The Iron Sheik's Heel Promos Were Villainous & Funny At The Same Time

It's been nearly a week since the passing of former Iranian born professional wrestler The Iron Sheik at the age of 81 and I would be remiss if I didn't say something.

The Iron Sheik is among a select group of wrestlers who were well known beyond the pro wrestling universe. To give one an idea of how well known The Iron Sheik was the world over, The Sheik who began wrestling a quarter century before The Iron Sheik had to rename himself The Original Sheik.

Although The Iron Sheik had the distinction of ending Bob Backlund's 5-year reign as WWF champion before dropping the belt a month later to Hulk Hogan, he is probably best remembered for his partnership with the late Nikolai Volkoff. When they entered the ring, Volkoff would sing the Russian National Anthem. To add fuel to the fire, The Iron Sheik would say, "Russia!!! Number One!!! Iran!!! Number One!!! U.S.A., Canada - ha patout, ha patout!!!"

While The Iron Sheik had heat with the wrestling audience scarcely a few years removed from the Iran hostage crisis, his promos had the effect of being both villainous and funny at the same time. The irony in all this is that earlier in his life The Iron Sheik had actually been a bodyguard for the Shah of Iran. 

In later years, he would be cheered by wrestling audiences mostly on account of his obscenity filled appearances with Howard Stern as well as on social media. But Gen-Xers remember him best from the Cold War days of the Reagan Administration. R.I.P.