Abdullah the Butcher is the definition of a niche wrestler. By no means does that diminish everything that he accomplished during his years as a competitor, or the fact that he was a great special attraction. But Abdullah was never anything more than a crazed and bloody-thirsty wrestler who got over on his ability to brawl around ringside, act like a crazed madman and open wounds on his opponent's foreheads. He used his trusty fork to draw blood. He never exhibited anything even remotely close to a penchant for actual wrestling. He had one thing he did really well, and made a lot of money while doing it, but that one thing did not fit the tone of WWE's product. It worked on the territorial level, where Abdullah could move from one place to another, keeping his crazy violent persona fresh. On a nightly basis, working for Vince McMahon, his craziness would have worn thin quick and his weaknesses would have been exposed. Just as they were with Sandman and Sabu two decades later.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
