The Sheik Put Bobo Brazil Over To Give Detroit A Moment Of Joy

We just passed the 59th anniversary of the Detroit riots, and one thing that gets lost to history is how professional wrestling helped calm a city down and how a legendary local promoter gave the local community a reason to celebrate instead of riot.

Ed Farhat is one of the most legendary, if not the most legendary, local promoters in Michigan for professional wrestling, identified and known publicly as The Sheik, and he did something for the community that is often forgotten because of the damage that was done during the Detroit riots.

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From July 23 through the 28th, 43 people were killed, there were 1189 injuries, 7231 people were arrested, and $40 million of damage was done after a blind pig was raided in Detroit’s Westside.

Black residents felt the police raids were racially biased after they became a normal part of Detroit social life, or black residents, as many black residents were not served in Detroit bars, restaurants are entertainment venues.

One of Michigan’s most beloved professional wrestlers, a black man from Benton Harbor, Bobo Brazil, had a long-time feud with The Sheik, and a few days after the riots ended, the city was still on edge about the incident, and many wondered how the healing process would begin.

It’s important to note that The Sheik did not lose many matches at all. It was a very rare occurrence for him to lose clean to any opponent, but on the night of August 5 in 1977, in front of almost 8,000 people, The Sheik lost his United States heavyweight championship to Bobo Brazil. Writer David Burzynski shared his firsthand experience of the event:

Having spoken to the Sheik years later about this particular night, though it wasn’t in the original booking plans, he thought what could be better than to give the fans what they hoped and dreamed? A time to see a man of color be lauded as a champion, giving both fans of multiple races and colors the thrill of a lifetime. As he saw it, what could help heal the City of Detroit more, than this small gesture of taking the fall and crowning a new champion?