Biography

Iranian professional wrestler best known for his work in the 1980s for WWE (then the WWF) as the Iron Sheik. 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. 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. 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. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005 and the NWA Hall of Fame in 2008.
- IMDb mini biography by: JasonIK75