WWE Hall of Fame wrestler The Iron Sheik dead at 81 – MMA Crossfire

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Hossein Kosrow Ali Vaziri, known to millions as WWE Hall of Fame wrestler The Iron Sheik, passed away today at the age of 81.

Born in 1942 in Damghan, Semnan Province of Iran, Vaziri made a name for himself early on in his formative years as an amateur wrestler and a bodyguard for Shah Mohammad Reza. He competed for a spot on the 1968 Iranian Olympic Greco-Roman wrestling team. He caught the eye of AWA promoter Verne Gagne and Billy Robinson, where he was  invited to train for professional wrestling.

 

In 1979, Vaziri, now know made his way for his first run in the WWWF, where he wrestled against the likes of champion Bob Backlund, former champion Bruno Sammartino, and Chief Jay Strongbow.

After stops in the NWA, Mid-South Wrestling, and Florida Championship Wrestling, Vaziri returned to the WWWF, which was now the WWF, in 1983 where he shocked the world by ending the reign of Bob Backlund in Madison Square Garden in New York City. He was The Iron Sheik by this time, the Iranian heel that Americans loved to hate. Insulting the fans pre-match and waving the Iranian flag helped create the heat that powered his career.

Hulk Hogan, who was substituting for an “injured” Bob Backlund at The Garden, defeated The Iron Sheik in a memorable match for the WWF heavyweight title on Jan. 23, 1984, creating the birth of “Hulkamania.” The Sheik moved on to team Nikolai Volkoff and manager “Classy” Freddie Blassie to capture the WWF tag team championship from opponents Mike Rotunda and Barry Windham at the first WrestleMania pay-per-view vent in 1985.

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Vaziri left the WWF in 1987 after being pulled over by New Jersey police traveling with colleague Hacksaw Jim Duggan to a show. Both of them were under the influence of marijuana and cocaine which led to one year of probation for Vaziri as well as his release from the WWF.  Duggan was temporarily released from the company.

In 1991, the Iron Sheik retuned to the WWF as Colonel Mustafa, a supporter of former fan favourite turned Iraqi sympathizer, Sgt. Slaughter. It was his last prominent role in the WWF.

Later, after his retirement, he gained a social media cult following with his colourful and wacky rants on Twitter.

The Iranian Legend: The Iron Sheik Story documentary in 2013 produced by Vaziri’s managers Page and Jian Magen, helped shed some light on his personal life, including his marriage to Caryl J. Peterson in March 1976, which produced three children. One child, Marissa, at 26 was murdered by her boyfriend Charles Warren Reynolds in May 2003. The incident helped spiral Vaziri into the dependency of crack cocaine where his wife left him in 2007 before conditionally returning.

With the assistance of the Magen twins, The Iron Sheik spoke to MMA Crossfire in 2013 to promote the documentary. Asked if he if he would have joined the UFC instead of the WWWF if it were around in the 70s, he replied:

“10,000 PER CENT. I READY FOR ANYONE IN THE UFC. WHEN I AT MY BEST I COULD HAVE BEATEN THE F*** OUT OF ANYONE IN UFC. I LIKE THE IRANIAN GEORGES ST-PIERRE.” – The Iron Sheik

Vaziri was proud of his home country of Iran at all stages of his career. Asked how it felt to be an inspiration not only to the nation but to fans worldwide, he responded:

OH BEST QUESTION BUBBA. I LOVE THAT PEOPLE SEE ME AND THEY KNOW I AM THE LEGEND. THEY KNOW I WORK HARD ALL MY LIFE AND KNOW THEY KNOW THAT FOREVER I BE LIKE MICHAEL JORDAN AND THE FRANK SINATRA – The Iron Sheik

As the ultimate anti-American villain in pro wrestling WWWF, the WWF, and now WWE, The Iron Sheik battled heroes Bob Backlund, Hulk Hogan, and Sgt. Slaughter along the way to  the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005.

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The cause of death has not been officially revealed as of yet. But many on social media are mourning the death of Vaziri.

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@kenaiandrews

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