Introduction
Joseph Cabibbo (born May 21, 1974) is an American professional wrestler, who is wrestling under the ring name The Sheik. He is a former one-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion and (Zero1) World Heavyweight Champion.
Professional wrestling career
Full Impact Pro Wrestling (2006-2008)
Cabibbo debuted in Full Impact Pro (FIP) as Joey Machete in February 2006, teaming up with Shawn Murphy and losing to Seth Delay and Chasyn Rance. They won their first match against Tony Mamaluke and Chad Parham the following day. In April, they won a three way tag team match, featuring the Heartbreak Express and the Y.R.R. They began a streak of victories and beat the Heartbreak Express to become tag team champions. They lost their titles against the Heartbreak Express. They left the promotion on August 2008, after losing a hardcore match against The Dark City Fight Club.
Pro Wrestling Fusion (2008-present)
Cabibbo, working under the ring name The Sheik, has made the Florida promotion Pro Wrestling Fusion his home. Originally going by the new Sheik Ali Azzad, Cabibbo shortened the name, after receiving the blessing of Sabu, the nephew of the original Sheik. He won the NWA Florida Heavyweight Title by defeating Freedom Ryder on the inaugural show on May 3, 2008 in Ft. Pierce Florida. He also developed a feud with Steve Madison, who defeated the Sheik for the NWA Florida Heavyweight Title on February 2, 2009 inside a steel cage. The Sheik regained the NWA Florida Heavyweight Title from Madison on August 1, 2009.
NWA Midwest (2009-present)
The Sheik debuted in NWA Midwest in September 2009, attacking NWA Midwest Heavyweight champion, Silas Young at a RWF(Rebellious Wrestling Federation) show in Ashton IL. He then defeated Silas to win the championship. He was scheduled for a World Title match against Blue Demon, Jr. to be held in Cicero Stadium in Chicago Illinois, but Blue Demon backed out of the match. Silas Young, on the other hand, did sign up to wrestle the Sheik and defeated him in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on December 4, 2009, at ACW Homecoming. Sheik defeated Young to become a 2 time NWA Midwest Heavyweight Champion on December 5, 2009.
On January 30, 2010, The Sheik defeated "El Gran" Apolo to become the new NWA North American Heavyweight Champion.
On April 23, 2011, he defeated Colt Cabana in Jacksonville, Florida to become the 44th officially recognized NWA World Heavyweight Champion. He was stripped of the title on July 11, 2011. Officially, the NWA announced that Sheik had refused to defend the title on July 31, 2011 in Ohio. Unofficially, Sheik's camp says he was never scheduled for the title defense.
Puerto Rico
The Sheik had a feud with Puerto Rican Savio Vega which led to a "Globe of Death match". The match was held in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, and the two competitors fought in a giant ball of steel. Weapons were attached to the inside of the steel cage.
Japan
On May 23, 2011, The Sheik made his debut in Japan for Pro Wrestling Zero1. He returned to the promotion on July 3, defeating Ryouji Sai in a match, where both his NWA World Heavyweight Championship and Sai's World Heavyweight Championship were on the line, to become the new World Heavyweight Champion. He would go on to lose the title to Kohei Sato on November 6, 2011.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Camel clutch
- Running neckbreaker
- Signature moves
- Elbow drop
- Hangman's neckbreaker
- Hook clothesline
- Nicknames
- "The Iranian Assassin"
- "The Middle Eastern Madman"
- Managers
- Fabulous Frank
- Joey Eastman
- Brian Zane
Championships and accomplishments
- American Wrestling Federation
- AWF Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Shawn Murphy
- Coastal Championship Wrestling
- CCW South Eastern Championship (1 time)
- CCW Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Shawn Murphy
- Florida Alliance Wrestling
- FWA Tag Team Championship (3 times) - with Shawn Murphy
- Four Star Championship Wrestling
- FSCW Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Shawn Murphy
- Full Impact Pro
- FIP Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Shawn Murphy
- Future of Wrestling
- FOW Tag Team Championship (3 times) - with Shawn Murphy
- FOW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Intense Florida Wrestling
- IFW Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Shawn Murphy
- Maximum Xtreme Pro Wrestling
- MXPW Television Championship (1 time)
- MXPW Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Shawn Murphy
- NWA Florida
- NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
- NWA Florida Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Christopher Gray
- NWA Midwest
- NWA Midwest Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
- Pacific Coast Wrestling
- PCW Tag Team Championship (1 time, current) - with Jacob Fatu
- Pro Wrestling Fusion
- NWA North American Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- NWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- PWI ranked him #103 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI 500 in 2011
- Pro Wrestling Zero1
- World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- United States Xtreme Wrestling
- USXW Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Shawn Murphy
- http://www.cagematch.net/?id=5&nr=3100
- ""PWI 500": 101–200". Pro Wrestling Illustrated. 2011-08-08. Retrieved 2011-08-08.