Adnan Al-Kaissie

Adnan Bin Abdulkareem Ahmed Alkaissy El Farthie (March 1, 1939 - September 6, 2023), better known professionally as Adnan Al-Kaissie, was a professional wrestler and a manager under the ring names Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissy, Billy White Wolf and General Adnan.
== 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 (WWWF) in the 1970s under the Native American gimmick Billy White Wolf and won the WWWF World Tag Team Championship 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, he and Strongbow were stripped of their titles. He wouldn't return until the early 80'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. 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.
In 1981, with tensions between the US and Middle East running high, he debuted in the American Wrestling Association (AWA) as Sheik Adnan El Kaissey where his stated goal was to win the AWA World Heavyweight Championship from champion Nick Bockwinkel. He failed at that task, so he then enlisted Jerry Blackwell, now wearing a Sheik's outfit and renamed Sheik Ayatollah Jerry Blackwell, to team with him to try to win the AWA tag team titles. That failed, too, so Adnan bought Ken Patera from manager Bobby Heenan to team with Blackwell, and Adnan would act as Blackwell and Patera's manager. The team of Blackwell and Patera captured the AWA tag team titles from Greg Gagne and Jim Brunzell. Adnan had to quit wrestling when he was injured, which is the real reason Patera was brought in to team with Blackwell, but he stayed in the AWA until it folded in early 1991 as the top heel manager. Among the other wrestlers he managed after Blackwell and Patera were King Kong Brody, The Barbarian and The Mongolian Stomper.
In the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in 1991, he allied with Sgt. Slaughter and the Iron Sheik as General Adnan and managed them during their pro-Iraqi gimmick in a feud with Hulk Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior. During this feud, Slaughter won the WWF title from the Warrior at the 1991 Royal Rumble and lost it a couple of months later to Hogan at the 1991 WrestleMania. Adnan also headlined SummerSlam 1991 with Slaughter and the Iron Sheik against Hogan and Warrior. According to some, he was brought in because, with a mustache, he bore a striking resemblance to Saddam Hussein. During the buildup to the 1990 Survivor Series, the WWF showed what they claimed were "classified top secret photos released by the Pentagon/CIA" that featured General Adnan with Saddam Hussein.
He formerly managed his own company, the World All-Star Wrestling Alliance, which he co-owned with Ken Patera.
On November 22, 2006, he appeared on Fox News Channel's Hannity & Colmes describing his encounters with a young Saddam Hussein.
==Autobiography==
On June 30, 2005 Triumph Books published his memoirs in The Sheik of Baghdad: Tales of Celebrity and Terror from Pro Wrestling's General Adnan.
==In wrestling==
Finishing moves
* Indian deathlock
Wrestlers managed
* King Kong Brody
* Sgt. Slaughter
* Col. Mustafa
* "Superstar" Billy Graham
* Mr. Hughes	
* Bobby Duncum
* Chris Markoff
* Boris Zhukov
* Jerry Blackwell
* Ivan Koloff	
* Alexis Smirnoff
* Mr. Saito
* Ken Patera
* Jonnie Stewart
* Masked Superstar	
* Abdullah the Butcher
* Kamala
* Nord the Barbarian
* King Tonga
* Soldat Ustinov	
* Teijho Khan
* Luke Graham
* Leilani Kai
* Bob Orton, Jr.
* Hercules Hernandez
* Kokina Maximus
==Championships and accomplishments==
* NWA Mid-Pacific Promotions
:*NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Hawaii version) (1 time)
:*NWA Hawaii Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Peter Maivia
* Pacific Northwest Wrestling
:*NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
:*NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship (4 times) - with Shag Thomas (1), Pepper Martin (1), Bearcat Wright (1), and Johnny War Eagle (1)
* Southwest Sports, Inc.
:*NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
:*NWA World Tag Team Championship (Texas version) (1 time) - with Hogan Wharton
* World Championship Wrestling (Australia)
:*IWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
:*IWA World Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Mario Milano (1) and Tex McKenzie (1)
* World Wide Wrestling Federation
:*WWWF World Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Jay Strongbow
* Pro Wrestling Illustrated
:*PWI ranked him # 410 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003.
==External links==
* Profile
* Profile
Category:Iraqi wrestlers
Category:Managers and valets
Category:1939 births
Category:1959 debuts
Category:1992 retirements
Category:American Wrestling Association alumni
Category:American Wrestling Federation alumni
Category:Championship Wrestling From Florida alumni
Category:New Japan Pro Wrestling alumni
Category:NWA Big Time Wrestling alumni
Category:NWA Mid American Wrestling alumni
Category:Pacific Northwest Wrestling alumni
Category:World Championship Wrestling (Australia) alumni
Category:World Wrestling Entertainment alumni
Category:WWE World Tag Team Champions
Category:NWA Polynesian Wrestling alumni
Category:2023 deaths
Category:Male wrestlers
Category:Wrestlers who have died