Today we lost a true titan of wrestling, WWE Hall of Famer, The Iron Sheik, passed away at the age of 81.
The sad news broke on Wednesday via The Iron Sheik's Twitter, declaring that Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri, famously known as The Iron Sheik, took his final bow in peace. The announcement went on to say,
"Today, our hearts weigh heavy as we say goodbye to a genuine legend, an unstoppable force, and an unforgettable character that has indelibly imprinted the pro wrestling universe. While we share the heart-wrenching news of The Iron Sheik's departure, we take comfort in the fact that he left us peacefully, leaving behind a legacy that will continue to inspire for ages."
Vaziri's passing leaves a void in the lives of his wife Caryl, who stood by him for 47 years, his daughters Tanya, Nikki, Marissa, and son-in-law Eddie, along with his five grandkids and a pair of nephews.
Inside the squared circle, The Iron Sheik made his initial splash in the early 70s, before joining the WWF in 1979. Despite a brief exit in 1980, he returned in 1983 to shake things up by taking the WWF World Heavyweight Championship title from Bob Backlund. In a monumental event in 1985, Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff clinched the WWF Tag Team Championship at the inaugural WrestleMania at Madison Square Garden. He made his mark at WrestleMania II and III and snatched a Battle Royal win at WrestleMania 17 in 2001.
The Iron Sheik's legendary status was cemented with his induction into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005. He continued to make WWE cameo appearances in the following years. His last wrestling match was in 2007.