I read this story in Jonathon V Last’s Bulwark newsletter, and he got it from some obscure documentary on Vince McMahon. It deserves more than obscurity.
Once upon a time there was an Iraqi named Adnan Al-Kaissy. He came to America for college, was a great athlete, and eventually became a professional wrestler. If you watched wrestling in the late 1980s, you probably remember him as an old man who played the heel character.
Well, in the 1960s Adnan went home to Iraq for a visit, where he bumped into a buddy of his from junior high school. This buddy was Saddam Hussein.
Saddam loved professional wrestling and he insisted that Adnan stay in the country for a bit and bring in Western wrestlers to put on shows. This was more command than invitation.
So Adnan calls his pal Andre the Giant, and Andre comes to Iraq where they plan a three-match series. Adnan is supposed to win the first fall, then lose the second, and finally win the third and the match.
Simple.
What Adnan did not realize is that the event was taking place on January 6 of 1971, which was the 50th anniversary of the formation of the Iraqi army. The crowd in the stadium would be almost entirely army guys, all of them armed. And they did not want to see Adnan lose.
As Adnan made his way to the ring, he stopped to say hi to Saddam, who was sitting in the front row. Saddam expressed his hope that Adnan would triumph over Andre the Giant and be an example of power and vigor for all Iraqis. He then showed Adnan a golden handgun he had brought and promised that if Andre tried to hurt Adnan, he would shoot him.
Adnan gets into the ring and realizes that he has to call off their plan, because if Andre pins him for the second fall—or mounts any sort of offense at all—it’ll be a bloodbath.
So he gets Andre in a headlock early and explains that the plan is toast and that it has to be a squash match.
So Adnan won both falls, guns were fired in celebration, and Andre the Giant lived to turn heel on Hulk Hogan and star in The Princess Bride.
This article would indicate that the beloved and aristocratic sport of professional wrestling has pre-determined outcomes. Next you will tell me the combatants are pulling their punches. I advise you not to buy into this woke foolishness.
"Inconceivable" he should have just said to Andre "And you: friendless, brainless, helpless, hopeless! Do you want me to send you back to where you were? Unemployed in Greenland"!
This article would indicate that the beloved and aristocratic sport of professional wrestling has pre-determined outcomes. Next you will tell me the combatants are pulling their punches. I advise you not to buy into this woke foolishness.
Adnan: "that man over there means you ... . haaarm"
Andre: "surely you dont mean . . .Saddaaam?"
"Inconceivable" he should have just said to Andre "And you: friendless, brainless, helpless, hopeless! Do you want me to send you back to where you were? Unemployed in Greenland"!
I think the source was from ‘behind the Bastards’ podcast epic 6 parter on Vince McMahon. Very entertaining and worthwhile listen. Excellent podcast
So you’re saying Scaramanga was in Iraq . I bet Tattoo was there somewhere too causing trouble
Yeah, I can totally see this.
It's amazing what can be achieved with a little 'motivation'.