Koloff returned to WCW in February 1992, saving Sting from an attack byThe Dangerous Alliance. By Drew Rice / June 24, 2021 7:30 am EST. During the bout, Koloff sustained aherniated discin his neck after receiving astiffclothesline to the head from Vader, leading him to retire from professional wrestling. February 24, 1985 - NWA/AWA Star Wars: The Russians (Ivan and Nikita) defeated Steve Keirn and Jimmy Valiant. The pair would battle the Horsemen in War Games and also win the Crockett Cup. During this period, Koloff had altered his appearance somewhat, dropping some muscle mass and growing his hair out into a crewcut. I always thought he could have been such a bigger star. The feud came to an abortive end in August 1991 when Koloff left WCW to focus on running his gym, "Nikita's Fortress of Fitness," in Concord, North Carolina. He says he also calls upon those past experiences to help others who may be going through what he did. He attacked Lex Luger, claiming he had "stolen" the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship from him in 1987 and that he wanted it back. was stripped of his title. Today, Nikita speaks with Doak Turner for another great episode of questions and answers. You can follow Nikita on Twitter @NikitaKoloff1. Koloff and Sting went on to face on another in a Russian Chain match at The Great American Bash on July 14 which was won by Koloff. NIKITA KOLOFF! We would be pleased if you would write one. Keep going Nik! Statistics and information about the 1283 matches fought by Nikita Koloff in our events database. Among his in-ring achievements, he was a 1x NWA National Heavyweight Champion, a 1x NWA United States Heavyweight Champion, an NWA (Mid-Atlantic) 6-Man Tag Team Champion, a 2x NWA (Mid-Atlantic) World Tag Team Champion and a 1x NWA World Television Champion. The couple had two daughters together, Kendra, who was born in June 1992, and Kolby, who was born in May 1996, while Victoria had two daughters (Teryn and Tawni) from her previous relationship. His improvement negated the need for Kernodle to continue teaming with Ivan and, shortly thereafter, the Russians turned on the American turncoat. He is best known for his appearances with Jim Crockett Promotions and its successor, World Championship Wrestling between 1984 and 1992, where he was billed from Russia (and, following the ~~~Later that night, The Russians competed in a "Tag Team Battle Royal", which was won by Sgt. Koloff and Taylor were booked to face each other in a unification bout at StarrCade '87, but Koloff vowed to get his TV belt back before the match. On top of that, he had several classmates in Robbinsdale High that would also become pro wrestlers who werent necessarily on the football team, including Curt Hennig, Rick Rude, and Barry Darsow, a.k.a. 1 Koloff defeated Wahoo McDaniel to unify the title with the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship. The two were then booked in a best-of-seven series, which took place duringThe Great American Bash 1986tour. His character appeared in the 2004 videogame Showdown: Legends of Wrestling. She passed away in 1989. After StarrCade, Koloff was firmly established as one of the NWA's most popular stars. Ivan and Krusher lost the titles toThe Rock 'n' Roll Express(Ricky MortonandRobert Gibson) on July 9. When you spend money on a Nikita Koloff cameo, you feel like he means what he says. He played college football and was dreaming of an NFL career when injuries sidelined him. By Rex Ivanovic Mar 19, 2013, 2:57pm EDT. Expecting it to happen energizes your goal and actually gives it momentum. National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum. Nikita Koloff was born in Minneapolis as Scott Simpson. Koloff defeated Flair by disqualification so the title was retained by Flair. had earned his respect, and that Nikita would work to earn the respect of the American people. And regardless of your beliefs, that's a lesson we should all live by. He learned Russian and refused to come out of character, even when away from the ring. In March, as part of his ongoing feud with Ivan andDick Murdoch, Koloff's neck was "injured" by a Murdochbrainbusteron the concrete floor. And it was at that time, at that moment, that I told WCW that I was going to step away, take a sabbatical if you will. I told them I'd be back, but she was a priority. The following month, Koloff defeated Wahoo McDaniel to unify his US Title with Wahoo's NWA National Heavyweight Championship on September 28. The history of wrestling is full of evil Russian or Soviet heels, with notable ones including former WWE Champion Ivan Koloff, Nikolai Volkoff, Vladimir Kozlov, and Rusev. Being the culmination of a heated feud, the match was inside a steel cage at . The historic moment took place on October 24 inCharlotte, North Carolina. The winner of the series would be declared champion. Nikita Koloff was born in Minneapolis on March 9, 1959. [9] The two fought to a double disqualification at StarrCade '86 on November 26. He returned to WCW as a special guest referee atWrestleWar '89in match for theWCW World Tag Team ChampionshipbetweenThe Road WarriorsandMike Rotundaand"Dr. Death" Steve Williams. Koloff lost the WCW Television Title toMike RotundaofThe Varsity Clubon January 30, 1988. Koloff returned to WCW on February 24, 1991 at WrestleWar. He played college football and was dreaming of an NFL career when injuries sidelined him. Read millions of eBooks and audiobooks on the web, iPad, iPhone and Android. At SuperBrawl Ion May 19, 1991, Koloff accidentally hitStingwith a chain while interfering in a tag team match betweenSting and Lex LugerandThe Steiner Brothers. When Koloff was 10, his family relocated to the suburb of Robbinsdale. Rotunda & Williams were disqualified for attacking Koloff, and later stripped of the titles. This ended Koloff's reign of nearly eleven months. While in junior high school, Koloff began weightlifting. Further education would come from other greats that he shared a ring with, including Ricky Steamboat, Baron Von Raschke, and even Ric Flair. He was readying to embark on a feud withRon Garvinthat would last through the upcomingStarrcade 1986. Praise God for this podcast Its time to man up. The AU Review. As you browse, we hope you'll learn more about the man, his mission and his ministry. JCP Crockett Cup 1987 (11th April 1987) Matches Fought. WF The man who once pursued championships longed for more in his life. Former NWA/WCW star Nikita Koloff has gone from professional wrestler to preacher, and is now entering a new phase of his life as a . On July 15, 2006, Koloff received the Frank Gotch Award from the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame at the International Wrestling Institute and Museum in Waterloo, Iowa for contributing to the positive public image of wrestling. They are of course led by Nikita Koloff, a man who has held many titles including the NWA National Heavyweight, United States and Tag Team Championships. Capture your dreams and your life becomes full. Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Top 250 TV Shows Most Popular TV Shows Most Popular Video Games Most Popular Music Videos Most Popular Podcasts What you expect to happen, happens. Koloff wrestled briefly in Puerto Rico for World Wrestling Council (WWC) and engaged in some bouts with Hercules Ayala. Smash of Demolition. Huffman is an American professional wrestler best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment under his first name. He began wrestling in the mid 1960's under the name Red McNulty. Dusty Rhodes booked Koloff to rebound quickly, winning the NWA World Television Championship from Tully Blanchard on August 27.[11]. Stepping out showing men the Kingdom of God and His Love. The 21st century saw Nikita Koloff follow in the footsteps of many of his contemporaries by writing a book, but he managed to set himself apart from the rest by writing three books to date. When Nelson Scott Simpson first broke into the wrestling business in 1984, he was told that his new character was going to be named "The Russian Nightmare" Nikita Koloff, because by the mid-'80s hating Russians was at a career-making high. It's the first step towards attaining your destiny. Nikita Koloff Pray Together, Stay Together It's Time to Man Up! He also runs his own small wrestling promotion, the Universal Wrestling Alliance UWA as an outreach of his ministry. [19] His finishing move was the "Russian Sickle", a clothesline.[4]. He has ranked on the list of those famous people who were born on March 9, 1959. Search for love, for it is the most important ingredient of life. But it just wasn't the same. His wife, Mandy, would fall ill to Hodgkin's Disease, and he would step away from the ring to care for her. started a brawl with Nikita during a contract signing (which started when the Koloffs berated Magnum's mother, who was present), T.A. This persisted even when "Asshole" became a common Crowd Chant. The feud came to an end in August 1991 when Koloff left WCW. "My wife had been diagnosed with cancer at the age of 24. was stripped of his title. Koloff lost the NWA TV Title to Mike Rotunda of The Varsity Club on January 30, 1988. Ivan Koloff was one of the most fearsome wrestlers of the 1970s and 1980s. This text is hidden because it is only available in German language. According to the storyline, Koloff gained respect for Magnum from their feud and wanted to take his place. Check here, Be the first one to comment on this story. In 1985 and 1986, Koloff wrestled several matches for Capitol Sports Promotions in Puerto Rico as part of a talent exchange, facing Hercules Ayala on several occasions. Dusty Rhodes saw an alternate opportunity. Nikita Koloffs in-ring career lasted less than a decade and involved zero time spent in WWE, so its likely many fans don't know much about him. Nikita defeated T.A. April Babb, who co-pastors CSRA Worship Center with her husband, Paul, said they are excited to have Koloff speak. The following month, Koloff defeatedWahoo McDanielon September 28. Sharing a common enemy in The Four Horsemen, Koloff rescued Rhodes from a vicious attack. In spring of 1986, Koloff started one of the biggest, most anticipated feuds in the history of Jim Crockett Promotions when he attacked NWA United States Heavyweight Champion Magnum T. A. While at the same time, the flip side of that is Im in, I think, some veryby my own standardsrare air The rare air is Im probably one of the few guys that retired and has actually stayed retired and not done a one-off or tried to get one more big payday or more big cheer from the fans., So I guess, for me, coming to a place like Baltimore [at the Celebfest convention] and meeting the fans therethat satisfies my interest. Koloff has written three books. Koloff also wrestled briefly in Herb Abrams' Universal Wrestling Federation, in no way affiliated with the original UWF of Bill Watts, where he reignited a feud with 'Uncle' Ivan. He debuted on June 5, 1984 and won his first match in thirteen seconds. Koloff went on to feud with Rick Rude over Rude's WCW United States Heavyweight Championship. Rhodes decided to strike while the iron was hot, booking Koloff to become a face and his greatest ally against The Four Horsemen. Dusty Rhodes needed a partner to take onOle AndersonandJames J. Dillonin a cage match. Eventually, Koloff eased back into the business part-time. Koloff has written two books: Breaking the Chains (ISBN 1-57090-107-4) in 2000, which is a Christian Living guide and Wrestling with Success (ISBN -471-48732-5) in 2004 along with Jeffrey Gitomer, which is a guide to positive thinking in life situations. On July 11, 1987, Koloff faced Luger in asteel cagematch and was defeated after being hit with a chair. Nikita Koloff was a professional wrestler from 1984 to 1992. 25 years (May 14, 1996) Kolby Koloff/Age Koloff retired from the grind of professional wrestling in 1992 and began giving back to his fans in a variety of ways. ; Due to being on TBS in prime time on Thanksgiving Night, the worst threat Ric Flair could throw at Nikita Koloff during their Starrcade '86 match was "I'll kick your butt you son of a gun!" wrestled all summer, ending up tied after six matches with one no contest. The powerfully built "Russian Nightmare" made short work of his opponents with his Russian sickle maneuver and formed one of the most hated teams in the . [1] However, the Assassins and Jones turned on Koloff after he lost a Russian Chain match to Ricky Morton at Clash of the Champions III: Fall Brawl. The title was also won after Georgia Championship Wrestling was purchased by Jim Crockett Promotions. The Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev had been growing in popularity throughout the country with his political reform of Glasnost and Perestroika. Koloff and T.A. So, I had made up my mind that I [was going to] retire and walk away from active wrestling, and [with] no regrets. When you feel in your innermost being that you will achieve what you set out to do, you open the way for miracles. On that night, the Super Powers were born, and it was the perfect pairing: The American Dream and The Russian Nightmare. Several months ago, Koloff was a call-in guest. Please logout and login again. During the interview Koloff shared his . Not only did he defend his United States Championship against the Horsemen members on various occasions, but he also ended up challenging Ric Flair for the NWA World Heavyweight Title. According to Koloff, it was his favourite match of his career.[7]. Wrestling stories are entertaining, ministry discussions are sincere and informative. Copyright 2023 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Born Nelson Simpson in Minneapolis, Nikita Koloff he legally changed his real name to his ring name in the late 80s spent his teenage years in a nearby suburb called Robbinsdale. While Nikita Koloff is best known for his appearances with Jim Crockett Promotions and WCW between 1984 and 1992, Koloff hasnt wrestled for over three decades following his retirement from the ring in late 1992. "Nikita is as much a champion in the service of other as he was in the ring," said Bill Murdock, a museum board member who is executive director of Eblen Charities in Asheville, NC. All Nations TV is a very innovative Christian based broadcasting company that uses modern technology similar to Netflix, Hulu Plus and 1,233 other channels that stream to your TV. He debuted in 1984 and was introduced as "The Russian Bear" Ivan Koloff's "nephew" just arrived from the Soviet Union. The Bible in a Year (with Fr. The fans in Charlotte erupted when Koloff entered the cage to help Rhodes. The two were then booked in a best-of-seven series, which took place during The Great American Bash 1986 tour. Nikita Koloff WELDED It's Time to Man Up! He went from a hated heel to a beloved babyface. The rare air is I'm probably . Then came Wrestling with Success: Developing a Championship Mentality in 2004, a self-help book that uses Koloffs wrestling career as a springboard for more generalized advice about success. The tour began and ended with two revolutionary matches known asWarGames: The Match Beyond. He also wrote a book about Christian Wrestlers: Wrestling with God, 2001, by Chad Bonham. The final match took place on August 17 and featured run-ins by Kruschev and Ivan and several false-finishes. Also during The War Games, Flair and Blanchard reaggravated Koloff's neck injury by delivering two spike piledrivers. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available from thestaff@tvtropes.org. Nikita Koloffs stated motivation was out of a newfound respect for Magnum TA. When you feel in your innermost being that you will achieve what you set out to do, you open the way for miracles. Nikita Koloff's dedication to his gimmick! Waterloo, Iowa 50701 Interview: Tully on Tully at The Aussie BBQ (Part One) CMW 2014! Ivan invoked the Freebird rule which dictated that any two of the three could defend the titles. Finally, 2011 brought Nikita: A Tale of the Ring and Redemption, which covers the story of his life, from his wrestling days to his ministry work. In October 1986, Magnum T. A. was involved in a career-ending car accident. Not that Im at their level, but at the same time, some have thrown me in the same category with guys like that. Once the WWE's Russian Nightmare, now the DEVIL'S worst nightmare - Nikita Koloff! About a month after their feud ran its course, Magnum TA was involved in a devastating car accident that he thankfully survived, but would never be able to wrestle again. Be encouraged and challenged by listening to what he is offering! The war between the two sides was getting white hot until TA tragically lost his career and nearly his life in a horrific automobile accident. Jack Specific, Imposing, immovable, and unbeatable, Nikita left a trail of fallen opponents as he brought the Cold War that loomed over the globe into the ring. He was given the singles main event when he wrestled WCW World ChampionRic Flairat the final Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament. November 22, 1984 - NWA Starrcade: The Russians (Ivan and Nikita Koloff) defeated Ole Anderson and Keith Larson. The right side of his body was paralyzed for months, ending his in-ring career. He still has the UWF belt as a trophy from that night. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. v1.0: Stats/Moveset/Logic ported from the Lord Worm FPR Edit . He stepped away from active competition in 1992 to become an ordained minister. Prior to committing themselves with Jim Crocket Promotions, The Koloffs feuded with then AWA World tag team champions the Road Warriors in both the AWA and the NWA in a brutal series during 1985. Koloff said, "I probably could. On November 26, Koloff and Taylor battled in what would be the only NWA/UWF unification bout at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago. Koloff lost to Flair and was even attacked by a fan during the match, but he established himself as a superstar in the wrestling business. The series would be pleased if you would write one the WWE 's Nightmare... Encouraged and challenged by listening to what he is offering for Love for. About Christian wrestlers: Wrestling with God, 2001, by Chad.. 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