10 Most Cringeworthy Political Angles In WWE History

Debuting in 2004, Muhammad Hassan was an aggrieved Arab-American wrestler who sought justice for the prejudices and stereotypes he’d faced since the 9/11 attacks. In hindsight, his entire run was a poorly-conceived, ill-timed mess that reeked of tastelessness, but he made a relatively strong start.

Hassan, like all great foreign heels, took advantage of the current political climate to prey on the audience’s fear and paranoia towards their perceived “enemies.” He was a huge heel from day one, and it was widely reported that after just a few months in the company, Hassan would cement his villainous status by becoming WWE Champion in America’s capital, Washington DC.

Unfortunately, the proceeding events effectively killed Hassan’s career. The character soon descended to stereotype, and after starting life as a believable antagonist with legitimate grievances, Hassan eventually became a cartoon almost-terrorist.

The angle’s most infamous incident came during a feud with The Undertaker. As Hassan “prayed” on the ramp, a gang of ski mask-clad men rushed out from the backstage area and beat the Deadman down with clubs and a piano wire. Three days later, the London bombings took place, and the last WWE fans saw of Hassan was when Taker powerbombed him through the stage at the 2005 Great American Bash.

Muhammad Hassan is rightly remembered as one of the most controversial gimmicks in WWE history. He unquestionably suffered from poor timing, but WWE must take their share of the blame: the company’s heavy-handedness has rarely been so apparent.