THE POP EXPOSE – REMEMBERING WWF LEGEND THE IRON SHEIK!
Story By Mitchell Smith!
Well hello everyone. Today we remember Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri or as we know him from wrestling The Iron Sheik. Born in 1942 in Iran. He grew up dirt poor, his family didn’t even have running water. The Sheik would try out for the Olympics and eventually make his way to the US in the late sixties. He would go on to be the assistant coach of 2 US wrestling teams. The Sheik would join the World Wrestling Federation in 1972 which later was forced to Change its name to the WWE. After a stint of bouncing around the Iron Sheik would return to the WWE in its heyday to become one of the most popular villains of the time.
Back in the day there were so many great characters from Hulk Hogan to SGT Slaughter but The Iron Sheik was a representative of one of our biggest fears in the eighties. He played the part so well of the rough and tough Iranian trying to crush all of our home town hero’s. Those who think wrestling is fake, yes the matches often had a declared winner before the matches started but the theatrics and the physical beatings were very much real. We often talk about some of the all time greats who made wrestling so entertaining like George the Animal Steele, Rowdy Roddy Piper, and Jake The Snake Roberts. Just a few that entertained us for hours as kids.
I never saw a Wrestlemania as a kid but it is sure interesting going back now and watching some of the all time greats. It was very political and they knew how to draw people in. Wrestlemania 1 in Madison Square Garden put The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff , both from two of the most feared countries in the eighties, tag teamed against two of Lou Albano’s guys and they crushed them. The crowd went wild with anger but it was intense and entertaining. I don’t think you will ever see anything like the Sheik saying Iran number 1, USA then spitting at the mic. It was a different time. The Iron Sheik was always right there in the thick of it and his name and legacy will always be a part of the the greatest time in wrestling and perhaps the greatest time of our modern history. Rest in Peace Mr Veziri, your legacy will live on for generations to come.
