The WWE Hall of Famer was one of the most over heels of the 1980s, drawing nuclear heat wherever he went. The man from Iran was a limited worker when it came to the technical, in-ring side of the business but very skilled on the microphone and when it came to his heel mannerisms and expressions. When Sheik defeated Bob Backlund and captured the WWF Championship on Boxing Day in 1983 (at Madison Square Garden no less) by capitalising on Backlund's injured neck, the fans were in disbelief. There was only one man who could stop The Iron Sheik's reign of terror, the all-American Hulk Hogan. When Hogan defeated Sheik for the title on January 23rd 1984 Hulkamania was born. To use a cliched expression 'the roof almost blew off of the building'. Hogan went from strength to strength while Sheik dropped down the card, forming a memorable team with Nikolai Volkoff. Sheik and his on-screen rival 'Hacksaw' Jim Duggan were pulled over by police in May 1987 while both were high on drugs. A small scandal ensued, not so much because the wrestlers were found to be under the influence but because they were exposing the business by travelling together while they were feuding! Both were released from their contracts. The Iron Sheik never experienced the fame that he did in the early 1980s again and slowly began to unravel in public, continuing to wrestled long past his prime. Sheik is perhaps more famous now for his outrageous shoot interviews and expletive-filled appearances on Howard Stern's shock jock radio show.
