For over a decade, “All American” Azeem The Dream has been angering crowds throughout of British Columbia with his moxie and in-ring ability. Recently, he even upset his own wife.
The scene was an All Star Wrestling show in May 2015 in Cloverdale. Promoter Michelle Starr gave Azeem the opportunity to get in the ring with renowned little person wrestler Short Sleeve Sampson one-on-one.
“I was stoked. My wife was actually sitting in the crowd and she couldn’t believe the stuff that was coming out of my mouth, the insults coming out towards all sorts of Little People everywhere,” recalled Azeem, at 6-foot, 220 pounds, towering over the 4-foot-2 Sampson. “She told me afterwards she was the most disappointed in me in her entire life. She didn’t want to be associated with me at all after that. I think she was actually contemplating divorce.”
It takes two to tango, of course, and Azeem credited Sampson, “a constant professional,” for making it work. “He made me feel at ease. He helped me make that match. It was unbelievable. That was my ‘Oh my God’ moment right there.”
According to Starr, an ASW co-owner, Azeem The Dream is one of the hardest workers behind the scenes.
“He’s an asset to any promotion he works for in and out of the ring,” affirmed Starr. “He’s a heat machine and the fans love to hate him.”
Since Michelle Starr’s retirement match on February 27, 2015, Azeem The Dream has found himself tangling with Starr’s good friend, and ASW co-owner, Disco Fury.
“Disco Fury stuck his nose where it didn’t belong and unfortunately what happened to him, it happens … I threw a fireball in his face; Disco Fury had to go for two surgeries for that,” Azeem The Dream said matter-of-factly.
“They actually removed his eye from his eye socket and had to repair it like under a petri dish and put it back in his socket. When he came back he should have forgiven me, shook my hand and said, ‘You know what Azeem? Things went too far and that’s fine.’ But what does he do? He comes out after every show and attacks me. He just can’t bear the fact that I’m the guy that retired his buddy. I’m the guy that if he keeps messing with me is going to retire him.”
While the promoter Disco Fury may have some positive things to say about Azeem The Dream, the wrestler Disco Fury warned that the matter between the two is not yet settled.
“Azeem was a loyal guy when I was with the other company,” acknowledged Fury, referring to the ECCW promotion in B.C. “He would be eager to help out any chance he could. Fast forward to his days with ASW and he continues to help out to make the shows go as smooth as possible. In the ring he is a bad with a bad attitude that commands respect, but gets none. I know he will be a loyal friend when the shows are over and the music stops! By the way our feud is not over!”
Looking back, Azeem The Dream acknowledged his connection to wrestling started with his father who he can remember sitting him down at the age of two to watch the American Wrestling Association. Later on he earned an amateur wrestling scholarship at Simon Fraser University where he did his post-secondary education in criminology.
“Took a try at the criminal justice field of work and didn’t like it too much,” declared Azeem The Dream. “It wasn’t my cup of tea so I ventured off into other things. I did get the opportunity to try out for the Canadian Olympic team at one point, but I had a bit of a setback in wrestling with a shoulder injury that really kind of put everything in perspective. Like why am I doing this? My real job right now is I’m a food safety inspector for the grocery stores.”
Being a friend with B.C. mainstay Scotty Mac got him started in professional wrestling in 2005.
“One day he asked me to film his matches and I agreed,” explained Azeem The Dream. “I became his personal videographer which we dubbed the name Smac Promotions. One day I tagged along with him to the wrestling school and he asked me to step in the ring and see what it’s like. I did and he asked, ‘Are you ready to take a bump?’ and I said, ‘I don’t know.’ He showed me a safe way to do it and once I hit that mat I was hooked. I was like, ‘I’m doing this!'”
Azeem The Dream found himself part of a rather esteemed training class that included SHIMMER champion Nicole Matthews, Harv Sihra of the Bollywood Boys in Global Force Wrestling, Johnny Obsession, and Veronika Vice, among others. Yet, it would not be until 2009 where he felt he made a real breakthrough.
“I never thought it would ever come,” remarked Azeem. “I honestly didn’t. I was the guy that was putting over other guys. When you’re young and starting out you take your lumps and keep your mouth shut and take what’s given to you. I did that for probably about the first three or four years of my career. I was always told to respect the people that come before you and I have and I still do that to this day.”
That opportunity would come at the 2009 Pacific Cup final.
“I was honestly contemplating throwing in the towel on pro wrestling because nothing was ever happening,” said Azeem The Dream. “When the Pacific Cup came around I was actually showing the promoter at the time I’m the guy that wants to have an opportunity. Then I went all the way to finals of the Pacific Cup. That was huge, huge moment for me personally and professionally. I was living on a high. The most important thing is I turned a lot of heads of people.”
Scotty Mac, co-owner of Elite Canadian Championship Wrestling, remembers that particular tournament very well.
“I was never more proud of Azeem than in the 2009 Pacific Cup final as he looked better than ever in a three-way against Rick ‘The Weapon’ X and El Phantasmo,” Scotty Mac said. “I sat at commentary marking out huge as if I didn’t know who was going over in the end. Azeem, also, had an impressive run as NWA Canadian Junior Heavyweight Champion, getting more heat than the majority of the ECCW roster at the time. That title was one I never held and I hope Azeem held it with as much pride as I would have. Azeem and I were together in a faction called Smac Productions before we added more members in what became Chill Town. To this day our Chill Town faction is one of my favorite things in wrestling I’ve ever done and Azeem was an integral part of it. Chill Town dominated ECCW for over a year and Azeem was in his element, playing his role very effectively.”
It is a time that Azeem The Dream recollects very fondly.
“At the time the NWA Canadian Junior Title was vacated and I was just waiting at the meeting the day of the show to hear them say somebody else over for the title,” expounded Azeem The Dream. “The promoter said, ‘Azeem we’re putting you over tonight.’ I was flabbergasted because this has got to be some sort of mistake. Azeem the Dream never wins.”
When the bell rung and he was the winner, he couldn’t believe it was happening. “I was super happy at that time that they did that. A few weeks later I was a double champion.” The NWA ECCW tag team title reign with Sid Sylum was short-lived, though.
The colorful Kenny Lush recalled one particular match with Azeem The Dream that was interesting to say the least.
“The match that stands out is when I came back to ECCW after a hiatus there and he was my first match back; and the first second I hit the ropes broke,” Lush said. “So we had to do the match with no ropes all of a sudden. He’s a great heel. People naturally want to hate him so it’s always fun to babyface against him.”
In British Columbia the two biggest wrestling promotions are ASW and ECCW, which prior to 2014, Azeem The Dream both worked for. However, in 2014 he had a falling out with ECCW and focused on wrestling for All Star Wrestling which did require a transitional period
“At first, I could feel the guys and girls in All Star Wrestling were kind of on their heels and saying, ‘Okay, Azeem is here full-time. What’s going to happen here?’ Because I’ve been known as the guy of controversy,” confessed Azeem The Dream.
“I didn’t want to be known as that guy. If a guy like Michelle Starr, who him and I have never really gotten along through the years before any of this, had given me a second chance, I think I deserve a chance to prove myself to everybody that was there. I think I’ve done that. All Star Wrestling, in and outside the locker room, is a solid locker room. Everybody works their tails off, everybody does what they can to help out the shows and it’s been a great, great experience for me. I plan on finishing my wrestling career with All Star Wrestling. ”
When asked about Azeem The Dream leaving ECCW Scotty Mac took the high road. “Azeem looks to be a very prominent part of the ASW roster now and I wish him all the best,” he said. “While we may not work together again, I would enjoy repairing our personal relationship if the opportunity arose.”
One ASW wrestler whose opinion of Azeem The Dream has shifted over the years to the point where he now considers him his best friend has been Nate Hightower.
“When Azeem and I first met in ECCW, we did not get along well,” admitted Hightower. “I believed the only reason he had a spot on the roster is because of his friendship with the promoter, but I was wrong, very wrong. After not seeing or talking to Azeem for about a year, we ran into each other at ASW. I got to see him bust his @#$ training in the ring and in the gym, helping find sponsors, promote and put up posters. It was at this point I saw that he deserved to be there. He has been one of my best opponents in the ring and been my biggest supporter in the locker room. I truly and honestly believe that one day soon Azeem will win the ASW Trans-Canada Heavyweight Title, and he deserves that honor more than anyone else I know right now.”
When asked about his matches with Hightower, Azeem The Dream was equally complimentary and felt that their last match at ASW’s WrestleReunion V may have been the best match they’ve ever had.
“Nate he’s been wrestling longer than I have, but he’s come a long way,” Azeem The Dream said. “He was really struggling with wrestling and it wasn’t his fault. His own faction, whenever they would give him a tag team partner he would flake out. I knew how he felt. He was feeling very frustrated. He was paired with me to do a program. He and I have a bit of a history and we made it work to the best of our ability and the last match we had was really good. He worked his tail off. He’s come a long way and he’s out to prove he should be taken seriously as a pro wrestler and he deserves it.”
As to potential future opponents Azeem The Dream named Mr. India, whom he defeated for the Adam Firestone Memorial Title, Collin Cutler, Adam Ryder and perhaps Gangrel.
“I hear Gangrel been flapping his gums at me for a little while,” said Azeem The Dream with a smirk. “He better not mess with me because I have the whole United States faction with me to protect me. Did you see my new bodyguard D Money? I don’t think anyone wants to mess with that guy.”
Unlike many of his peers, Azeem The Dream said that at this stage of his career he wasn’t interested in pursuing any of the big promotions such as WWE, TNA, or Ring of Honor.
“I’m 36 years old, I have a wife, I have a baby at home,” disclosed Azeem The Dream. “Right now I like staying in my home promotion of ASW. I’m open to going anywhere across Canada or in the U.S., overseas maybe. I love being where I am today.”
RELATED LINKS
- Nov. 20, 2024 Guest column by “Azeem the Dream” Azeem Mohammed: Fuzzy Sayers always supported my career
- Twitter: @AzeemTD
- All Star Wrestling Website
- All Star Wrestling on Facebook
- Twitter: @ASWCANADA
