Iron Sheik, WWE Hall of Famer and Wrestling Legend, Passes Away at 81

Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri, better known as former WWE World Champion The Iron Sheik, has died. The legendary Iran-born wrestler passed away on Wednesday, June 7. He was 81.

He was best known for being the WWE champion whom Hulk Hogan defeated en route to his first-ever world title, changing the pro-wrestling landscape and establishing WWE as the premiere promotion at that time.

The Iron Sheik was considered by many as one of the greatest wrestling villains of all time, beating Bob Backlund for the world title and eventually terrorizing the tag team division thanks to his infamous anti-American tag team with "Soviet wrestler" Nikola Volkoff at a time when anti-Soviet sentiment was high. The pair would generate heat and get booed unlike any other in American venues as he insulted the United States with stinging promos.

His cause of death has not been disclosed yet. WWE, the promotion where he became most famous, paid tribute to him and sent condolences to family and friends.

Iron Sheik Embraced His Villainous Persona

Born in Tehran, Iran as Hossein Khosrow Vaziri, he used to work as a former bodyguard for the Shah of Iran before moving to the United States in the 1960s. He then made a name for himself quickly.

A former amateur wrestler, The Iron Sheik used his devastating "Camel Clutch" hold to break his opponent's backs and force them into submission. The move also won him a world title with WWE.

However, when the US Embassy in Iran was overrun by the country's new Islamist regime, resulting in over 60 Americans being held hostage, the wrestler took his villainous persona even further, embracing the fact that he is an Iranian in America.

As the dastardly heel that he is, The Iron went all in as he started waving the Iranian flag and singing the Iranian national anthem. He would then start proclaiming, "Iran No. 1." As he slipped into this role, the soon-to-be WWE champion became the archetype for many "Anti-American foreign heels" to come.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, "Sheiky" stated during a 2014 interview, "It was just the right time to establish my character or my gimmick to be the real baddest, baddest wrestler on the Earth."

The Iron Sheik Was a True Wrestling Legend

Before his death, younger wrestling fans might remember him more for his cooky and sometimes controversial posts on social media. However, "Sheiky" was highly respected by his peers, as well as many outside the wrestling industry.

As the Iron Sheik, the dastardly heel presented a mishmash of Middle Eastern stereotypes while still presenting himself as an Iranian. This was highly criticized, with many calling the character outright mainstream xenophobia, according to Al Jazeera.

Despite this, however, he was still able to transcend the matter, and his act became a form of representation of sorts. "He was always willing to be the villain in the cultural moment and sort of exploit the politics of xenophobia," said William Lafi Youmans, associate professor of media and public affairs at George Washington University.

The professor noted that despite his villainous persona, The Iron Sheik was presented as a formidable foe, and this made many Americans of Middle Eastern descent become his fans and even look up to him as he transcended the stereotypes.

READ NEXT: Bad Bunny Steals the Show During WWE Backlash in Puerto Rico

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: The Iron Sheik Dead At 81, WWE Legend Passes Away - WhatCulture Wrestling