RIP Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri aka The Iron Sheik
- Thread starter Sheppy
- Start date
PanthersPens62
Paul & Stanley
Jussi
Registered User
Mightygoose
Registered User
Another legend gone and former WWE champion in short order.
IIRC Bob Backlund is the only pre Hogan former WWE champ still alive
RIP Sheik
IIRC Bob Backlund is the only pre Hogan former WWE champ still alive
RIP Sheik
Unholy Diver
Registered User
Mightygoose
Registered User
So true. Andre, Savage and Warrior are gone.
In the late 80s cartoon 'Hulk Hogan's Rock and Wrestling'.... which got me into it in the first place...all of heel characters have passed on
John Price
Gang Gang
- Sep 19, 2008
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I just came back from the car shop when I read the news I felt sick to my stomach. Iron Sheik was the best on twitter. He ripped LeBron in LA for being a disappointment (before this year), and routinely lambasted professionals, becoming the top hater on social media. "IF YOU WANT TO BOUNCE LIKE A BOUNCEY BALL...GO f*** YOURSELF" He lampooned social media trends and let's get this straight, he was the all American Champion, Wrestling Champion, sold out the Madison Square Garden and no other jabroni not even the Jabroni Hulk Hogan could do that
So RIP Bubba, I pour a cold beer out for you
So RIP Bubba, I pour a cold beer out for you
- May 3, 2021
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I hope Shiek’a final words were “f*** the Hulk Hogan!”
AtlantaWhaler
Thrash/Preds/Sabres
- Jul 3, 2009
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These Are The Days
I need about tree fiddy
Guardian17
Strong & Free
Sheppy
Registered User
The story about Sheik getting paid to break Hogans legs is legendary. He could have, too. Guy was as tough as they come.
Sheppy
Registered User
He once told me to “You look like big time jabroni bubba no muscle go f*** yourself still I love you”
It’s my favorite tweet ever.
It’s my favorite tweet ever.
Emperoreddy
Show Me What You Got!
He got one last "f*** Hulk Hogan" in a couple days ago. Man went out a legend
BostonBob
4 Ever The Greatest
Sheppy
Registered User
joestevens29
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- Apr 30, 2009
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At least this guy lived to a decent age. Far too many guys died far too soon.So true. Andre, Savage and Warrior are gone.
In the late 80s cartoon 'Hulk Hogan's Rock and Wrestling'.... which got me into it in the first place...all of heel characters have passed on
Unholy Diver
Registered User
And considering his lifestyle the 81 yrs is even more impressive, there was a lot of hard miles on that body
Jussi
Registered User
Picture it, somewhere... :
Gorilla Monsoon: "Nikolai Volkoff is crawling to the corner, as if he's trying to tag his partner.."
Heenan: "But he doesn't have a partner!"
Gorilla: "Wait, someone's walking down the aisle...It's the Iron Sheik! The Iron Sheik has joined the Celestial Wrestling Federation!"
Heenan: "But whose side is he on?!"
Gorilla: "Of course he's on Volkoff's side. And look, he tagged himself in! Wait, he's taking something out of his trunks...It's a Hulkamania bandana! He's throwing it on the ground, stomping on it and now spitting on it! The disrespect!"
Heenan: "Well it's not like Hogan will ever find out about this, considering where he's going...."
Gorilla: "WILL YOU STOP!"
Gorilla Monsoon: "Nikolai Volkoff is crawling to the corner, as if he's trying to tag his partner.."
Heenan: "But he doesn't have a partner!"
Gorilla: "Wait, someone's walking down the aisle...It's the Iron Sheik! The Iron Sheik has joined the Celestial Wrestling Federation!"
Heenan: "But whose side is he on?!"
Gorilla: "Of course he's on Volkoff's side. And look, he tagged himself in! Wait, he's taking something out of his trunks...It's a Hulkamania bandana! He's throwing it on the ground, stomping on it and now spitting on it! The disrespect!"
Heenan: "Well it's not like Hogan will ever find out about this, considering where he's going...."
Gorilla: "WILL YOU STOP!"
AlphaLackey
Registered User
REQVIESCAT IN PACE
Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri, aka "The Iron Sheik"
b. 1942 March 15
d. 2023 June 7
This one's a bit tough to write, because enough people I know have had at least a passing familiarity with the man, but not enough to truly appreciate his genius and his dedication to his craft.
And I have to emphasize both "genius" and "dedication"
You want dedication? During the height of both 'kayfabe' (the term indicating when pro wrestling went to any length to present itself as a competitive sport) AND the Cold War, Mr. Vaziri was willing to play (to the hilt) a stereotypical America-hating foreign villain trope. Dedication *and courage*, I should add, if the litany of death threats is any indication.
Yet all the same, he continued to deliver his legendarily laconic promo -- "Iran #1, USA *HAWK TUAH*" [edit: sorry, couldn't resist!] -- that didn't just incense fans, but more importantly, drew them into the stadium.
For indeed, no theatric hero can ever triumph without a strong villain to overcome, and beyond any doubt, The Iron Sheik played that to a T. Most of you might remember his match with Hulk Hogan that shot the latter to the moon. For people a bit older, they remember his battles in the 1970s against Bob Backlund, a man best described as Archie Andrews with a collegiate wrestling background; in other words, the epitome of post-war all-American virtue.
Tragedy would later befall Mr. Vaziri's life; I won't go into the details because the rawness of those wounds put some truly hard times on him and his family. But in the end, he persevered, and was able to evolve into his final form -- that goofy, exaggerated social media presence that even non-fans of wrestling came to love. Vulgar language, ALL IN SHOUTY CAPS, promising to "humble" (pardon me, "HUMBLE") some "JABRONI". Sometimes, it would be a former co-worker, including perpetual whipping boy Hulk Hogan; on occasion, it would be some morally repugnant politician sunk to their knees in retrograde bullshit.
Either way, "Sheiky Baby"'s social media team gave him a shelf-life that far exceeded the simple melodramatic trope he first excelled at.
And in the end, and when viewed in a modern lens, The Iron Sheik's story is a truly fantastic one: a legitimate badass athlete from humble beginnings in a small village in Iran, he had a career that grew all the way from "ethnic villain stereotype" trope to a champion of diversity and progress, as the WWF/E's first and only Iranian-American World Heavyweight Champion.
No, he didn't change with the times; he remained steadfast, and instead, changed the surrounding times just that little bit needed. Such was the force of his charisma, his charm, his athletic prowess, and his natural showmanship.
May he now begin to rest in peace.
Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri, aka "The Iron Sheik"
b. 1942 March 15
d. 2023 June 7
This one's a bit tough to write, because enough people I know have had at least a passing familiarity with the man, but not enough to truly appreciate his genius and his dedication to his craft.
And I have to emphasize both "genius" and "dedication"
You want dedication? During the height of both 'kayfabe' (the term indicating when pro wrestling went to any length to present itself as a competitive sport) AND the Cold War, Mr. Vaziri was willing to play (to the hilt) a stereotypical America-hating foreign villain trope. Dedication *and courage*, I should add, if the litany of death threats is any indication.
Yet all the same, he continued to deliver his legendarily laconic promo -- "Iran #1, USA *HAWK TUAH*" [edit: sorry, couldn't resist!] -- that didn't just incense fans, but more importantly, drew them into the stadium.
For indeed, no theatric hero can ever triumph without a strong villain to overcome, and beyond any doubt, The Iron Sheik played that to a T. Most of you might remember his match with Hulk Hogan that shot the latter to the moon. For people a bit older, they remember his battles in the 1970s against Bob Backlund, a man best described as Archie Andrews with a collegiate wrestling background; in other words, the epitome of post-war all-American virtue.
Tragedy would later befall Mr. Vaziri's life; I won't go into the details because the rawness of those wounds put some truly hard times on him and his family. But in the end, he persevered, and was able to evolve into his final form -- that goofy, exaggerated social media presence that even non-fans of wrestling came to love. Vulgar language, ALL IN SHOUTY CAPS, promising to "humble" (pardon me, "HUMBLE") some "JABRONI". Sometimes, it would be a former co-worker, including perpetual whipping boy Hulk Hogan; on occasion, it would be some morally repugnant politician sunk to their knees in retrograde bullshit.
Either way, "Sheiky Baby"'s social media team gave him a shelf-life that far exceeded the simple melodramatic trope he first excelled at.
And in the end, and when viewed in a modern lens, The Iron Sheik's story is a truly fantastic one: a legitimate badass athlete from humble beginnings in a small village in Iran, he had a career that grew all the way from "ethnic villain stereotype" trope to a champion of diversity and progress, as the WWF/E's first and only Iranian-American World Heavyweight Champion.
No, he didn't change with the times; he remained steadfast, and instead, changed the surrounding times just that little bit needed. Such was the force of his charisma, his charm, his athletic prowess, and his natural showmanship.
May he now begin to rest in peace.
Last edited:
John Price
Gang Gang
- Sep 19, 2008
- 385,042
- 30,539
