10 best heels in wrestling history

#6 The Iron Sheik

The Iron Sheik

"Iran number one! USA, Ach-tooey!"

If you remember this quote, then your childhood was awesome. The Iron Sheik was perhaps the biggest heel on the planet following the Iran hostage crisis.

The Iron Sheik's career actually stretches back to 1972, but most are familiar with his brief WWE title run. He took the title off babyface veteran Bob Backlund only to lose it to Hulk Hogan a month later.

While the Iron Sheik possessed no redeeming features whatsoever, the man who played the character, Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri, is well beloved by his wrestling peers. A great practical joker and feisty curmudgeon, Vaziri kept most of his cohorts in stitches. He once spent ten minutes ridiculing Big Van Vader when the Mastadon wasn't around. As soon as Vader walked into the locker room, Vaziri went over to him and excitedly pumped his hand, declaring Vader his favorite wrestler. No doubt Vader wondered why this statement made the locker room erupt in laughter.

Here's the Iron Sheik in his first, and only, successful title defence.