WWE Hall of Famer Iron Sheik Died of Cardiac Arrest, Officials Say

Wrestling legend The Iron Sheik died due to cardiac arrest, according to TMZ Sports.

TMZ Sports reported the WWE Hall of Famer's death certificate also noted he was suffering from congestive heart failure and hypertension.

A statement posted through The Iron Sheik's Twitter account announced on June 7 the 81-year-old had died.

The Iron Sheik, whose real name was Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri, was one of the biggest heels of his era.

Sheik beat Bob Backlund for the WWE Championship in December 1983, ending Backlund's reign as champion at more than 2,100 days. The match concluded when Backlund's manager, Arnold Skaaland, threw in the towel as Backlund was locked in the Camel Clutch.

The Iron Sheik also played a role in the explosion of Hulkamania across the 1980s and early 1990s. He lost the WWE title to Hulk Hogan at Madison Square Garden in January 1984, which cemented Hogan's status as a top star for the promotion.

That wasn't the last time Sheik tasted WWE gold. He and Nikolai Volkoff beat The U.S. Express, which consisted of Barry Windham and Mike Rotundo, at WrestleMania I to claim the tag team championships.

The Iron Sheik's in-ring career effectively ended after he left the then-WWF in 1992. He returned at WrestleMania X-Seven in 2001 to win the Gimmick Battle Royal and entered the company's Hall of Fame in 2005.

In retirement, Sheik enjoyed a bit of a renaissance thanks to his prolific social media engagement.