He was trained by the Original Sheik, Ed Farhat, who was one of pro-wrestling's classic and greatest bad guys.
Even though their styles are quite different (Sheik being a wild hardcore-style brawler, known for throwing fire, cutting his opponent's forehead's up with foreign objects like a pencil, fork, etc. whereas Van Dam is a technical high-flyer), Farhat taught him the importance of the right mindset. IMDb Mini Biography By: K Lange
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