Adnan Al-Kaissie - Career

Career

Adnan Al-Kaissy was born Adnan Bin Abdulkareem Ahmed Al-kaissy El Farthie in Baghdad, Iraq. According to his autobiography, he came from a fairly distinguished family, with his father being an imam (Muslim preacher). One of his high school classmates was Saddam Hussein (again according to the autobiography). He had an amateur wrestling career in Iraq and attended Oklahoma State University; he began wrestling in the state of Oklahoma in 1959, under the name "Adnan Kaissey".

Kassey wrestled for Pacific Northwest Wrestling in the 1960s and in the World Wide Wrestling Federation in the 1970s under the Native American gimmick Billy White Wolf and won the World Tag Team Titles with Chief Jay Strongbow. Needing neck surgery, Kassey agreed to work an injury angle where he had his neck broken by Ken Patera via the Swinging Neckbreaker on TV. After he left the territory for his neck surgery, the 'Indians' were stripped of their titles. He wouldn't return until the early 90's, using his real name, as a manager.

During the 1970s, he took professional wrestling to Iraq under the direction of Saddam Hussein. In one such match, he defeated André the Giant in Baghdad and he defeated the Scottish Ian Campbell and the Canadian champion George Gordienko in Baghdad. In 1978, he wrestled in Hawaii and was the master of the "Indian Death Match" until his arch-rival, Tor Kamata, defeated him. Not long after, he returned briefly to Iraq with the intent of introducing pro wrestling. By this time, his old classmate Saddam was ruler of the country. By his own account, it was a difficult time, for although Kaissey was very popular and had some success introducing professional wrestling to Iraq, Hussein was already becoming paranoid about potential rivals, and he saw Kaissey in this light. Kaissey fled back to the US and never returned, though he kept contact with his family in Baghdad.