Pro Wrestling Returns To Kuwait After a 10 Year Ban!
by Wz Bill Behrens
Feb 13, 2009
Back in the 1990s WWE toured Kuwait several time and held tournaments, but other than talent visits to military bases wrestling has been in essence illegal for 10 years, perhaps tied to an infamous appearance by Vader on Good Morning Kuwait that led to Vader being held under house arrest for 10 days in 1997.
WWE Kuwait Cup Tournament Winners
Ahmed Johnson Kuwait City, Kuwait May 12, 1996
Tiger Ali Singh Kuwait City, Kuwait April 13, 1997
In April 1997 when the then WWF toured Kuwait Vader and The Undertaker appeared on the television program Good Morning Kuwait. During the interview, presenter Bassam Al Othman asked Vader if wrestling was fake. Vader responded by grabbing him by the tie, using an expletive, and then giving him a hard shove, knocking over chairs and a table in the process, to demonstrate the reality of the sport. Vader was subsequently arrested and charged with assault and using obscene language. He spent ten days under house arrest, eventually being allowed to leave the country after paying a small fine.
Here's the video of Vader From Good Morning Kuwait
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JQtMyq5e6o&search=kuwait
In the Summer of 2006 WWE sent Jimmy Hart, Ron Simmons and Divas Ashley & Maria to visit with the troups stationed there.
Now East Wrestling Championship is promoting the first pro wrestling championship competition ever organized in Kuwait, and the 1st cards in 10 years, held during the 19, 20 and 21 of February on the celebration of HALA February 2009 in Salmiya Sports Club, with famous international former WWF stars and Champions from around the World competing for the East Championship Belt. The spectacular event will precede and conclude with phenomenal ceremonies of lazer & firework displa. The event hopes to draw up to 90,000 spectators watching this show live at the arena, which will be simultaneously televised for 3 days.
1. Bambi Killer (Austria)
2. Gangrel (USA)
3. Micheal Kovac (Austira)
4. The Hawk (Lebanon)
5. The Sledgehammer (canada)
6. Joe E. Legend (Germany)
7. Alofa the Wild Samon (Samoa)
8. El Mariachi (Mexico)
9. The Arabian Giant (Palestine)
10. Nour Loubnan (Lebanon)
11. Kurgan (Canada)
12. Bruiser Bradley (USA)
13. Jean-Pierre Lafitte (Canada)
14. The Ring Unbreakable (Lebanon)
15. Gama Singh Jr. (India)
16. Fahad Al-Khaleej (Arabian Gulf Region)
17. Shak Khan (Pakistan)
Recently added to the event is Caprice "Ice" Coleman who wrestled for NWA Wildside in the US and has been in Kuwait for several years now serving as a minister on the US base there.
