The NWA Adds the Iron Sheik to its Hall of Fame

News, Press Releases

The following press release was issued today by the National Wrestling Alliance…

Hall of Fame Second Inductee

Charlotte, NC (May 21, 2008) – Khosrow Vaziri better known as The Iron Sheik has “terrorized” his opponents while entertaining generations of Pro Wrestling fan’s for close to four decades. Although The Iron Sheik turned “Pro” in 1972 he has been competing on the grappling scene since the mid 1960s and was a member of his native Iran’s Olympic Wrestling Team during the 1968 Mexico Olympics. In 1971, he won the AAU Greco Roman Gold Metal. Vaziri was also once a bodyguard for the family of the Shah of Iran.

The Iron Sheik was always a feared man in the ring because of his deadly armature background and “win at all costs” attitude. Throughout the years The Iron Sheik feuded with many of the best the National Wrestling Alliance® had to offer including Dusty Rhodes, Tommy Rich, Dick Murdock, Ronnie Garvin and Sting.

Championship gold did not elude The Iron Sheik. While competing with the NWA™ he earned several NWA™ titles, but it wasn’t until 1983 when he won the WWE® Championship from Bob Backlund ending Backlund’s 6 year reign as Champion. His run as WWE® Champion ended 4 weeks later when he lost that title to Hulk Hogan in Madison Square Garden. The Iron Sheik would then move into the tag team ranks with partner Nikolai Volkoff winning the WWE® Tag Team Championships under the watchful eye of Manager “Classy” Fred Blassie.

The Iron Sheik is a true legend of the mat game. In 2005 he was inducted into the WWE® Hall of Fame and today is retired from in ring action, but is till very active as he is being re-discovered by a new generation of fans as a regular on the popular “Howard Stern Show.”

Tickets to this event are on sale now at ticketmaster.com or the Philips Arena Box Office.

The Iron Sheik joins Tommy Rich as new inductees. As previously announced, Hall of Famer Jim Cornette will emcee the festivities on June 7. For a list of previous inductees, see this earlier press release.

Matthew Michaels is editor emeritus of Pulse Wrestling, and has been since the site launched.