Career
Born 1968 in Ordu, northern Turkey, Kenan Şimşek began his wrestling career at Samsun in 1984. Kenan Şimşek performed also Turkish traditional sport of oil wrestling (Turkish: yağlı güreş). He participated at the prestigious Kırkpınar oil wrestling competitions held every year in Edirne.
In 2005, he became again "Başpehlivan" at the 5th Golden Hazelnut Festival held in Çatalpınar, Ordu.
In 2010, Şimşek took the "Başpehlivan" title of the Hıdırellez Festival held in Sakarlı village of Terme in Samsun.