Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri, the pro wrestling icon better known as The Iron Sheik, has died at 81, according to a post on his official social media account.
"With his larger than life persona, incredible charisma, and unparalleled in-ring skills, he captivated audiences around the globe," the statement reads. "He was a trailblazer, breaking barriers and paving the way for a diverse range of wrestlers who followed in his footsteps."
Before his professional wrestling career began, he worked as a bodyguard for Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of the Imperial State of Iran. He fought for a spot on Iran's Greco-Roman wrestling team for the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City before moving to the United States. He won a gold medal at the national Amateur Athletic Union championships in 1971.
He had an early stint with the WWF in 1979, where he feuded with Chief Jay Strongbow and had a shot at the championship against Bob Backlund. When he"With his imposing physique, curled boots and dreaded Camel Cutch finishing hold, The Iron Sheik’s larger-than-life personality and natural gift for inciting crowds across the globe helped him become one of the greatest villains in sports-entertainment history," World Wrestling Entertainment, the entity previously known as the WWF,.
WWE is saddened to learn that Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri, known the world over as WWE Hall of Famer The Iron Sheik, passed away on Wednesday, June 7, at age 81.
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