There was a lot of mystique surrounding Ed Farhat's character of The Sheik. The original idea for the gimmick was that he was a wealthy businessman from Syria, who hurt people simply because he could. There's something chilling about that concept, and pro wrestling fans agreed. The Sheik was notorious for refusing to break submission holds, rather being disqualified than doing so. Farhat manufactured a guise that was so reckless and only interested in causing pain. During matches, it was common to see him use everyday items such as pencils to stab opponents. Of course, babyfaces would often gain possession of the pencil, jabbing it into The Sheik's own forehead. Much like several others on this list, Sheik was therefore left with many scars on his face. It's a real credit to The Sheik's aura as a villain that fans loved seeing him get some of his own medicine. Even when Bruno Sammartino mauled his arm with a sharp pen, people went wild. This was payback for all the punishment Sheik had handed out. The fact the character rarely spoke also only upped the creep factor. Blood and violence were his languages, and the gimmick became infamous as a result.
Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.
