Fan Calls Iran's FIFA World Cup Win Over Wales The Biggest For The Country Since Iron Sheik Captured The WWE Title
The Iron Sheik's win compared to Iran's FIFA World Cup victory
Nov 25, 2022
The FIFA World Cup and professional wrestling collided today.
Wales fans were heartbroken on Friday, November 25 as The Dragons lost their Group B match with Iran at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Both teams had chances, particularly during the second half, but the game remained 0-0 before Wales goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey suddenly charged out of the penalty area and poleaxed Medhi Taremi as they both went for the ball on 86 minutes. Hennessey was initially given a yellow card but he was shown a straight red and sent off after a VAR review.
It then looked like Wales would hang on with 10 men but Roozbeh Cheshmi broke Welsh hearts after he made it 1-0 to Iran on the 98th minute with a curling effort from the edge of the box into the bottom corner. Wales then tried to get an equaliser but Iran hit them on the counter, with Ramin Rezaeian chipping the ball over Danny Ward on the 101st minute to add the finishing touches to a 2-0 Iran victory.
TalkSPORT sought out fan reaction following the loss and one Wales fan called the victory Iran's biggest since The Iron Sheik defeated Bob Backlund for the WWF Championship in 1983.
"I think for Iran, it's probably their biggest victory since The Iron Sheik beat Bob Backlund at WrestleMania. I just think now we've got to go on and we've got to beat England," the fan said.
The Iron Sheik beat Bob Backlund for the WWF Championship at a Madison Square Garden house show on December 26, 1983. Sheik picked up the win after applying the Camel Clutch to Backlund. The then-WWF Champion's manager Arnold Skaaland threw in the towel, forfeiting the title in the process.
The Iron Sheik's title reign was ultimately so WWF could crown Hulk Hogan as the company's top star and Hulkamania was born when The Immortal One defeated the Iranian on January 23, 1984 to become the new WWF Champion.