If you’re a wrestling fan, you will love The Sheik. If you’re not a wrestling fan, and you’re just a fan of human think piece stories, then you will be also love The Sheik. The Iron Sheik, real name Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri, was a professional wrestler and one of the best villains in the history of the wrestling business. He was born in Iran, became an Olympic wrestler for his country and eventually moved to the United States to become a professional wrestler. While he started off as a baby face (good guy) he quickly turned heel as wrestling always liked to mimic real life situations. The Iran Hostage Crisis of 1979 turned Americans against the Iranians, and The Iron Sheik capitalized on that situation and became one of the greatest villains in wrestling. He was universally despised, and when he joined forces with Vince McMahon’s WWF, his career skyrocketed. He won the WWF title off of Bob Backlund after his six year reign and was the man who lost the title to Hulk Hogan. If a lesser heel had lost the belt to Hogan, Hulkamania would not have taken off as quick as it did, but Sheik was SO hated, that Hogan had everyone on this side, and when he finally won the belt, Hulkamania was the biggest thing in the world. The documentary also focuses on Sheik’s fallout with the WWF after he and Hacksaw Jim Duggan’s arrest in New Jersey, as well as the tragic death of his daughter, his drug use and eventual rise back to the top. The Iron Sheik is one of the most fascinating people on planet Earth, and this documentary is an absolute must see.

– Ryan