Former WWE Champion The Iron Sheik suffered a huge personal setback in 2003 when his elder daughter was killed by her boyfriend.
Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri, a.k.a The Iron Sheik, was one of the greatest heel superstars in WWE during the 80s. The first Iran-Born WWE Champion is also credited for jumpstarting the legendary career of Hulk Hogan.
With his villain-like character and anti-US promos, Sheik was the reason Hogan became such a good babyface during that time. However, in 2003, The Iron Sheik suffered a personal setback when his daughter was killed by his boyfriend.
The incident took place in Georgia where the accused strangled Sheik’s daughter, Marissa Vaziri over a fight after doing drugs together. It was reported that 38-year-old Charles Warren Reynolds, Marissa’s boyfriend, killed her, and then called a pastor the next morning, to pray with him.
The Iron Sheik nearly ended up killing the accused in court
During the trial, The Iron Sheik, already facing drug and alcohol issues, decided to take the law into his hands. He was planning to kill the one who took his daughter away. Sheik took a razor blade in his mouth and entered the courtroom. But before the Hall of Famer could execute his plans, his wife (Caryl) discovered.
Caryl tried to convince Iron Sheik not to do that but he didn’t. In the end, it was his younger daughter (Tanya) who ultimately convinced him. She told The Iron Sheik that she had already lost a sister, and she didn’t want to lose her father too.
The incident was horrifying as The Iron Sheik later revealed that he could not see his daughter’s face as it was too damaged. As far as the accused is concerned, he is still serving a life sentence.
Nevertheless, the one-time WWF champion then pledged to change his life in memory of his daughter. After that, he intended to quit drugs which he did, and got his life together.
Why is the Hall of Famer credited for uplifting the career of Hulk Hogan?
The Iron Sheik won the WWE/WWF Championship in 1983 after defeating the legendary Bob Backlund at Madison Square Garden. However, the reign did not last long as he lost the title in less than a month. And guess who the opponent was?
It was none other than The Hulkster Hulk Hogan who defeated The Iron Sheik for the WWE title. Hogan, who was just starting his WWE career, got a suitable opponent in the form of Sheik. In the 80s, patriotism was at its peak in the US, and The Iron Sheik was a perfect heel. Feuding with him established Hulk Hogan as one of the top babyfaces of that time.
Anyway, by defeating a heel like The Iron Sheik, Hogan got the jumpstart he needed and the rest, as they say, is history.
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