Sheik Ali (Wadi Ayoub)
Encyclopedia
Wadi Ayoub was a champion Greco–Roman style
professional wrestler, best known as Sheik Ali.
in search of a better way of life. Realising that, to be successful in professional wrestling
, he needed added weight, he underwent a course of bodybuilding at Dovey’s Gymnasium, Sydney
. He was successful in adding over 40lb body weight. Additionally, he seized every opportunity to work with freestyle wrestlers and to make himself fit enough for a career in professional wrestling. Among the early wrestlers who helped him achieve his target of becoming a professional were such well-known and accomplished matmen as Tom Lurich, Chief Little Wolf and Jim Deakin.
In March 1953, he made his debut at Leichhardt Stadium, in an encounter against Jon Morro. After four more contests, Ayoub headed for New Zealand and astounded the critics by holding his own against the British Empire Champion, Earl McCready
. So impressed were the eastern promoters with the potential shown by him that he was signed for a series of contests against big name wrestlers that were operating throughout India at the time. Some of these included Joginder Singh
, Emil Koroshenko, Dara Singh
, King Kong, Bert Assirati
and Harbans Singh. His inspiring performances against these stars lead to his ranking, by accredited experts, as the sixth best wrestler in the world.
In 1956, he returned to Sydney where wrestling was in full swing. At White City, he wrestled Tiger Ray Holden before a crowd of 12,000 people. The rest of the year was spent in Hobart, Adelaide and Perth, where he competed against such first class talent as George Pencheff, King Kong and Baron von Heczey.
In 1957 at White City, he went to a draw with the Indian, Tarlok Singh, before a capacity house of 22,000 people. In October en route to Japan for a World Title clash against the Champion, Lou Thesz, he stopped in Singapore for a bout against King Kong for the Malaysian Heavyweight crown. In a fierce contest, Kong was victorious. When negotiations for his visit to Japan fell through, Ayoub decided to stay in Singapore and competed in bouts with Ricky Waldo and the famous Aslam Pehalwan.
In March 1958, Ayoub returned to Sydney. At the Sports Ground, he wrestled Andreas Lambrakis
to a draw. He then went to Adelaide and Hobart, where he competed against the likes of George Duane and King Kong.
Although he was in constant demand from overseas promoters, he was ignored by the American promoters of Stadiums Limited. This had little effect on his career, as he was soon off on a five year tour of the Far East and Europe. His first stop was Singapore where he clashed with King Kong, as well as Charles Henry and Akram Pahelwan. From here, Ayoub went to India. In New Delhi, before a crowd of 80,000 he defeated Arjit Singh. For this feat, he was congratulated by the Indian Prime Minister, Pandit Nehru. His contract was extended a further year to fit in contests against George Pencheff, Bill Verna, Don Steadman, George Zbisko, Dara Singh, George Gordienko and numerous others.
, Jack Pye
, Tibor Szakacs, Billy Joyce, Mike Marino
, George Portz and many others.
In 1962, he went to Pakistan to tackle the Pehelwan brothers, Akram and Aslam. The next step was India, and then Lebanon, where a huge crowd was on hand to watch their idol account for King Kong. In July, he toured Singapore and Thailand, where he wrestled Lofty Binnie, Red Scorpion and Sitting Bull.
In 1963 he returned to India and competed against Sucha Singh, Al Rodgoa and Dara Singh. He returned to Australia and made his headquarters in Sydney. He wrestled Lucky Simunovich, Con Paplazarou, Alex Iakovides and Elias Panagos at Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide Stadiums.
In 1965 Ayoub returned to Lebanon for the Middle East Championship Tournament which he won against Sky Hi Lee, Ray Apollon, George Gordienko
and Joseph Zaranoff, to name but a few. In 1967 at White City in Sydney, he turned back his old nemesis, King Kong and won the Orient Heavyweight Title. He then returned to New Zealand and on to Singapore, Borneo and Taiwan where he clashed with Jack Claybourne, Steve Rickard
, Mr. X and Charlie & Tony Kontellis
.
Although circumstances prevented Ayoub showing his talents on the World Championship Wrestling
Promotion, (the American promoters were loath to use Australian wrestlers to headline their programmes), the use of Wadi Ayoub in main event matches was a breakthrough for Australian–based wrestlers. In 1972, with World Championship Wrestling
, Ayoub turned back such stalwarts as Killer Karl Kox, Tiger Singh, Brute Bernard
and Bulldog Brower
. He returned for another series of matches and again remained undefeated, this time against Bob Roop
, Don Fargo, Waldo von Erich
, Guy Mitchell
, Don Carson
and Hiro Tojo. He was also involved in tag matches with Mark Lewin
, Spiros Arion and King Curtis
against the likes of Abdullah the Butcher
, Big Bad John
and the Tojo Brothers.
In 1975, Ayoub drew enormous attendances with a majority of Lebanese spectators in his contests with the Mighty Spartagos and Prince Kumali. In the latter contest, he successfully defended his All-Asian Title. 1976 saw Ayoub ready to tour Singapore, but he contracted cancer
before this could take place and subsequently died on September 29, 1976.
Favorite Moves: Various Headbutts
Greco-Roman wrestling
Greco-Roman wrestling is a style of wrestling that is practised worldwide. It was contested at the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 and has been included in every edition of the summer Olympics held since 1908. Two wrestlers are scored for their performance in three two-minute periods, which can...
professional wrestler, best known as Sheik Ali.
Career
By the age of 22, he had progressed to being the Champion of Lebanon. In 1951, he left Lebanon behind, and came to AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in search of a better way of life. Realising that, to be successful in professional wrestling
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
, he needed added weight, he underwent a course of bodybuilding at Dovey’s Gymnasium, Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
. He was successful in adding over 40lb body weight. Additionally, he seized every opportunity to work with freestyle wrestlers and to make himself fit enough for a career in professional wrestling. Among the early wrestlers who helped him achieve his target of becoming a professional were such well-known and accomplished matmen as Tom Lurich, Chief Little Wolf and Jim Deakin.
In March 1953, he made his debut at Leichhardt Stadium, in an encounter against Jon Morro. After four more contests, Ayoub headed for New Zealand and astounded the critics by holding his own against the British Empire Champion, Earl McCready
Earl McCready
Earl Gray McCready was an amateur wrestler who competed in the U.S. for Oklahoma State University in folkstyle, and as a Canadian freestyle sport wrestler who competed in the 1928 Summer Olympics....
. So impressed were the eastern promoters with the potential shown by him that he was signed for a series of contests against big name wrestlers that were operating throughout India at the time. Some of these included Joginder Singh
Joginder Singh
Joginder Singh is the name of:* Joginder Singh , Subedar in the Indian Army* Joginder Singh , Kenyan former rally driver* Joginder Singh , Indian hockey player...
, Emil Koroshenko, Dara Singh
Dara Singh
Dara Singh Randhawa is a wrestler and Indian film actor. He was born in a Jat Sikh family of Punjabi background.He was a wrestler before he started acting in Hindi films in 1962....
, King Kong, Bert Assirati
Bert Assirati
Bartolomeo Esserati , also known as Bert Assirati, was an English professional wrestler who became a multiple time British Heavyweight Champion, and, posthumously, a member of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame...
and Harbans Singh. His inspiring performances against these stars lead to his ranking, by accredited experts, as the sixth best wrestler in the world.
In 1956, he returned to Sydney where wrestling was in full swing. At White City, he wrestled Tiger Ray Holden before a crowd of 12,000 people. The rest of the year was spent in Hobart, Adelaide and Perth, where he competed against such first class talent as George Pencheff, King Kong and Baron von Heczey.
In 1957 at White City, he went to a draw with the Indian, Tarlok Singh, before a capacity house of 22,000 people. In October en route to Japan for a World Title clash against the Champion, Lou Thesz, he stopped in Singapore for a bout against King Kong for the Malaysian Heavyweight crown. In a fierce contest, Kong was victorious. When negotiations for his visit to Japan fell through, Ayoub decided to stay in Singapore and competed in bouts with Ricky Waldo and the famous Aslam Pehalwan.
In March 1958, Ayoub returned to Sydney. At the Sports Ground, he wrestled Andreas Lambrakis
Andreas Lambrakis
Andreas Lambrakis was a professional wrestler from Greece. Billed as a former "Greek Heavyweight Champion" he was active in Australia during the 1950s and 60s, and also competed in the World Wide Wrestling Federation...
to a draw. He then went to Adelaide and Hobart, where he competed against the likes of George Duane and King Kong.
Although he was in constant demand from overseas promoters, he was ignored by the American promoters of Stadiums Limited. This had little effect on his career, as he was soon off on a five year tour of the Far East and Europe. His first stop was Singapore where he clashed with King Kong, as well as Charles Henry and Akram Pahelwan. From here, Ayoub went to India. In New Delhi, before a crowd of 80,000 he defeated Arjit Singh. For this feat, he was congratulated by the Indian Prime Minister, Pandit Nehru. His contract was extended a further year to fit in contests against George Pencheff, Bill Verna, Don Steadman, George Zbisko, Dara Singh, George Gordienko and numerous others.
1960s
1961 saw Ayoub in Europe under the promotion of the European Wrestling Alliance ( France ) and Joint Promotions (England). He went to Belgium and then Paris, where he wrestled the tough L’Homme Masque, who resorted to foul tactics by hitting him with a microphone. Ayoub retaliated and attacked Masque with such ferocity it took 25 police officers to drag him clear. Ayoub then went on to Belgium where he competed in a tournament against Horst Hoffman, Herman Iffland, Roger Delaporte and Jack Lasartesse, amongst others. He then went to England where he met an impressive line-up including Billy RobinsonBilly Robinson
Billy Robinson is a British professional wrestler and catch wrestling instructor. Robinson was well known in Japan where he has trained mixed martial arts fighters in catch wrestling...
, Jack Pye
Jack Pye
Jack Pye, also known as Dirty Jack Pye and the Doncaster Panther, was an English professional wrestler and actor from Doncaster, England.-Wrestling career:In 1933, Pye came close to beating Atholl Oakley for the British Heavyweight Championship...
, Tibor Szakacs, Billy Joyce, Mike Marino
Mike Marino
Mike Marino was an English professional wrestler and a leading name during the World of Sport era in British wrestling...
, George Portz and many others.
In 1962, he went to Pakistan to tackle the Pehelwan brothers, Akram and Aslam. The next step was India, and then Lebanon, where a huge crowd was on hand to watch their idol account for King Kong. In July, he toured Singapore and Thailand, where he wrestled Lofty Binnie, Red Scorpion and Sitting Bull.
In 1963 he returned to India and competed against Sucha Singh, Al Rodgoa and Dara Singh. He returned to Australia and made his headquarters in Sydney. He wrestled Lucky Simunovich, Con Paplazarou, Alex Iakovides and Elias Panagos at Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide Stadiums.
In 1965 Ayoub returned to Lebanon for the Middle East Championship Tournament which he won against Sky Hi Lee, Ray Apollon, George Gordienko
George Gordienko
George Gordienko was a Canadian professional wrestler and artist. Born of first generation Ukrainian and Cossack-Canadian parents in North Winnipeg, Manitoba, by age 17 Gordienko had received numerous awards for his physical prowess...
and Joseph Zaranoff, to name but a few. In 1967 at White City in Sydney, he turned back his old nemesis, King Kong and won the Orient Heavyweight Title. He then returned to New Zealand and on to Singapore, Borneo and Taiwan where he clashed with Jack Claybourne, Steve Rickard
Steve Rickard
Sydney Mervin "Merv" Batt , best known by his ring name Steve Rickard, is a retired New Zealand professional wrestler, trainer and promoter...
, Mr. X and Charlie & Tony Kontellis
Tony Kontellis
Tony Kontellis , is a former Australian professional wrestler.Kontellis has worked for many wrestling promotions throughout his career, including WCW Australia and WWWF for Vince McMahon Sr..- Career :...
.
1970s
In 1971, Wadi Ayoub rose to new heights of popularity. He engaged in several contests against the reigning New Zealand and British Empire Champion, John DaSilva and came out on top. In other matches, he accounted for Dr Death and El Montana.Although circumstances prevented Ayoub showing his talents on the World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
Promotion, (the American promoters were loath to use Australian wrestlers to headline their programmes), the use of Wadi Ayoub in main event matches was a breakthrough for Australian–based wrestlers. In 1972, with World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
, Ayoub turned back such stalwarts as Killer Karl Kox, Tiger Singh, Brute Bernard
Brute Bernard
Jim Bernard was a Canadian professional wrestler. He is best known by his ring name, Brute Bernard, and spent much of his career wrestling as part of a tag team with Skull Murphy. He competed for several wrestling promotions associated with the National Wrestling Alliance...
and Bulldog Brower
Bulldog Brower
Richard Gland was an American professional wrestler who used the ring name Bulldog Brower.-Professional wrestling career:...
. He returned for another series of matches and again remained undefeated, this time against Bob Roop
Bob Roop
Bob Roop is a retired amateur and professional wrestler whose career has spanned high school, college, Army, amateur and professional wrestling. He was an American Heavyweight Greco-Roman wrestler at the 1968 Summer Olympics.-Amateur career:...
, Don Fargo, Waldo von Erich
Waldo Von Erich
Walter Paul Sieber was a Canadian professional wrestler under the ring name Waldo Von Erich. He was billed as the brother of Fritz Von Erich, but was not actually related to Fritz or the rest of the Von Erich family....
, Guy Mitchell
Guy Mitchell
Guy Mitchell, born Albert George Cernik, was an American pop singer, successful in his homeland, the U.K. and Australia...
, Don Carson
Don Carson
Donald Arthur Carson is a Canadian-born evangelical theologian and professor of New Testament.-Background and education:...
and Hiro Tojo. He was also involved in tag matches with Mark Lewin
Mark Lewin
-Career:Mark Lewin broke into wrestling in the early '50s and had great early success in a matinee-idol babyface tag team with Don Curtis, headlining in major territories like New York and Chicago. The team's brief heel turn was a shock to its many fans...
, Spiros Arion and King Curtis
King Curtis
Curtis Ousley , who performed under the stage name King Curtis, was an American saxophone virtuoso known for rhythm and blues, rock and roll, soul, funk and soul jazz. Variously a bandleader, band member, and session musician, he was also a musical director and record producer...
against the likes of Abdullah the Butcher
Abdullah the Butcher
Lawrence Robert "Larry" Shreve best known as Abdullah the Butcher, and also at times The Madman from the Sudan, is a semi-retired Canadian professional wrestler known as one of the most brutal or "hardcore" professional wrestlers of all-time...
, Big Bad John
Big Bad John
"Big Bad John" is a country song originally performed by Jimmy Dean and composed by Dean and Roy Acuff. Released in September 1961, by the beginning of November it went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and won Dean the 1962 Grammy Award for Best Country & Western Recording.The song and its...
and the Tojo Brothers.
In 1975, Ayoub drew enormous attendances with a majority of Lebanese spectators in his contests with the Mighty Spartagos and Prince Kumali. In the latter contest, he successfully defended his All-Asian Title. 1976 saw Ayoub ready to tour Singapore, but he contracted cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
before this could take place and subsequently died on September 29, 1976.
Favorite Moves: Various Headbutts