WWE Hall of Famer The Sheik's chaotic legacy takes center stage in new Dark Side of the Ring episode
Dark Side of the Ring returns to VICE TV this week, documenting the eventful career of WWE Hall of Famer The Sheik. The legendary star pioneered a hard-hitting, violent style of wrestling that inspired several superstars.
Ed Farhat, popularly known as The Sheik, revolutionized the hardcore style and made it popular. A dastardly heel in the wrestling business, there was no tactic too underhanded for the crafty veteran. He used sharpened pencils, flying fireballs, and foreign objects against his opponents.
This week's episode will bring to life his 50-year career in the wrestling business, marred by extreme violence and thrilling matchups. Wrestling historian and former WWE manager, Jim Cornette, will feature as one of the talking heads on the show. In a teaser released by VICE, Jim talks about The Sheik's aura and how he could incite riots in the crowd just by his presence.
"A great example was in 1988 at the Cobo Arena in Detroit. All the fans at the arena, you could tell they were tensing up, they were waiting for something. All of a sudden, in comes a stretched limousine. It was amazing! She pulled all the way onto the floor of the arena, where everybody in the building could see. And the driver gets out and opens the door, and out steps The Sheik in the headdress and a three-piece suit and dozens of gold chains around his neck. And the place erupted. 'Oh my God, it's him!' There's a match going on. People are getting dropkicked and thrown around. They don't care about that. They want to see The Sheik."
The WWE Hall of Famer left a lasting legacy in the business, inspiring a hardcore style, later brought to the forefront by Paul Heyman in ECW. He also inspired stars like Sabu, Rob Van Dam, and The Iron Sheik. WWE greats like The Undertaker and Mankind have also admitted to drawing elements from The Sheik in their character work.
If you use the quotes from this article, please credit Sportskeeda for the transcript.
