The Iron Sheik is a legend, both in and outside of the ring. There are few characters in the world of wrestling as feared as the man know as The Iron Sheik. And while his popularity continues to grow, decades after he stopped making men humble in the ring, the true story behind the man known as the Iron Sheik is one filled with great joy and equally great sorrow. The Sheik takes a closer look into the man behind the character and dives into a past filled with ups and downs on a scale few will ever know.
From his Olympic wrestling beginnings and his stint as a bodyguard to the Shaw if Iran, to his life in the cold north of Minnesota and early days wrestling, to his fall from grace and into a life of booze and drugs, The Sheik doesn’t hold back on what it was like to be a professional wrestler in those early days, well before the PG era. His stardom came at a different time, when professional wrestling was seen as something completely real both in and outside of the ring. This documentary holds no punches when it comes showing to the toll that the wrestling lifestyle brought, not only to The Sheik, but to many others within the industry.
It’s safe to say that without The Iron Sheik and his over the top persona that he cultivated in the ring, there would be no professional wrestling like we know it today. Arguably the greatest heel (bad-guy) wrestler that the sport has ever known, with a background in actual wrestling that could see him go toe-to-toe with even Olympic greats. His 17 championships across dozens of promotions cements him as an all time great, but it’s his one-time run as World Wrestling Federation Champion that changed the game forever. Holding the title and serving only as a transitional champion to put over the rising Hulk Hogan, The Sheik earned a place in history as a consummate professional and legend. The only way you can have a great baby-face is by them having a great heel, and The Sheik was the greatest heel anyone could have imagined.
This documentary highlights his feud with Hulk Hogan, but also goes beyond his days in the ring and just how difficult life can become once the lights fade. It’s not often that one gets a second chance at being in the spotlight, but The Sheik managed to reinvent himself and ride the wave of social media to new-found success. His story is a brutal one from past to present, but one that shows there is always hope, especially when there are people around you that love and care. The Sheik is a solid documentary and the sort of film that you’ll never see from official sources, but one that should be required viewing from any wrestling fan.
You can watch our full video review of The Shiek on our YouTube channel below:
The Sheik is available to stream now on Amazon for $3.99 as well as DVD to own for $9.99.
Amazon link: http://amzn.to/24y2eIa
*A copy was provided for this review*
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