The Sheik In Arizona

The first time I could find any record of The Sheik appearing in Arizona may be found in the 1960s, when eh drifted through the state. I assume he made a few stops while driving between Texas and California for extra cash. He did not appear at the Phoenix Madison Square Garden, but had one match in Tucson and another in Casa Grande. One encounter was with Tito Montez and another with Tito Copa. He then went on his merry way.

In 1973, a Phoenix drugstore chain owner developed the idea of running wrestling, investing in television time and working with Sheik's Detroit base to run shows at the high-priced Phoenix fairgrounds. For all of his ambition, the lasted half a year.

Sheik had five matches during the run, the first being the  best in a wild bloodbath with Luis Martinez that saw them go to a double disqualification. Both men bled, brawled and had to be drawn apart by all the other wrestlers on the card.

The second match saw Sheik bloodied with his own pencil and battered by Bobo Brazil, but Brazil got carried away and ended up disqualified. A timekeeper's table made it into the ring and they wound up slamming each other into it.

The third match in Phoenix saw Sheik and Killer Brooks losing to Bobo Brazil and  Luis Martinez by disqualification. Brooks and Martinez, rather than Sheik, bled this time.  

 The next go of things saw Sheik and Dory Funk Jr. bloody each other and go to a double disqualification, which of course set the stage for a return match.

The final show saw Sheik and Funk face each other again, but in the turmoil, none of the fans were sure of the end result.

It was, however, the end of the promotion in Phoenix as the backer lost too much money and packed it in.