The Iron Sheik ✝

A heel throughout the 1980s, he later gained popularity on Kidd Chris, The Howard Stern Show, and on the internet due to his shoot interviews, vulgar language, and his intense dislike for some of his fellow professional wrestlers.\n', ' Khosrow was born in Tehran, Iran, and grew up in a working-class family which had little money and no running water. In his youth, he idolized Iranian Olympic Gold-Medalist wrestler Gholamreza Takhti, and he subsequently made a name for himself as an amateur wrestler; he also worked as a bodyguard for Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and his family for several years.\n', ' Khosrow competed for a spot on Iran\'s Greco-Roman wrestling team for the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. He then moved to the United States and became the assistant coach of two U.S. Olympic squads in the 1970s. In 1971, he was the Amateur Athletic Union Greco-Roman wrestling champion and gold medalist at 180.5 pounds; he later became assistant coach to the USA team for the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich.\n', '