there any confirmation they were actually gonna put the belt on him or just get a shot at the belt? If he actually did, he probably would have been the youngest champion at the time...

Yeah he did not seem to wrestle many matches from what I remember, that would have been a HUGGE step up

Cuse8

09-28-2010, 04:14 PM

hes from syracuse and used to routinely shop at where I used to work (for non wrestling atire) he was a very quiet and reserved guy so it was always funny to see him on tv and his character be the complete opposite of him. Never had any issues talking about wrestling and his programs, always a good guy

Dave Youell

09-28-2010, 04:22 PM

I remember when threads used to get hijacked with his theme

ALLLLLEEYYALALLLLLALLLLALLALALLLLALLALALLALALLALAAAA!

The Pope

09-28-2010, 04:36 PM

The Pope

09-28-2010, 04:38 PM

jskinnyg

09-28-2010, 05:37 PM

He was Fucking Awesome... They could have repackaged the guy though...

Londoner

09-28-2010, 05:38 PM

How can I forget? This forum reminds me of him every month!

XCaliber

09-28-2010, 07:11 PM

He was Fucking Awesome... They could have repackaged the guy though...

Knowing WWE they would have turned him into a disgruntled convience store owner which would have been equally offensive anywho I always thought this guy was pretty good much rather had seen him in the title picture than JBL ugh.

DaVe

09-28-2010, 07:14 PM

How can I forget? This forum reminds me of him every month!

haha, yeah.

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Fox

09-29-2010, 11:16 AM

Probably the last really good, really well written character the WWE came up with. An Arab-American, born in the USA, who plays off of the racist and ignorant members of American society who hate him for being a "terrorist." Kind of like CM Punk, Hassan preached against the WWE fans and was basically in the right with his thinking, but just came off as a total asshole anyways.

Yep, way too smart for WWE fans.

I guess it makes sense that they would get rid of a great character like Hassan, but give a fucking retard like Eugene Dinsmore constant airtime for 2-3 years.

SlickyTrickyDamon

12-13-2010, 12:27 AM

I had a dream a few weeks ago where he came back as a higher power for Nexus or something. I forgot most of the dream but anyways he came back to be a huge force on Monday Night Raw.

Maybe it had something to do with him funding the Mosque in New York City or something like that.

WWE could have made him a face from the start I think it was open-ended. The first crowd that booed him made him a heel for his entire run. He was just asking for a chance to make a living in the WWE and they booed the shit out of him forcing him into the evil genius we knew and loved. He was a great gimmick at a great time where the truth wasn't being told about the War in Iraq and in the "War on Terror."

Muhammed Hassan message that not all Arabs were terrorists and the biggest mistake of his character was using those masked henchman and then acting like the second coming of the Iron Shiek in his final match. He could have come back as the "i'm just trying to make a living here stick" and blame it all on the shitty WWE writers like Big D. Johnson.

Lock Jaw

12-13-2010, 01:09 AM

Juan

12-13-2010, 01:23 AM

How can I forget? This forum reminds me of him every month!

Yeah really. Tbh I never really saw what the big deal was with him.

Sixx

12-13-2010, 03:29 AM

How can I forget? This forum reminds me of him every month!

Exactly.

Mr. Nerfect

12-13-2010, 03:44 AM

The man had amazing mic skills. I remember being amazed in his debut promo against Mick Foley. Basically, the story was that Foley was a Democrat, but Hassan said that he is supporting a horrible war and all that. Foley wanted to fight Hassan for being called out, but Hassan flat out told Foley he would not fight a man he didn't respect.

The biggest problem with Hassan, right from the start, was that he was too smart for WWE audiences. The character was NOT anti-American. He was anti-anti-anti-American, in a way. He was an Arab-American who grew up loving America, watching the same TV shows, getting the same education, having the same American dreams -- but when assholes attacked HIS country -- suddenly he can't even walk down a street in his hometown without getting spat on.

It was a ballsy character that the WWE obviously really wanted to do, but would shy away from little details. The guy was from Syracuse, which would have been perfect for the character; but they changed him to being from Detroit, just to get some geographical distance between New York and the character.

Funnily enough, the guy was booked horribly in the ring. One of his first matches was against Jerry Lawler, and although King knows how to work a great story and such -- he just wasn't the guy to bring out the best in Hassan. Also, it should have been a complete walk-through for Hassan; but King got his licks in. Absolutely sucked. Hassan's promo work and character completely redeemed what was abysmal in-ring booking.

The WWE couldn't stick to the character, either. They gave him the Camel Clutch as a finishing move, and then they did that hijacking thing. I guess the idea was that Hassan was taking a "You think this is what I am? I'll give you that then, fuckers!" approach. But it was still sensational heat-grabbing tactics on the lowest level. I'd have preferred Hassan to have his own moves (I liked his "Finishing Touch" maneuver, in which he would grab his opponent's arm, spin it around and then drive his elbow into the back of their head forcing them to the mat), and to take the higher road.

I remember being quite excited when the WWE went to Canada for the first time since Hassan debuted, and sure enough, the Canadian crowd cheered the shit out of him. But Hassan cut a promo about how it's even worse in Canada. It was predictable, but they could have gone with Hassan being a hero everywhere else.

I can't remember a single great match the guy had, but the character was absolutely amazing, and survived whatever horrible missteps the WWE often took (until their last one). I think Hassan actively chose to leave the WWE to pursue acting -- which is why he never returned and yet Daivari did.

Also, I find it interesting to note on his Wikipedia page that it along with OVW training, Hassan was also trained by The Undertaker? I don't know what that is about; but it might have something to do with why Taker was so willing to put the kid over. If he had beaten Batista for the World Heavyweight Title, then Hassan would have been 24 years old when he won his first World Championship and 79 days or so removed from his 25th birthday. So I think Randy Orton would have still been a fair bit younger, as he had turned 24 in the months prior to his original World Title win, I believe.

Mr. Nerfect

12-13-2010, 03:47 AM

I had a dream a few weeks ago where he came back as a higher power for Nexus or something.

To be honest, I was thinking the exact same thing as I was reading this thread. It would actually fit if Muhammad Hassan was helping out Nexus behind the scenes as an organiser for them, or something. I wouldn't have Wade Barrett bow down to him by any means, but a business relationship between the two could actually be made to make sense. Hassan's war on the WWE could continue...

The guy has only just turned 29. If acting isn't working out for him (and it doesn't seem to be), then he's still young enough to return to the WWE. The guy is younger than Wade Barrett is.

Tommy Gunn

12-13-2010, 05:26 AM

Completely missed this guy on my 2003-2006 WWE break.

Mr. Nerfect

12-13-2010, 10:17 AM

A Muhammad Hassan vignette prior to official debut:

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Muhammad Hassan's debut segment with Mick Foley:

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A great example of how people didn't "get" the character. The crowd reactions ("USA" chants? Really?), Stone Cold's original comments, Jerry Lawler's annoying commentary and even the comments on YouTube labelling him as a "foreign" wrestler. The guy was Arab-American. It does, however, show how far the WWE were willing to go to push this guy. He got right in the face of Stone Cold Steve Austin, with Austin's kayfabe reasons being there him. One of the most popular performers in the history of wrestling also saw his point. He also got to work with guys like Batista, The Undertaker and Hulk Hogan:

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Muhammad Hassan vs. Chris Benoit. Notice how Lilian Garcia introduces Chris Benoit as "residing in Atlanta, Georgia." Vince McMahon felt that Benoit and Chris Jericho would get more over at the time if people thought they were American. Also enjoy the "USA" chants against Hassan in a match between an American and a Canadian.

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And just for fun, a promo from Mark Magnus in OVW, before he adopted the Muhammad Hassan character:

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Innovator

12-13-2010, 10:35 AM

HASSAN SUCKED, ALL HE COULD DO WAS TALK

FUCK

Triple Naitch

12-13-2010, 10:40 AM

I heard on the Art of Wrestling that Armando Estrada was supposed to be a part of the stable with Hassan and Daivari. He was set to debut the week after the whole UPN controversy.

Theo Dious

12-13-2010, 10:44 AM

Is there any confirmation they were actually gonna put the belt on him or just get a shot at the belt? If he actually did, he probably would have been the youngest champion at the time...

This is kind of going by the wayside here... I don't know about plans, but the article in question says he was going to win a #1 contender match and wrestle for the title at SS. Not that he was going to win the damn thing.

Disturbed316

12-13-2010, 11:00 AM

FourFifty

12-13-2010, 12:29 PM

Hassan was the goods

thedamndest

12-13-2010, 12:58 PM

Sixx

12-13-2010, 01:42 PM

Tommy Gunn

12-13-2010, 03:01 PM

HASSAN SUCKED, ALL HE COULD DO WAS TALK

http://static.thehollywoodgossip.com/images/gallery/david-otunga-pic.jpg

Anybody Thrilla

12-13-2010, 03:25 PM

DAVID OTUNGA SUCKS. HE CAN'T EVEN TALK.

FUCK

...sorry, just so sick of hearing people say that Otunga has any redeeming qualities whatsoever. As far as Hassan, the character was epic. His wrestling was lackluster, but he was very interesting. He was eliciting REAL emotion from people for the first time in forever (even if the heat was somewhat cheap, it was fucking working) and it was always interesting to watch his segments.

That being said, we really don't have to talk about him ALLLL the time. The Naitch, are you familiar with the '100,000 Replies' thread? I think it would suit you well.

#1-norm-fan

12-13-2010, 05:09 PM

Who gives a fuck if he was just a talker. I'd rather watch a below average technical wrestling match with characters that I'm actually invested in than two great wrestlers that I don't give a fuck about because they both bore the hell out of me.

Like someone else said, Hassan was the last GREAT character WWE produced. He was incredible. I could care less if he was a great wrestler.

MoFo

12-13-2010, 07:39 PM

Dont like him.

X-Pac heat just playing off Americans and their arabaphobia.

#1-norm-fan

12-13-2010, 09:40 PM

lol... no. He did not get X-Pac heat. That's ridiculous.

He played a realistic heel character with completely rational arguments unlike the "Grr! Look at me! I'm evil because I'm playing a heel!" type of character.

His unaired promo after he got banned from Smackdown where he talked about the USA Today article and basically blasted the writer for saying "Masked arab terrorists" attacked Taker before revealing the masked guys as all being white was incredible.

Mr. Nerfect

12-14-2010, 02:24 AM

I would have loved to have seen someone "white" really stick up for Hassan, and join his movement. Could have been amazing.

Also, David Otunga is really bad right now, but I hope the guy gets better over time. He definitely needs to be down in developmental right now. He could actually use a write-off.

Theo Dious

12-14-2010, 08:29 AM

They should bring him back in a comedy angle where he is inconvenienced by day to day racism against Arab Americans such as having a hard time getting service in Cleveland and receiving an enhanced TSA pat-down.

It would be even better if WWE issued a series of statements admitting that he had been treated unfairly in the past, and he started to be given and high-profile matches and title shots, but every time it's supposed to happen he gets held up at an airport somewhere. And not even because HE'S getting an enhanced pat-down, but because some one-legged 80 year-old in front of him is getting one and he has to wait. Or because his plane is grounded due to someone bringing a dangerous weapon on board and it turns out that some kid has a popsicle stick.

The Naitch

12-14-2010, 01:51 PM

That being said, we really don't have to talk about him ALLLL the time. The Naitch, are you familiar with the '100,000 Replies' thread? I think it would suit you well.

I dunno, someone bumped this. I made it in September

Yes I am aware of the thread. I will try my best to please you Thrilla. It will be my new purpose in life.

Speaking of Otunga, he needs real wrestling trunks/tights. Seems like he's wearing a borderline thong/g-string. Too skimpy for my liking