The Iron Sheik: Difference between revisions

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"I love the TV Tropes. It make me feel good, like good cold beer. Fuck the Hokogan."

"Insane. Completely, utterly and wonderfully insane. That's the only way we can describe The Iron Sheik, who in recent years has gone from forgotten Cold War wrestling villain to the nutty Iranian grandpa we all wish we had."

—RD Reynolds, The Wrestlecrap Book Of Lists!, "The 6 Wrestlers Who Must Have a Reality Show"

If there was ever any wrestler who best exemplified the Foreign Wrestling Heel character in Professional Wrestling, especially in WWE's "Federation years," The Iron Sheik was it. Born Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri, this Iranian-born wrestler made a name for himself in the early 80s WWF, where he won the championship from Bob Backlund, breaking the former champion's six-year title reign...only to drop it the next month to Hulk Hogan, kicking off the Hulkamania craze. His appearances would be sporadic for many years after that, seemingly fading into obscurity in the pro wrestling scene.

And then, in the 2000s, RF Video decided to do a shoot interview with him...

Check out his article on That Other Wiki for more info regarding his career.

The Iron Sheik provides examples of the following tropes:

Anything That Moves: What the Sheik does just after breaking your back and before making you humble.
Arch Enemy: Hulk Hogan, both from the WWF and in Real Life, it seems.
Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking: In May of 1987, Sheik was riding with Arch Enemy Hacksaw Jim Duggan when the two were pulled over by New Jersey police, who found that both of them were doped and coked out of their minds. Duggan was given a conditional release and Sheik was put on probation. This caused a major stink in WWE at the time, but the big issue here wasn't the fact that they were caught doing drugs and driving under the influence, but that the two of them (who were in a major feud at the time) were breaking Kayfabe with their actions. Sheik was released by WWE and Duggan would be taken off of television for a few months.
- In his now legendary tirade on Howard Stern's radio show, he ran through every profane thing you could think of to B. Brian Blair...and paused to apologize to Robin Quivers about his abrasive language.
Badass Mustache: A curly mustache, at that.
Bald of Evil / Bald of Awesome: Depending on who you ask
Berserk Button: Mention anyone that he believes didn't measure up to his standard of "respect" for the business (B. Brian Blair, Hulk Hogan, ~~the Ultimate~~ Warrior...)
Biggus Dickus: Once threatened to introuduce the Ultimate Warrior's daughter to his "...10-inch Iranian cock!"
- He might not be exaggerating either (see Memetic Molester).
Boisterous Bruiser
Cloudcuckoolander: Especially around the Turn of the Millennium.
Cluster F-Bomb: Many of his interviews
Defeating the Undefeatable: He ended the 6-year championship run of Bob Backlund, capturing the world championship in the process.
Disproportionate Retribution: If this interview on Howard Stern is anything to go by, Sheik's idea of Cheap Heat is to threaten a wrestler's family members, both male and female, with sexual assault.
Even Evil Has Standards: Called out Warrior, who stated in his blog that Heath Ledger deserved to die for portraying a positive gay character in Brokeback Mountain.
- He stated that at Wrestlemania III, he wanted to humble Brian Blair, but didn't "because for the God and Jesus, and Mr. McMahon."
Exact Words: He once stated in an interview that he doesn't type his own twitter. The internet assumes he merely shouts what he wants to say from another room...not exactly a far-fetched assumption.
- After a Forbes(!) interveiw, it was indicated that, yes, this is indeed how his twitter is managed: his agent tweets based on conversations he has with The Iron Sheik.
Expansion Pack Past: Before emigrating and becoming a wrestler, worked as a bodyguard for the Shah of Iran.
Fake Nationality: Portrayed the Iraqi Col. Mustafa in 1991.
Fan Nickname: Sheik-y Baby.
Finishing Move: The Camel Clutch.
Foreign Wrestling Heel: Boy, is he ever.
Hidden Depths: One of Sheik's workout routines involves the use of a pair of instruments called "Persian Clubs." Apparently, nobody in the entire professional wrestling industry is able to pull off how to work these clubs properly except Iron Sheik himself. Only Mark Henry was able to get the clubs over his head.
- Also falls into World's Strongest Man - its so difficult he's legendary in strongman circles. 75lbs. may not sound much, but swinging that much weight on what is essentially a lever is extremely difficult.
I Need a Freaking Drink: "More beer, please."
No Indoor Voice
Patriotic Fervor: "Iran, number one! Russia, number one! USA--haaaack ptooey!"
- He once got into an argument with Sgt. Slaughter over which country was greater:

Sgt. Slaughter: AMERICA, you puke!
Iron Sheik: IRAN, you jabroni!

Screw the Money, I Have Rules: Verne Gagne offered him $100,000 to shoot on Hogan during their title match, and hopefully cripple him. Sheik refused.
Serious Business: He was most active in The Eighties, when Kayfabe was at its strongest. One of his biggest criticisms about Hulk Hogan (and other notable Faces in the day) was that they would act like dicks toward the fans when not in a wrestling capacity.
Sir Swearsalot
Stout Strength: He's a lot tougher than he looks.
Vitriolic Best Buds: With fellow Foreign Wrestling Heel and Federation Years holdover Nikolai Volkoff
- His relationship with Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka mixes this with Worthy Opponent--he raves about him and considers him a friend, but "shooting-wise, I beat the fuck out of him."
Worthy Opponent: When asked on YouShoot why he could never defeat Jerry Lawler, Sheik answered that it was for the sake of diplomacy: because Jerry Lawler was "the King" and he was wrestling him in his home "country" of Memphis, Tennessee, he thought it only proper that he should put "the king of the Memphis, Tennessee" over, but he could beat Lawler in a real fight.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{work}}
+{{creator}}
-[[File:ironsheik_508.jpg|frame]]
+[[File:ironsheik_508.jpg|frame|"I love the TV Tropes. It make me feel good, like good cold beer. [[Verbal Tic|Fuck the Hokogan]]."]]
-{{quote box|"I love the TV Tropes. It make me feel good, like good cold beer. [[Verbal Tic|Fuck the Hokogan]]."}}
-{{quote|''"Insane. Completely, utterly and [[Arson Murder and Admiration|wonderfully]] insane. That's the only way we can describe [[The Iron Sheik]], who in recent years has gone from forgotten [[Cold War]] wrestling villain to the nutty Iranian grandpa we all wish we had."''|RD Reynolds, ''The [[Wrestlecrap]] Book Of Lists!'', "The 6 Wrestlers Who Must Have a Reality Show"}}
+{{quote|''"Insane. Completely, utterly and [[Arson, Murder, and Admiration|wonderfully]] insane. That's the only way we can describe [[The Iron Sheik]], who in recent years has gone from forgotten [[Cold War]] wrestling villain to the nutty Iranian grandpa we all wish we had."''|RD Reynolds, ''The [[Wrestlecrap]] Book Of Lists!'', "The 6 Wrestlers Who Must Have a Reality Show"}}
-If there was ever any wrestler who best exemplified the [[Foreign Wrestling Heel]] character in [[Professional Wrestling]], especially in [[WWE]]'s "Federation years," '''[[The Iron Sheik]]''' was it. Born '''Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri''', this Iranian-born wrestler made a name for himself in the early 80s WWF, where he won the championship from [[Bob Backlund]], breaking the former champion's six-year title reign...only to drop it the next month to [[Hulk Hogan]], kicking off the Hulkamania craze. His appearances would be sporadic for many years after that, seemingly fading into obscurity in the pro wrestling scene.
+If there was ever any wrestler who best exemplified the [[Foreign Wrestling Heel]] character in [[Professional Wrestling]], especially in [[World Wrestling Entertainment|WWE]]'s "Federation years," '''[[The Iron Sheik]]''' was it. Born '''Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri''', this Iranian-born wrestler made a name for himself in the early 80s WWF, where he won the championship from [[Bob Backlund]], breaking the former champion's six-year title reign...only to drop it the next month to [[Hulk Hogan]], kicking off the Hulkamania craze. His appearances would be sporadic for many years after that, seemingly fading into obscurity in the pro wrestling scene.
 And then, in the 2000s, [[RF Video]] [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRRHvw0s1Yc decided to do a shoot interview with him...]
-Check out [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Iron_Sheik his article] on [[That Other Wiki]] for more info regarding his career.
+Check out [[wikipedia:The Iron Sheik|his article]] on [[That Other Wiki]] for more info regarding his career.
-----
-=== '''Tropes pertaining to him include:''' ===
+{{creatortropes}}
 * [[Anything That Moves]]: What the Sheik does just after breaking your back and before making you humble.
 * [[Arch Enemy]]: [[Hulk Hogan]], both from the WWF and in [[Real Life]], it seems.
-* [[Arson Murder and Jaywalking]]: In May of 1987, Sheik was riding with [[Arch Enemy]] Hacksaw Jim Duggan when the two were pulled over by New Jersey police, who found that both of them were doped and coked out of their minds. Duggan was given a conditional release and Sheik was put on probation. This caused a ''major'' stink in WWE at the time, but the big issue here wasn't the fact that they were caught doing drugs and driving under the influence, but that the two of them (who were in a major feud at the time) were breaking [[Kayfabe]] with their actions. Sheik was released by WWE and Duggan would be taken off of television for a few months.
+* [[Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking]]: In May of 1987, Sheik was riding with [[Arch Enemy]] Hacksaw Jim Duggan when the two were pulled over by New Jersey police, who found that both of them were doped and coked out of their minds. Duggan was given a conditional release and Sheik was put on probation. This caused a ''major'' stink in WWE at the time, but the big issue here wasn't the fact that they were caught doing drugs and driving under the influence, but that the two of them (who were in a major feud at the time) were breaking [[Kayfabe]] with their actions. Sheik was released by WWE and Duggan would be taken off of television for a few months.
 ** In his now legendary tirade on [[Howard Stern]]'s radio show, he ran through every profane thing you could think of to B. Brian Blair...and paused to apologize to Robin Quivers about his abrasive language.
 * [[Badass Mustache]]: A curly mustache, at that.
@@ Line 25: / Line 22: @@
 * [[Boisterous Bruiser]]
 * [[Cloudcuckoolander]]: Especially around the [[Turn of the Millennium]].
-* [[Cluster F Bomb]]: Many of his interviews
+* [[Cluster F-Bomb]]: Many of his interviews
 * [[Defeating the Undefeatable]]: He ended the 6-year championship run of Bob Backlund, capturing the world championship in the process.
 * [[Disproportionate Retribution]]: If this interview on Howard Stern is [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1APM6t1ASqw anything to go by], Sheik's idea of [[Cheap Heat]] is to threaten a wrestler's family members, both male and female, with sexual assault.
-* [[Even Evil Has Standards]]: Called out Warrior, who stated in his blog that [[Heath Ledger]] [[Dude Not Funny|deserved to die]] for portraying a positive gay character in ''[[Brokeback Mountain]]''.
+* [[Even Evil Has Standards]]: Called out Warrior, who stated in his blog that [[Heath Ledger]] [[Dude, Not Funny|deserved to die]] for portraying a positive gay character in ''[[Brokeback Mountain]]''.
 ** He stated that at Wrestlemania III, he wanted to humble Brian Blair, but didn't "because for the God and Jesus, and Mr. McMahon."
 * [[Exact Words]]: He once stated in an interview that he doesn't ''type'' his own twitter. The internet assumes he merely shouts what he wants to say from another room...not exactly a far-fetched assumption.
@@ Line 38: / Line 35: @@
 * [[Foreign Wrestling Heel]]: Boy, is he ever.
 * [[Hidden Depths]]: One of Sheik's workout routines involves the use of a pair of instruments called [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z76BBsUMPXQ "Persian Clubs."] Apparently, nobody ''in the entire professional wrestling industry'' is able to pull off how to work these clubs properly ''except'' Iron Sheik himself. Only Mark Henry was able to get the clubs over his head.
-** Also falls into [[Worlds Strongest Man]] - its so difficult he's legendary in strongman circles. 75lbs. may not sound much, but swinging that much weight on what is essentially a lever is ''extremely difficult.''
+** Also falls into [[World's Strongest Man]] - its so difficult he's legendary in strongman circles. 75lbs. may not sound much, but swinging that much weight on what is essentially a lever is ''extremely difficult.''
 * [[I Need a Freaking Drink]]: "More beer, please."
 * [[No Indoor Voice]]
 * [[Patriotic Fervor]]: "Iran, number one! Russia, number one! USA--haaaack ptooey!"
 ** He once got into an argument with Sgt. Slaughter over which country was greater:
-{{quote| '''Sgt. Slaughter''': AMERICA, you puke!<br />
+{{quote|'''Sgt. Slaughter''': AMERICA, you puke!
 '''Iron Sheik''': IRAN, you [[Dwayne Johnson|jabroni]]! }}
-* [[Screw the Money I Have Rules]]: Verne Gagne offered him $100,000 to shoot on Hogan during their title match, and hopefully cripple him. [[Even Evil Has Standards|Sheik refused.]]
+* [[Screw the Money, I Have Rules]]: Verne Gagne offered him $100,000 to shoot on Hogan during their title match, and hopefully cripple him. [[Even Evil Has Standards|Sheik refused.]]
-* [[Serious Business]]: He was most active in [[The Eighties]], when [[Kayfabe]] was at its strongest. One of his biggest criticisms about [[Hulk Hogan]] (and other notable [[Face|Faces]] in the day) was that they would [[Nice Character Mean Actor|act like dicks toward the fans when not in a wrestling capacity]].
+* [[Serious Business]]: He was most active in [[The Eighties]], when [[Kayfabe]] was at its strongest. One of his biggest criticisms about [[Hulk Hogan]] (and other notable [[Face|Faces]] in the day) was that they would [[Nice Character, Mean Actor|act like dicks toward the fans when not in a wrestling capacity]].
 * [[Sir Swearsalot]]
 * [[Stout Strength]]: He's a lot tougher than he looks.
@@ Line 57: / Line 54: @@
 [[Category:The Iron Sheik]]
 [[Category:Wrestling]]
+{{DEFAULTSORT:Iron Sheik, The}}