For so many years, Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri served as one of the most outspoken pro wrestling veterans of all time, with fans knowing him more familiarly by his moniker The Iron Sheik. The former WWE Superstar hadn't formally wrestled in many years, as one of the rare wrestlers who embraced full-on retirement, but managed to build an even bigger fanbase in the aftermath thanks to shoot interviews and an explosion in popularity on Twitter and other social media platforms. Sadly, the legend reportedly passed away this week at the age of 81.
Details about Iron Sheik's death are somewhat limited, with the news coming straight from his social media accounts, with the same message being shared by his managers Jian and Page Magen. (They've actually been responsible for the icon's hilarious Twitter page over the years.) Read part of the message below.
Today, we gather with heavy hearts to bid farewell to a true legend, a force of nature, and an iconic figure who left an incredible mark on the world of professional wrestling. It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of The Iron Sheik, but we also take solace in knowing that he departed this world peacefully, leaving behind a legacy that will endure for generations to come. . . . The Iron Sheik, (whose real name was Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri), transcended the realm of sports entertainment. With his larger-than-life persona, incredible charisma, and unparalleled in-ring skills, he captivated audiences around the globe. He was a trailblazer, breaking barriers and paving the way for a diverse range of wrestlers who followed in his footsteps.
The long and heartfelt farewell post did not directly address a possible cause of death, which remains unknown at the time of writing.
Manager Page Magen shared a post on Instagram that featured some excellent pics from over the years, as seen below.
Born March 15, 1942, the Iranian native first moved to the U.S. in the early 1970s as an assistant coach training U.S. wrestlers for the Olympics, and soon entered into the world of pro wrestling, as trained under fellow legend Verne Gagne. He rather quickly adopted his signature look — shaved head with a giant mustache — though it wasn't until 1980 when he formally took on the Iron Sheik title, having previously gone by "The Great Hossein Arab." He made WWE history in 1979 as the winner of the first Battle Royal, and would go on to become the World Heavyweight Champion upon his return to the organization in 1983. It was after this point when he really turned up the heat gimmick as an anti-American heel, while also popularizing his Persian club challenges.
While he's arguably most remembered for his work in the WWE — his tag-team with Nikolai Volkoff, his work with and against Sgt. Slaughter, his feud with Hulk Hogan, his animated iteration in the cartoon series Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling — The Iron Sheik spread his talents to all kinds of promotions throughout the '70s, '80s, '90s' and '00s, making dozens and dozens of athletes suffer with his signature Camel Clutch finishing move.
Iron Sheik found himself in the midst of an explosion of popularity in the early 2000s, thanks in large part to a 2004 shoot interview that featured him going off about how much he hated Hulk Hogan, Jake "The Snake" Roberts and other WWE vets. He was honored a year later with an induction into the WWE Hall of Fame, with Sgt. Slaughter being the one to introduce him, and made several low-stakes appearances at various TV tapings and pay-per-views in the years that followed, all while honing his Hogan-bashing skills.
He once again earned a new wave of fans upon his introduction to social media in the years after Twitter gained prominence. For more than a decade, Iron Sheik has been the place to go to see him rant and rave about various wrestlers, world leaders, celebrities and much more. It was shocking to learn that the wrestler himself hasn't been responsible for all the explicit posts, which he confirmed to be true in a 2017 video, but that hasn't made them any less celebratory.
As detailed in the farewell post, The Iron Sheik is surfived by his wife of 47 years, Caryl, as well as their three children Tayna, Nikki and Marissa, for whom he was noted to be a "loving and dedicated father" that empowered them to achieve any and all goals they hoped for. He was also a "Papa Sheik" to five grandchildren.
We here at CinemaBlend send our thoughts and condolences to Iron Sheik's family and friends during this time of mourning. See you in the next life, Bubba!
