Nurullah Hasan

The members of the "Turkish invasion" in 1894 (from left to right): Kara Osman of Plovdiv, Nurullah, Yusuf of Shumen, and Joseph Doublier.

Ali Nurullah Hasan (1867 or 1870 in Bıyıklı village near Şumnu, Danube Vilayet - 1912 in İstanbul) was a Turkish wrestler. He was known with his nickname as Filiz Nurullah Pehlivan to Turkish public whereas he used the alias Hassan Nurullah for his professional wrestling career in Western Europe.His height of 7-2(218 cm) and his weight of 387 lb(175 kg).


When he was eleven years of age Nurullah was circumcised, and was trained in oil wrestling by Yusuf İsmail.[1] In 1894, he accompanied him and Kara Osman of Plovdiv on their journey to Paris, organised by French wrestler-cum-promoter Joseph Doublier.[2] Nurullah's impressive physique (standing 2.18 m(7'2) tall and weighing 175 kg(387 lb),[3] although exaggerated figures have also existed) was then noted as a tackle for finding eager opponents.[4] Nevertheless, Nurullah trained in Greco-Roman wrestling and started competing at Folies Bergère by 1895.[1]

Nurullah is renowned for his long rivalries with two formidable exponents of Greco-Roman wrestling; Paul Pons and Kara Ahmet.[1]

Nurullah quit wrestling in 1911 and died a year later in İstanbul.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Yağlı Güreşin Ünlü Pehlivanları X - Filiz Nurullah, Erhan Hüseyin Ali, Öğretmenin Sesi
  2. ↑ Noble, Graham (2003-05-23). "The life and death of the Terrible Turk". Eurozine.
  3. ↑ Famous Wrestlers of Kırkpınar
  4. ↑ Filiz Nurullah