Khosrow Vaziri

Won the Amateur Athletic Union Gold Medal in Greco Roman Wrestling (183.5 lb division) in 1971.

Trained under Verne Gagne and Billy Robinson and debuted under his own name in 1973 for the American Wrestling Association. Changed to Ali Vaziri while working for NWA Big Time Wrestling (the precursor to World Class Championship Wrestling) in Dallas and for NWA Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling. Wrestled for the AWA, New Japan Pro Wrestling, Championship Wrestling from Florida, Georgia Championship Wrestling, Stampede Wrestling (Alberta, Canada), St. Louis, and All Japan Pro Wrestling before returning to the AWA with his new persona of The Iron Sheik. He took the gimmick, based off of Edward Farhat's gimmick the Sheik, to NWA Pacific Northwest Wrestling (Portland, Oregon), the WWWF (where he was billed as Hussein Arab), Maple Leaf Wrestling (Toronto) and other promotions.

He won his first title when he and Bull Ramos defeated Jerry Oates and Jesse Ventura for the NWA PNW Tag Team Titles on April 18, 1978 and held them for 53 days, losing to Dutch Savage and Jimmy Snuka.

Teamed with Bobby Bass to win the vacant NWA Vancouver Canadian Tag Team Titles on July 24, 1978, holding them for 77 days before losing them to Mike Sharpe and Salvatore Bellomo. As Great Hussein Arab, he held the NWA Canadian (Toronto) Heavyweight Title twice.

Iranian professional wrestler best known for his work in the 1980s for WWE (then the WWF) as The Iron Sheik.

Held the NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Title for 174 days in 1980. Held the NWA National (Georgia) Television Title for 50 days.

Defeated Bob Backlund for the WWE World Heavyweight Title on December 26, 1983 and lost it to Hulk Hogan on January 23, 1984, launching the modern era. Teamed with Nikolai Volkoff to defeat the U. S.

The Iron Sheik defended his title four times, with his best defense (according to Pro Wrestling Illustrated magazine) coming against Chief Jay Strongbow in Pittsburgh, Pa. On Jan. 14, 1984, wrestled Tito Santana to a double-disqualification at the Philadelphia (Pa.) Spectrum in his only other high-profile title defense.

Express (Barry Windham and Mike Rotunda) for the WWE World Tag Team Titles at the first "WrestleMania" on March 31, 1985.

Made his surprise return to WWE in 1991 as "Col. Mustafa," having been switched from an Iranian to an Iraqi and was teamed with his longtime nemesis Sgt. Slaughter, who had turned heel and announced his support for Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. Hulk Hogan and The Ultimate Warrior defeated the Triangle of Terror (Slaughter, Mustafa and General Adnan) in the main event of "SummerSlam 91.

" The gimmick ran its course and he left in 1992.

Returned as The Iron Sheik in late 1996 as the co-manager with Backlund of the Sultan (Solofa Fatu Jr.. ).

The gimmick didn't really get over and Sheik left in 1997.

He returned for the Gimmick Battle Royal at "WrestleMania X-7" in 2001, which he won due to being the only wrestler in the match who could not safely take the bump over the top rope to the floor.

Underwent double knee replacement surgery after being involved in a car accident in 2003.

Stated in a 2007 interview that Jimmy Snuka came up with the idea for the Sheik to wear curl-toed boots as part of his wrestling attire.

Following the death of Bruno Sammartino 2018, he became the oldest living WWE wrestler to be world champion.