Wrestling Legends of the 1980s: The Fascinating Stories Behind the Superstars (6 of 6)

The Iron Sheik

Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri, the Iron Sheik, was cast as wrestling’s ultimate heel, and his actual background made his character completely convincing. He had served in Iran’s navy and even worked as bodyguard to Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran. After immigrating to the U.S., he won several amateur titles in Greco-Roman wrestling and coached Olympic wrestlers before launching his long and distinguished career in professional wrestling.