In 2005, the WWE capitalised on tragic world events by creating a Middle-Eastern American character named Muhamed Hassan. Hassan and his manager Daivari portrayed characters who were sick of how they were being treated in a post 9/11 America. The angle was a massive heat magnet and Hassan was pushed to the moon, including a storyline in which the two Muslims went up against Hulk Hogan and Shawn Michaels. In July of that year however, another tragic terrorist attack would stop Hassans rise to stardom, just as quickly as it got started. On July 4th, 2005, an episode of SmackDown was taped in which Daivari was placed in a match against The Undertaker ahead of the Dead Mans match against Hassan at the next PPV. After Daivari was easily beaten, the WWE booked an angle which stirred massive controversy. While Hassan prayed on the ramp, five men dressed all in black attacked the Undertaker, beat him with clubs and choked him with piano wire. Since SmackDown was pre taped, it was scheduled to air three days later. On that same day, before the show aired, the London Bombings of July 5th happened. With no time to edit, the episode aired as filmed in the US, but was cut entirely from the UK version of the show. The world reacted extremely negatively and UPN pressured the WWE to keep Hassan off TV. After losing to Undertaker at Great American Bash, Hassan quietly disappeared and was released later that year. The angle was definitely of questionable taste even without the events in London and the WWE should have known better than to go ahead and air it. Because of this mistake, they were forced to get rid of one of their biggest up and coming heels in 2005. Hassan had still numerous stars that he hadnt yet faced and was only getting better in the ring. A big face turn down the line could have worked wonders if booked right. This mistake also effectively ended Hassans career not just in the WWE, but in the wrestling business as a whole. Daivari hung around and remained an effective heel working as Kurt Angles manager which just shows how the characters could have remained relevant. Hassan didnt appear again in a wrestling ring for another FIVE YEARS which is a sad end to what looked to be a career that was really going places.
