Eddie Farhat was the true originator of hardcore and without question, he influenced the rest of the names to be listed here. Despite being one of the top drawing and most well known names in pro wrestling history, most of the details of his career remain a mystery, but that was one of the staples of his character. Farhat presented himself as a true wild man and his ability to make fans believe is one of the reasons he remained a star for almost five decades. The realism of The Sheik became a necessity of the true hardcore style and that's what gave the hardcore style the longevity it had, it made the fans BELIEVE. The argument of if wrestling was real or phony raged for years, but nobody questioned Ed Farhat. Quite simply, The Sheik was real in the fans' eyes. After he started his career in 1950, Farhat traveled the country wrestling in every major territory in the United States. He also owned the Detroit territory that drew major crowds in the 1970s to see him battle the legendary Bobo Brazil. Similar to his travels in the US, Farhat would make his way to Japan in the 80s and wrestle primarily for the All Japan promotion before eventually landing in Onita's FMW promotion in the 90s. Ultimately, what made The Sheik the legend he is today wasn't the spike, pencil, or fire he used during his career, but rather the legitimacy of the presentation of the character. It's truly remarkable that Farhat made such an impression on generations of fans without saying a word and the impression he left made him a global star.
