10 Pro Wrestlers Who Could Have Been Stars In The UFC

Thanks to his appearances on programs like The Howard Stern Show, The Iron Sheik has become something of a comedic figure in his later years. However, in his heyday, the former WWF World Heavyweight Champion was not a man to trifle with.

The legendary heel was a legit badass who was the bodyguard for Mohammad Reza Pahlavi — the last Shah (emperor) of Iran. Moreover, he also had an extensive and impressive amateur wrestling background. The Sheik was an outstanding Greco-Roman wrestler who competed for a spot on the Iranian Olympic team back in 1968 and also became the Athletic Union Champion after he relocated to the States. He would eventually become an assistant coach for the US Olympic team in the 1970s.

Sadly, there was not organized MMA in The Iron Sheik's day, but if there had been, he most certainly would have made more than a few opponents humble.