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Iron Sheik

Height: 6' 0"

Weight: 252 lbs.

From: Tehran, Iran

Birthday: Mar 15th

Pro Debut: January 28, 1973

Aliases: Ali Vaziri, Ali Vasari, Iron Shiek Farouk, Hussein Arab, Hossein Arab, The Sheik, Col. Mustafa, Shasta Mustafa, Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri, Khosrow Vaziri, Muhammad Farouk, Sheik Farouk

Feds Worked For: MSW, TSW, WCCW, AWA, NWA, WCW, WWE, WWF, WWWF, 1 Pro Wrestling, All Japan Pro Wrestling (Japan), All Star Wrestling (NE), Allied Power Wrestling Federation (PA), Apocalype Wrestling Federation (Canada), Central States Wrestling (IA/KS/MO), Century Wrestling Alliance (MA), Championship Pro Wrestling (PA), Championship Wrestling from Florida (FL), Championship Wrestling USA (OR), Continental Wrestling Association (AL/IN/KY/TN), Deaf Wrestlefest (PA), Eastern Shores Wrestling (NY), Georgia Championship Wrestling (GA), Gulas Wrestling Enterprises (TN), Heroes of Wrestling (MS), Independent Superstars of Professional Wrestling (NJ), Independent Wrestling Federation (NJ), International Wrestling (Canada), Juggalo Championship Wrestling, Maple Leaf Wrestling (Canada), Maryland Championship Wrestling (MD), Mid Eastern Wrestling Federation (MD), Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling (NC/SC), Millennium Wrestling Federation (MA), National Wrestling Conference (CA/NV), National Wrestling Superstars (NJ), New Japan Pro Wrestling (Japan), New Zealand, North American Wrestling Federation (WI), Northern States Wrestling Alliance (MI), NWA 2000 (North Carolina), NWA Big Time Wrestling (TX), NWA Championship Wrestling America (NJ), NWA Hollywood (CA), NWA New Jersey (NJ), Pacific Northwest Wrestling (OR/WA), Piledriver Pro Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Legends, Pro Wrestling Syndicate (NJ), Pro Wrestling Xtreme (Canada), St. Louis Wrestling Club (MO), Stampede Wrestling (Canada), Steel City Wrestling (PA/WV), Union of Professional Wrestling Force International (Japan), Vancouver All-Star Wrestling (Canada), Windy City Pro Wrestling (IL), Women's Xtreme Wrestling, World Wrestling Council (Puerto Rico), World Wrestling Association (IN)

Finisher: Camel Clutch

Signature Moves: Rocking Horse, Belly-to-Belly Suplex, Gutwrench Suplex, Boston Crab, Gutbuster

Career Highlights: -CCW Champion (2x)
-CWA Champion
-IAW Champion
-IAW Tag Team Champion (w/ Brian Costello)
-IWA Intercontinental Champion
-NWA 2000 American Heritage Champion
-NWA British Empire/Commonwealth Champion
-NWA Mid-Atlantic Champion
-NWA National Television Champion
-NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Champion (w/ Bull Ramos)
-NWA (Toronto) Canadian Champion (2x)
-NWA (Vancouver) Canadian Tag Team Champion (w/ Bobby Bass)
-WWF World Champion
-WWF World Tag Team Champion (w/ Nikolai Volkoff)

Affiliates: General Adnan, Sgt. Slaughter, Nikolai Volkoff, Freddie Blassie, Col. DeBeers, Dallas Page, The Sultan, Shiek of Baghdad, Tiger Khan, Amy Lee, The Patriot, The Hate Breed, Mad Man Manson, Armando Estrada, Jimmy Hart, Slick, Paul Ellering, Bull Ramos, Bobby Bass, Gene Anderson, Chicky Starr

Notable Feuds: Mike Rotunda, Sgt. Slaughter, Barry Windham, Killer Bees, Tito Santana, Blackjack Mulligan, S. D. Jones, Cpl. Kirschner, Jim Duggan, André the Giant, British Bulldogs, Jimmy Snuka, Junkyard Dog, George Steele, Ivan Putski, Rocky Johnson, Jay Strongbow, Tony Garea, Greg Valentine, Ricky Steamboat, Ronnie Garvin, Dominic DeNucci, Ric Flair, Tony Atlas, Bob Backlund, Demolition, George Wells, Kim Duk, Angelo Mosca, Dick Murdoch, Salvatore Bellomo, Lanny Poffo, Hulk Hogan, Johnny Rich, Dan Spivey, Bret Hart, Ted DiBiase, The Islanders, José Luis Rivera, Tommy Rich

Other Facts: -Real name was Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri
-Defected to the US in 1972 and served as an Olympic wrestling coach for the US.
-Two-time AAU Champion
-Worked as bodyguard for the Shah of Iran. He got the opportunity because he was the Iranian army wrestling champion and after that, was given the chance to work for the Shah's cousin in the television industry.
-Trained for pro wrestling by Verne Gagne
-In the early years of his career, he was announced as having won a medal in the 1968 Olympics for Iran. This was later revealed to be a complete work to enhance his character.
-Accounts vary as to who gave him the name "The Iron Sheik". Some sources say it happened while competing in MSW. Greg Gagne claims it was his mother who came up with the name and The Iron Shiek agrees with that. What is not at disput is that the name was chosen to differentiate him from Ed Farhat aka "The Sheik", which Vaziri was also billed as for a time.
-As Hussein Arab and Hossein Arab, he ued the nickname "Great"
-Has a reputation for being a "master of the suplex".
-Was reportedly offered $100,000 by Verne Gagne to break Hulk Hogan's leg during the match where Hogan won the WWF World title from him.
-Was a participant in an incident that severely exposed the business in 1987. Sheik and Jim Duggan, who were feuding at the time, were traveling together to a show when they were pulled over by New Jersey state police. Sheik was charged with marijuana and cocaine and given one year's probation. Duggan was charged with possession of marijuana and driving under the influence. This incident made national news and brought a lot of unwanted attention to the WWF and the way wrestling was done.
-In 1989, Sheik teamed with Butch Reed and defeated NWA United States Tag Team Champions Eddie Gilbert & Rick Steiner at a WCW house show in New Haven, CT. The title change happened due to heel referee Teddy Long and pictures exist of Shiek & Reed with the US Tag belts. But for unknown reasons, that title change was never acknowledged.
-In January 2002, The Iron Sheik was scheduled for an appearance on "Opie & Anthony" but it didn't happen. Sheik was detained coming back from Canada at the airport in Rochester, NY because they believed he may have been a terrorist.
-Helped to train Buck Zumhofe and Scott Irwin for pro wrestling. He also trained several of the Von Erichs, spending the most time with Kerry.
-Appeared in the movies "The Tale of 3 Mohammad" in 2005 and "Zero Dark Thirty" in 2008
-Former member of The First Family (CWA version)
-Former member of The Legion of Doom (NWA version)
-Former member of the Triangle of Terror
-Won Wrestling Observer's Most Underrated Award in 1980
-Ranked #215 in the 1991 PWI 500 (as Col. Mustafa)
-Ranked #333 in the 1992 PWI 500 (as Col. Mustafa)
-Ranked #218 in the 1993 PWI 500
-Ranked #288 in the 1994 PWI 500
-Ranked #321 in the 1995 PWI 500
-Ranked #382 in the 1996 PWI 500
-Ranked #431 in the 1997 PWI 500
-Ranked #423 in the 1998 PWI 500
-Ranked #417 in the 1999 PWI 500
-Inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005
-Inducted into the NWA Hall of Fame in 2008
-Inducted into the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2016
-Passed away June 7, 2023 at the age of 81.