Why was The Iron Sheik always mad at Hulk Hogan even outside WWE?

The Iron Sheik suffered a loss at the hands of Hulk Hogan at Madison Square Garden in 1984 and seemed to never get over it. The match is considered to be one of the turning points in pro wrestling history, marking a day when a pro wrestler broke out of Sheik’s Camel Clutch and pinned him for the WWE Championship.

Since that moment, Sheik had often taken to social media to throw jibes at The Hulkster. It is strongly believed that The Iron Sheik was always agitated with Hulk Hogan due to his defeat and what followed next in the then WWF.

Iron Sheik believed that once he put Hulk Hogan over in 1984, there would be a rematch of sorts where he would get to defeat The Hulkster. Unfortunately, that never happened, and Iron Sheik’s bitterness toward Hogan kept accumulating. Additionally, there are rumors that Iron Sheik had asked Hulk Hogan to get him a spot in WCW, but the former WWE Champion never got back to him. Such incidents planted a seed of hatred in The Iron Sheik’s heart.

On the other hand, The Iron Sheik wrestled in an era where it wasn’t known to many that pro wrestling was predetermined. Therefore, the superstars had to always be in character, which means Iron Sheik had to always display his hatred towards Hogan. It wasn’t an option for him to break character and appreciate Hulk Hogan or be friends with him publicly during that era. It’s possible Iron Sheik kept the feud alive for decades by publicly hating on The Hulkster.

Tragically, it was announced earlier today that The Iron Sheik passed away at the age of 81, and no one will know if the hatred was real or if the WWE Hall of Famer never broke character.

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The Iron Sheik lost the WWE Championship due to a reason that won’t work in the current era

Back in the 1970s and 1980s, WWE fans were extremely invested in the storylines. They would actually try to attack pro-wrestlers who played heel.

During the early 1980s, Sheik was one of the biggest heels in the industry, but since fans didn’t like heels, he never acquired the stardom.

When the late WWE Hall of Famer won the company's top title from Bob Backlund, the fans were shocked. It was unnatural for them to witness a heel hold the then WWF Championship. To ensure the fans got what they desired, the blonde superhero was presented at Madison Square Garden to defeat Iron Sheik and take the title off him.

To this day, the moment Hulk Hogan pinned Iron Sheik is considered one of the greatest moments in the company's history.