Professional wrestling legend The Iron Sheik passed away at the age of 81. News of the Sheik’s passing was announced with a statement via his Twitter account on Wednesday morning.
Legend, icon, social media star, cultural phenomenon. Hollow platitudes, in most instances, undoubtedly ring true when talking about the life and times of Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaz, aka The Iron Sheik.
In a genre where skilled practitioners simulate combat with a light touch, Sheik’s Olympic pedigree and bona fide praetorian resume made him the perfect candidate to bridge wrestling’s dramatic presentation of spectacle and sport.
On December 26, 1983, The Iron Sheik ended the nearly six-year reign of Bob Backlund to become the WWE Champion. The controversial bout in Madison Square Garden saw Backlund’s manager Arnold Skaaland throw in the towel after Backlund refused to submit to the Camel Clutch.
Twenty-eight days later, The Iron Sheik returned to MSG, where he lost the WWE Title to Hulk Hogan in one of the most famous matches of all time. January 23, 1984, is a date that will live in wrestling infamy; the birth of Hulkamania and the beginning of wrestling as a pop culture staple.
Six months after losing the championship, The Iron Sheik faced Sgt. Slaughter in the famous Boot Camp Match, which many consider Sheik’s best in ring outing. The match served as the culmination of their nationalistic feud (Iran vs. U.S.A.).
LJN’s WWF Wrestling Superstars figures were one of the most popular toy lines of the 80s. There wasn’t a kid I knew who didn’t have at least two of these large rubber figures and almost everyone had The Iron Sheik, which served as my introduction to the Iranian menace.
Sheik was no longer in the WWF when I started watching wrestling. However, tales of yore about the Sheik from long-time fans, along with video store rentals of past events, filled in the blanks
The first time I saw The Iron Sheik wrestle live was at The Great American Bash in 1990. Ironically, it was also my first NWA/WCW pay-per-view event.
In an unannounced match, The Iron Sheik would lose to Mike Rotunda. My eight-year brain couldn’t believe a former WWF Champion lost to a boat captain in the minor league wrestling federation. Still, it was a pleasant surprise to see The Iron Sheik wrestle a new match instead of VHS reruns.
Transcendence often records an indelible impression. Whether it’s an Olympic hopeful, a bodyguard for the Shah of Iran, a WWE Hall of Famer, or the blueprint for using politics as a vehicle for storytelling, Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri has accomplished something very few will achieve.
You can’t tell the story of modern professional wrestling without The Iron Sheik.
RingsideLogic.com 