One day removed from the news that The Iron Sheik, aka Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri, had passed away at the age of 80 – or 81, depending on who you ask – his biggest, grandest, and most long-lasting rival in the professional wrestling ring, WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan, took to Instagram to eulogize his long-time foil, wishing him well and celebrating his life.
“Today, we honor the legacy of a wrestling icon. Rest in peace, Iron Sheik,” Hulk Hogan wrote on Instagram.
“The wrestling world has lost a true legend, and Sheik's contributions to our industry will never be forgotten.
“I'll always cherish the battles we had in the ring. Our matches were intense, and our rivalry was legendary. We shared a bond that only fellow wrestlers can understand.
“Iron Sheik's unique charisma, undeniable talent, and unforgettable personality made him an unforgettable figure in the hearts of wrestling fans worldwide. His legacy will continue to inspire generations of wrestlers to come.
“Rest in peace, Iron Sheik. You will always be remembered as a true warrior of the ring.”
Now, for fans out of the know, the feud between Hogan and Sheik is legendary for a reason, as the former beat the latter to become the then-WWF in early 1984 and would feud on and off with him for years to come while both cashing checks from the McMahon family. Though they haven't wrestled since 1992, when they both took part in the Royal Rumble, their feud bled into the real world, with Howard Stern clips of the duo screaming at each other circulating since his passing, and the Sheik's maybe official Twitter account routinely firing off lines like “HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO EVERYONE BUT HULK HOGAN.”
On-screen, regardless of the screen in question, the hatred was real, but behind the scenes, it looks like game recognized game.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO EVERYONE EXCEPT THE HULK HOGAN.
— The Iron Sheik (@the_ironsheik) November 26, 2020
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