Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri, the pro wrestling icon better known as The Iron Sheik, has died at 81, according to a post on his official social media account.

Born in Iran, he rose to prominence in the World Wrestling Federation in the 1980s and was arguably best known for his rivalry with fellow wrestling star Hulk Hogan.

"With his larger than life persona, incredible charisma, and unparalleled in-ring skills, he captivated audiences around the globe," the statement reads. "He was a trailblazer, breaking barriers and paving the way for a diverse range of wrestlers who followed in his footsteps."

Before his professional wrestling career began, he worked as a bodyguard for Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of the Imperial State of Iran. He fought for a spot on Iran's Greco-Roman wrestling team for the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City before moving to the United States. He won a gold medal at the national Amateur Athletic Union championships in 1971.

He had an early stint with the WWF in 1979, where he feuded with Chief Jay Strongbow and had a shot at the championship against Bob Backlund. When he returned to the WWF in 1983, he eventually won the heavyweight championship from Backlund.

"With his imposing physique, curled boots and dreaded Camel Cutch finishing hold, The Iron Sheik’s larger-than-life personality and natural gift for inciting crowds across the globe helped him become one of the greatest villains in sports-entertainment history," World Wrestling Entertainment, the entity previously known as the WWF, wrote in a statement. "Yet, over time that awe-inspiring showmanship not only earned the respect of his peers, but the WWE Universe as a whole, making him a beloved figure."

He later lost the title to Hogan in a match that would later become widely associated with the beginning of the "Hulkamania" movement, the peak of Hogan's personality. He later teamed up with Nikolai Volkoff to win the WWE World Tag Team Championship in 1985 at Wrestlemania I in New York.

In later years, he was well-known as a frequent guest on "The Howard Stern Show," and was also infamous for his bombastic and often profanity-laden posts on social media, including one made just before the announcement of his death which read: "F*** THE WILDFIRES."

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