Will Muhammed Hassan ever be back in the WWE?

[TSG]

So, the question here is simple. Will Hassan ever return?

As much as I would like him to be back, my answer would have to be no. Firstly, the character was pulled off television for being too controversial, and now being full force PG television, I doubt that Hassan being back on TV with the piano wire choking people out wouldn't work, considering you're not supposed to be choking people out with anything after the Benoit incident. Of course, it only seemed so controversial due to the bombings that occurred, I still don't think his character would be PG appropiate. With him playing the heel, it may teach kids (the main target audience) to think that all Middle Eastern people are bad people.

Also, at this point Mark Copani, the man, is retired from professional wrestling. He is still is reletively young, at only 28 years old, and has only wrestled at this point for two years, 2003-2005. So if he is talked out of retirement, there is nothing barring him from having a succesful career from this point on out (unless he gets injured).

But, all things considered, I doubt he'll be back. But, forums are for opinions, and I would like to hear yours.

 

[dansaint]

I don't think so...I believe he burned a lot of bridges with WWE with, basically, tryin to use them as a stepping stone to get into Hollywood.

WWE had that angle for him where he was gonna be a masked Luchadore (I believe he also did a few house shows and the character looked pretty solid)...but gave a short notice that he was leaving and going to LA.

 

[DiscipleofWrestling]

The Hassan character was a great disappointment from the standpoint of it never really developed into the classic heel that it could have been. I remember when the Smackdown episode aired when Hassan's "terrorist" group came in to help out Hassan. I still can't believe WWE allowed that segment of the episode to air in the first place, but I still can't believe that made air on the day of the London bombings. It was as insensitive as it was stupid. People were legitimately upset, and Hassan ended up getting written off despite having a bright future.

I don't think they'll bring back Hassan anytime soon, especially with the McMahon campaign right now. If they brought him back, news channels would be running the Smackdown terrorist video all over again. It doesn't necessarily run with the PG gimmick or with the family-friendly persona WWE is trying to run with.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTugY2fYMv4 in case you haven't seen this brilliant example of taste from WWE. As much as I think Hassan could make WWE somewhat interesting, I have to answer in the negative on this one. It's been five years, and the character would just bring on more headaches than it is worth for the McMahons at this time.

 

[GUN]

Will the character Muhammad Hassan ever come back? Highly unlikely. Will Mark Copani ever come back? It could happen.

I think (don't know how you peeps feel) if he were to come back he would definitely be repackaged in something that isn't screaming of controversy like it did before. Keep in mind we are in that Era where 'E is thinking about the children. Having such a stereotype that was Hassan thrown in kid's eyes might not be the best way to get ratings up.

Muhammad Hassan, the character is not coming back. Not in this day and age. WWE was being pressured into dropping that gimmick even before they went PG. As for Copani, there is always that possibility.

The Hassan character was a great disappointment from the standpoint of it never really developed into the classic heel that it could have been. I remember when the Smackdown episode aired when Hassan's "terrorist" group came in to help out Hassan. I still can't believe WWE allowed that segment of the episode to air in the first place, but I still can't believe that made air on the day of the London bombings. It was as insensitive as it was stupid. People were legitimately upset, and Hassan ended up getting written off despite having a bright future.

Wasn't WWE's call. They record it live on Tuesdays; 3 days before the London Bombings. It was UPN that kept it unedited with a few Warning! labels on the product in Europe. But I agree people were upset over that and blamed Hassan.

 

[drobs85]

Hassan of course wont be back, but The man himself can easily be repackaged, look at "festus". Hassan is surprisingly young at as previously mentioned 28. If he came to Mcmahon right now and said "hey i want to come back" Mcmahon would get him in there. Its copani's call.

 

[HBK-aholic]

It was an INCREDIBLY stupid decision to keep the terrorist segment and have it shown on the day of the London bombings. Was it Hassans fault? Of course not - but that character won't be able to return for it. I was in Spain for the London Bombings. I watched SD when I got back a few days later and I could NOT believe that had happened, and been shown then. It was insensitive, and horrible. It was tped earlier, I believe. So while technically we can't blame the WWE, I have NO idea why it wasn't cut out as soon as they heard news of 7/7.

Personally I was never a big fan of the guy anyway, but he could possibly come back with a completely different gimmick. Has enough time passed for people to not give a shit about the 7/7 showing? Yeah probably. It all depends on what gimmick he has. Is he still on good terms with the WWE? I can see him being slightly pissed off at the whole thing, but I can't be bothered looking up sources.

 

[Cookie14]

The character won't be back for two reasons. Firstly, he was taken off air by the network who believed that the character and terrorist angle were to extreme at that time. Secondly, terrorism has decreased, time has dulled (though will never fully take away) the hatred from average viewers. Without the heat from this, Hassan would just be a bigger Davairi.

It is possible for the person to return, although I honestly believe he is done with wrestling. If he wasn't then he would still be doing indy shows, or at TNA

 

[TheAnimal]

No, WWE are treading on egg shells now Linda has her senate campaign. An angle where xenophobia and fear of terrorism are exploited in an attempt to make money etc would get her crucified and shoot any chance she has to pieces.

 

[CarlSinclair]

I think most of you have forgotten basically until that particular angle his character was actually totally against terrorism. His whole point was that Americans were totally racist again him event thought he was one of you and you booed him and looked at him as a terrorist because of his skin.

He had a point for the most part, which is why it was such a clever character.

They ruined the whole character and point with running the angle they did, and therefore I hope they don't bring it back because they had really good heat going for the right reasons and ruined it by taking the easy way out.

 

[Andy 2 Randy]

Personally i would want Hassan back, but honestly i dont think he will be.

Look at all critizim from so many newspapers, News shows, angry parents about the storylines that he did...and the reason, because he was a different skin colour. It's obvious, after terrorist attacks occured, people didn't feel safe, and that included an american who was acting as an indian/arab. People didn't want a man who could be a threat to anyone, and when the terrorist plot came about, he was gone.

For me, its a very racist and stupid idea that Mark Copani was discriminated by fans and people around the world just for a character that he portrayed, a character who was one of the greatest heels in WWE history...I'm Just Sayin...

 

[Ruthless-RKO]

Who says he ahs to come back as Muhammad Hassan...one thing I hated about Wrestling promotions..as soon as they hire a middle-eastern wrestlers(apart from Khali), well an arabic..they have to always relate him to 9/11, it was 9 years ago..WTF..well when hassan was there it was 3 or 4 years....but still..why did the character have to revolve around the 9/11 attacks...that is what I hated the most....it continued when Diavari(Sheik Bashir), went to TNA, yes they gave him a heel X division title run but the character was the same...

If didn't have that character, he could have been the youngest world champion with WWE, Hassan...

I don't think he will be back in the "E" though...they literally buried him!!

 

[harrythem]

For the people saying we can't blame WWE as it was UPN's call to keep the angle in I'll point you to the fact that it was edited out of the show over here by Sky Sports (WWE would've happily left it in) and, WWE quite happily left it in their live coverage of the Bash. Hussan won't ever be back and thank god, because wrestling isn't clever enough to tackle this subject with the delicacy it needs

 

[TSG]

Sadly enough, I just don't think he would get over well-enough with a different gimmick. It's like Kane or The Undertaker, the gimmick made the wrestler that much better. Sometimes with the wrestler, it's the gimmick that furthers them, yes, they get the gimmick over, but it takes the right gimmick that connects with the fans. Copani's "Muhammed Hassan" gimmick was one of those. I'd like him to return, but unless they can conjure up just as an equally great gimmick, I'd rather it be Hassan. It's sad though, as he most likely will never return (if he comes back to wrestling) with that gimmick. It all had to do with 7/7, and it is unfortunate that it happened when it did, as the WWE had no sufficient time to edit their Smackdown! footage. It's funny though, as CarlSinclair said earlier, he wasn't a terroist character. He was a Middle-Eastern American sick of stereotype on his kind since 9/11. It was a genius character, in all honesty. But unfortunatley, due to bad timing, public pressure, and PG, Muhammed Hassan, at least not the character, will about 99% for sure never return.

 

[kurt_angle_no1fan]

Hassan had great potential. He was working his way up to be a top heel but unfortunately the London bombings paid due to him developing his Wrestling career. It was just a bad coicidence for him...the Network wanted rid of him and WWE had no choice.

Hassan could of formed a fantastic faction with Khali and Singh.

Seems stranged him retired from Wrestling though. At 28 he has time but 5 years and still no comeback. Wouldnt hold your breath.

 

[Captain America]

I think too many people are way too over-sensistive. Our society is way too pc. Nothing that Hassan did in that angle was that bad. I thought it was brilliant writing and was a great lead-in to an extremely interesting feud with the Undertaker. As for him coming back, I don't foresee it happening, but never say never.

 

[Texas Tornado]

The real question is whether Muhammad Hassan would even work in the PG era? The WWE always exploited wartime animosities during the late 80's(i.e. Iron Sheik). Hassan never swore during his promos yet he could still generate way more heat than Thwagger. His character worked because it didnt target a religion but an ethnicity.

 

[P-Dub]

Sadly I cant see Hassan coming back, the main reason being that the fallout from his last appearance with WWE and the whole London bombings bad timing incident. As someone there at the time and watching the programme it wasnt that much of an issue from a fans pont of view, but was jumped upon by the tabloid media here and it did not do the WWE's image that much good over here. The WWE wants to keep itself from too much controversy it seems, hence the PG image and the lack of "old style" hardcore matches. It would be far to controversial to bring back that character at the present time. In ten-fifteen years we may see a return of maybe not Hassan but a similar character.

 

[RickRaspberry]

What he should do is work the indy scene against Jim Duggan in podunk little towns, get the rednecks all fired up and then have Hacksaw save the day!

The "terrorist", "sultan", "shiek", etc gimmicks are a thing of the past. World is too PC for that. I like the gimmick, and I think that it creates an absolute heel. But too many do gooders for it to succeed, as proved.