As noted, WWE Hall of Famer The Iron Sheik passed away on Wednesday. You can click here for a lengthy statement from Sheik’s family.
In an update, several people and promotions from the world of pro wrestling took to social media to pay tribute to The Iron Sheik.
WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H tweeted and remembered Sheik as the legend.
“The legend. An all-time great performer and WWE Hall of Famer who brought his character to life and transcended our business. My condolences to The Iron Sheik’s family, friends and fans,” he wrote.
AEW issued a statement to pay tribute to The Sheik.
“AEW joins the wrestling world in mourning passing of the Iron Sheik. Our thoughts are with his family, his friends and his fans,” they wrote.
WWE also issued a lengthy statementent, which you can see below.
WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle wrote, “I was sad to hear @the_ironsheik passed away. He had an amazing impact on many throughout the world. Sheik and I enjoyed blasting eachother publicly. All in fun. He was a man with an incredible personality. Gonna miss you Sheiky Baby! #itstrue”
Sheik was inducted into the NWA Hall of Fame in 2008. They tweeted, “The NWA is saddened to hear of the passing of one of the sports great legends, Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri, ‘The Iron Sheik.’ We send our condolences to all of his family, friends and fans.”
Actor and noted wrestling fan Ken Jeong posted screenshots of bow Sheik checked on him at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. He captioned with, “Will never forget when @the_ironsheik checked in at the “start of the pandemic. Rest in peace, and much love to his family. RESPECT THE LEGEND FOREVER [heart emoji] [folded hands emoji]
WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair recalled how entertaining Sheik was. He wrote, “My Dear Friend Khosrow Vaziri!!! We Started Wrestling Together In 1972. Seems Like So Long Ago! We Crossed Paths So Many Times Over The Years & You Were Always So Entertaining. The Greatest Line You Ever Said To Me In 1972: ‘If I Had Your Hair, I Would Be With Elizabeth Taylor!’ Rest In Peace My Friend. Be As Entertaining To God As You Were To All Of Us! [folded hands emoji]”
Bray Wyatt wrote, “We will miss you Bubba #HUMBLE”
WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley paid tribute and wrote, “The wrestling world lost a true legend today, with the passing of Khosrow Vaziri, better known to fans across the globe as The Iron Sheik. Although I never got to know The Sheik well, I was fortunate to have been on hand for two of his most iconic matches – his WWE title victory over Bob Backlund at Madison Square Garden on December 26, 1983 and his ‘Boot Camp Match’ with Sgt Slaughter at MSG in August, 1984. I also had the honor of wrestling the iron sheik for the first and only time – on a tour of Dominica in 1987. Khosrow Vaziri was truly one of a kind. I send my deepest condolences to his family, friends, and all those who loved him,” Foley wrote.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson posted a tribute video about his ‘Uncle Sheiky’ and how Sheik is responsible for the “jabroni” word. He captioned the clip with, “Rest in Power, Uncle Sheiky [heart emoji] Thank you for paving the way [folded hands emoji] Love, light and strength to Caryl & the ohana x”
Below are the aforementioned posts, along with tributes from WWE Hall of Famers and wrestling legends such as JBL, Diamond Dallas Page, Jake Roberts, Miro, Pat McAfee, Bayley, Davey Boy Smith Jr., Tommy Dreamer, Natalya, Johnny Rodz, Frankie Kazarian, Taz, Jimmy Hart, Michael Hayes and Sgt. Slaughter:
WWE Hall of Famer The Iron Sheik passes away
WWE is saddened to learn that Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri, known the world over as WWE Hall of Famer The Iron Sheik, passed away on Wednesday, June 7, at age 81.
With his imposing physique, curled boots and dreaded Camel Cutch finishing hold, The Iron Sheik’s larger-than-life personality and natural gift for inciting crowds across the globe helped him become one of the greatest villains in sports-entertainment history. Yet, over time that awe-inspiring showmanship not only earned the respect of his peers, but the WWE Universe as a whole, making him a beloved figure.The Iron Sheik first excelled in the world of Greco-Roman Wrestling, competing in the Amateur Athletic Union and becoming a gold medalist at 180.5 pounds in 1971.
The Iron Sheik became WWE Champion the day after Christmas in 1983 when he defeated Bob Backlund in Madison Square Garden. The victory was a controversial one, as Backlund’s manager Arnold Skaaland threw in the towel when Backlund refused to submit to the Camel Clutch.
After losing the WWE Championship to Hulk Hogan, The Iron Sheik engaged in a heated rivalry with Sgt. Slaughter culminating in their famous Boot Camp Match at Madison Square Garden. Soon after, The Iron Sheik teamed with Russian strongman Nikolai Volkoff. The anti-American pairing went on to win the WWE World Tag Team Championship in 1985 at the first WrestleMania.
The Iron Sheik left WWE in 1988 but reappeared in 1991 by the side of former enemy Sgt. Slaughter as Colonal Mustafa. His last in-ring appearance was at WrestleMania 17, as The Iron Sheik returned for one night only, winning a Gimmick Battle Royal and re-igniting his rivalry with Slaughter in the process.
The Iron Sheik remained a pop culture icon due to his bombastic online persona and appearances on “The Howard Stern Show,” “The Eric Andre Show,” and more.
WWE extends its condolences to The Iron Sheik’s family, friends and fans.
Stay tuned to WrestlingHeadlines.com for more.
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