Wresting Legend Rest In Peace

@therealironsheik via Instagram

Wrestling great The Iron Sheik, born Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri, has died. He was 81 years old. The announcement was made public on his Twitter and Instagram accounts. A cause of death was not mentioned.

The statement about The Iron Sheik’s death reads, “It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of The Iron Sheik, but we also take solace in knowing that he departed this world peacefully, leaving behind a legacy that will endure for generations to come.” The statement describes him as “a true legend, a force of nature, and an iconic figure who left an incredible mark on the world of professional wrestling.” In addition, he is described as “a family man.”

He is survived by his wife Caryl. They had been married for 47 years. He is also survived by his four children, Tanya, Nikki, Marissa and Eddie, as well as his grandchildren, Marissa, Zahra, Alexis, Chloe and Niko who called him Papa Sheik.

 

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Upon hearing the news of The Iron Sheik’s passing, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson posted a tribute on Twitter. He explained how much The Iron Sheik had shaped his life and his career. First, he sent his love to The Iron Sheik’s family. He explained that he considers The Iron Sheik’s family his family and that when he was growing up, he called The Iron Sheik “Uncle Sheik.” His father used to wrestle with The Iron Sheik, and Caryl used to babysit Johnson when he was a child.

Johnson continued, “As a man who loves professional wrestling, I want to take a minute to acknowledge The Iron Sheik.” He explained that when he first started professionally wrestling The Iron Sheik pulled him aside and told him, “Let me tell you something. You come into the locker room, you sit down, you shut your mouth, you don’t say anything and you just watch and you learn, and then you understand who the good people and who the jabronis.”

Johnson explained that the dictionary gives him credit him with the word “jabronis,” a word he used a lot throughout his wrestling career, but The Iron Sheik is actually the one who deserves the credit for this word.

Watch the video below to see some highlights from The Iron Sheik’s career.

Rest in peace.